Laptops, Storage, Step Socks, and other less important things

available from Brookstone

I've been sorting through all of the terrific comments about how to organize a stash. You guys are brilliant! (Scary, but brilliant!) I have lots of stuff crammed into dark blue Rubbermaid trash cans in the basement and while it does the job of keeping yarn safe from marauders, it doesn't 1) please the eye or 2) make finding what I need easy.

I've been doing the Ziploc thing since I started knitting again in 2003 and can't imagine life without them. Those humongous bags can hold a ten-pack of something gorgeous without splitting a zipper. (More than I can say about 2003's jeans . . . ) I guess the ideal solution would include Ziplocs as the first line of defense and then something big, relatively solid, and transparent. I think I'm going to go room by room and see what can be commandeered into service and what has outlived its usefulness. The closet in the guest room is a perfect example. I used to store my "I'm a published author" clothes in there. (As opposed to the tee shirts, jeans, and truly hideous pajamas I keep in the bedroom closet.) Well, the thing is I don't much go to conferences any more and I can't remember the last time I did an autographing. (2004 maybe?) It seems to me that the guest room closet might be just the place to stow my stash. (And did I mention that Goldisox put together one of those "California Closet' deals for me in there with all sorts of shelves and baskets years ago. This is truly starting to sound like the way to go.)

A new laptop should be arriving some time today. I almost feel sorry for the poor thing. I wonder if the laptop grapevine let it know its probable fate.

This is not a paid advertisement but if you haven't tried Austermann's STEP yarn get out there immediately and treat yourself to a skein. No, I didn't see much difference when I was knitting with it but OMG once you wash it, it turns into something close to angora! Beyond soft and gorgeous. I feel like stealing Goldi's socks right off his feet.

I managed to squeeze in an hour of knitting yesterday and loved every single second of it. I have maybe 2/3 of a ball of Outback Mohair left and I figure I'll keep going until I have just enough left to cast off. Since this is for me I can forsake the fringe unless, of course, I rummage through eBay and pick up a random hank or two.

Did you read what I wrote: "rummage through eBay and pick up a random hank or two." Isn't that how I ended up with all of these bits and pieces in the first place? Isn't rummaging through eBay the first step on the path to major stash enlargement, something I'm trying to avoid.

Pretend you didn't read it.

I'll try to pretend I didn't write it.