That’s why I have boxes and bags and rooms full of yarn.

I have always been a collector.  When I was a child it was toys – dolls mostly.  As I got older I started to read and collect books – I still collect books.  My father started that.

When I was twelve he found a bookcase full of books at a garage sale.  They were all “girls” books: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island;  Jane Eyre: Little Women and Little Men, some Nancy Drew, Enid Blyton and other assorted children’s Authors.  I still have most of those books – or my daughter has!

When I was thirteen my Grandmother Nellie added to my collection when she found out I liked books.  I received a very good collection of G.A. Henty’s and Zane Grey’s!  Plus a few other boys books from the turn of the last Century!

If you have never read any G.A. Henty – most of you wouldn’t have – they were written for boys and young men of the Victorian and Edwardian Era’s.  Tomes like “With Kitchener in the Sudan”, “Young Buglers”, “Treasure of the Inca’s” and others in the same vein.

“In the Days of the Mutiny”, was my favorite.   It is about India in the days of the Maharaja’s and the Indian Uprising against British Rule.  You can read M.M. Kayes “Shadow of the Moon” for the female version of that book.

Reading the Zane Grey novels gave me an abiding love of the western genre for both books and movies.  The cowboy, the horse and the sunset – with maybe a very strong female character as well!  I still love Western novels and movies.  I love the fact that HBO and the independent TV Channel’s are bringing back the Western, a little grittier and a lot bloodier!  But still the Western with the larger than life situations and Characters.  For a slight twist on the traditional western, try reading Zane Grey’s book, “Wilderness Trek” and then watch the movie “Australia”.  The West is not only on the American Continent!

I was a bookworm, head always in books.  Usually different times and locales and once I discovered Science Fiction, different Worlds as well.  I had a very skewed view of “honor” and right and wrong and really believed that I belonged in a different time.  As I grew older and developed more skills my range of reading material grew wider and started to encompass all area’s of my life.

Once I started knitting I went crazy trying to collect books that were “no longer available” and “out of print”.  I am so happy that many of the better knitting books have been reprinted by companies like Dover and Lacis.  They have given me the chance to acquire the Alice Starmore books, the Sheila MacGregor books and other similar out of print lace and technical books.

How did I get here?

Oh Yeah!  I am a collector.  One of the aspects of being a collector is that if you are interested in something you can go a little overboard!  Hence the Yarn Collection!  There is really not other word for it!

I recently acquired a gorgeous little – and rapidly growing – Beagle puppy named Sophie.  Because of Sophie I have had to become much more tidy and organized.  As a result I have had to work on organizing my wool room.  It has forced me to really look at the yarn I have collected over the years of knitting!  It was a sobering activity – I have holes in my collection that I will have to fill!

Oh joy!  I can by yarn will a clear conscience knowing that I am only filling in the gaps!

While this was written with tongue firmly in cheek, I have had to tidy up my act and take a good look at my collection.  I have discovered that I must absolutely love Handmaiden’s Lace Silk.  I have 8 skeins that I found and I know that I have more!

I also found out that I have a perfect colour for a fall sweater.  It is actually on the Fall Pantone Guide to colours for the coming fall.  Twenty balls of Zara in brilliant Aquamarine – I see a sweater happening soon.  I need more undyed yarn to paint!  And the list goes on……

Take a little time to assess your Stash – it may have some holes as well!

Happy Knitting

Lynette