The one where Linden realizes she has a problem

I have a yarn problem. It's not that I can't decide which yarn to use. It's not that it's too itchy for me to knit with. It's not even that I have too little to finish my project.

It's that I have too much right now and I can't stop buying it. This is no thanks to L&B (my LYS) changing up their reward system. For a while now, every $5 I spent was marked on a card and once I got to $200 spent, I could cash in my card for 25% of my next purchase. A steal, right? Well, now I have been told that I have to use any cards I have by the end of December. I won't say how many I happen to have, as I have been avoiding this fact because knowing would indicate how much I have spent there in the last year. I'm totally in denial about the amount.

But back to why I have so much yarn. I've decided that I think it would be awesome to design my own patterns and offer them here and on Ravelry. This means that something I want to make pops into my head and I have to go buy the yarn. Oh, and then there's Christmas. Yes, I have to make Christmas gifts because clearly I am super-knitter and can knit things for all 22 members of my family. No problem. Ok, so I'm not planning on making 22 gifts. But I am (for some reason) planning to make 11 gifts (and 5 of those gifts are double gifts - meaning I have to make two of them - knitters, you see the problem). The progress has been good so far, though. Four of the six single gifts complete. Four of the ten double gifts complete. I might make it. That's not my problem.

Back to my problem. The yarn. So I have too much of it. Reasons: "Designing", Christmas, forced yarn buying due to discount card expiration, and pretty green yarn addiction. I fear I might have to go on a yarn fast . . . help . . . me

I put designing in quotes above due to the abundance of ideas in my head, the abundance of yarn in my possession, but the lack of concrete evidence of designing (i.e. written patterns). I have made some progress, however. I've got one hat pattern ready to go, and I'm almost finished writing out my dream sweater pattern. I'll be a designer on Ravelry yet!

Now for an update on my knitting projects:

The Jackson Wrap: finished a few days after I returned from Mississippi. I actually love how this turned out, now I just have to find a place to wear it.
Yarn: Miss Babs Yowza- Whatta Skein
Pattern: Dream Swatch Head Wrap by Wendy Bernard (I just made it much bigger)

I also made a Koolhaas hat and mitts for my friend Ryan. Now I just have to get them to him in Denver . . .
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted in Charrua
Pattern: Koolhaas by Jared Flood

And socks . . .
Pattern- Universal Toe-Up Sock Formula by Amy Swenson
Yarn - Miss Babs Yummy Hand Painted

Pattern- Francie by Rebekka Kerner

Yarn - Collinette Jitterbug

Ok, back to fondling my stash. Mmmmalabrigo scarf . . . mmmmm