Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Organized? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Organized (2KCBWDAY3)

Alright. It’s day three of the second annual Knitting and Crochet Blogging week, and it’s now happening: I’m rebelling. Yup. You got it. Yarn and “organization” should not be in the same sentence. There. I wrote it.

Now, if you didn’t see my Monday post, just look above and you’ll see another shot of my stash … sort of. I was embarrassed Monday to reveal that I had actually omitted a few skeins of yarn. Of course, that was Monday. Now it’s Wednesday, and my normally very organized mind has had some time to ponder Monday’s minor embarrassment.

I’m no longer embarrassed. Here’s why.

I am a word person. I love all things words – books, blogs, lists, you name it. I have lists for all my crafty stuff. I made a list last year of those projects I wanted to make. I made yet another list at the beginning of last year for the shawls I wanted to make. Of course, what actually sprang from my crafty hands had very little resemblance to those two lists (which did not even really look like each other). I have a new list for this year:


As you can see – I’ve made exactly one thing on January and February’s list. I have a few more that I’m about to start – but it’s now almost April. And of course, the yarn stash and the lists are supposed to be tied to each other. That makes sense, right?

Well, it’s not the fact that I missed a few skeins of yarn in the above photo that’s the issue. No, I’ve been relying on a system that bites – that’s the issue.

So, while the project list still exists (as well as my blog, my Ravelry project pages and digital library) say goodbye to yarn organization. There will be no organized buckets of yarn, complete with alphabetized indices sitting neatly on a hard drive, just waiting to be printed and gazed upon. Color-coordinated? Nah. By weight? Not happening. Nope. No siree Bob. Because as I was snapping the stash photos, I actually remembered I had two other skeins I should have included.

And there’s the rub – it’s not about the words when it comes to yarn, for me it’s about the tactile and the visual. I know exactly what I have, in my head, because I’ve seen it and touched it and experienced it and it’s a permanent part of my memory. No other organization is needed.

Watch as my hands wipe against each other in a very self-satisfied manner.

I’d love to hear whether or not you’re in the no-organization camp. Please leave me a comment, and enjoy all of the great blogging energy that is the second annual Knitting and Crochet Blogging Week.  And, hey, let’s have fun out there on the ‘net.


15 comments:

  1. tehehe, yes, I totally agree. I have my stash displayed in two decorative hand-woven boxes in my living room. The yarn is too pretty to sit in a clear nicely labeled tub.

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  2. Great post!
    I definitely am in the no-organization camp. I boycotted today's topic and did the wild card.

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  3. Ah, mmm, well... My organization skills and knitting is somewhat outpaced by my yarn acquisition. So while things are stored in boxes, I don't necessarily know what's in the boxes, apart from which dyer they belong to. Oh, and the yarn is in ziploc bags too.

    Have you knit with your Habu yarn? I've been meaning to tackle the Kusha Kusha scarf, but alas, there are so many other things in my queue...

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  4. Long Live Disorganization!!! XD Lol I don't have a shred of organization when it comes to my stash too

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  5. Word to the nth! I'm a visual person too and remember what I see.

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  6. I guess this is why I do better when my stash sits around (all around) where I can see it. As another word person, I sit with notebook and pen beside me as I crochet and write notes about the project as I go (sometimes pages and pages of notes... LOL) which will maybe in the future help me remember how/if I should make something again.

    Great post.

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  7. Well, can't say as I am. I like things neat and tidy (even my project lists) because then there's nothing to distract my creative side. Different strokes for different folks!

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  8. My organization is shoddy at best and I know if I actually took pics of my stash I would #1-find yarn I didn't know I owned; #2-someone would contact hoarders to come and clean out my house. Of course, since I have stopped buying anything crafty over the past year (but then again, I haven't done much either)I shall live guilt free.

    I love your photographs and the eye you have for display and color. You shamed me into putting up two pics on my post from today, but they aren't "artsy" like yours, just snagged from an old blog post.

    I do have some things listed on Ravelry as "likes" meaning "I'd like to make that", my handwritten lists get ignored. I am a bit envious of your organized non-organization. And my yarn is not together as coordinates, just same lot numbers, just clarifying ;)

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  9. The tactile and the visual, beautifully put. (And you're right, organization for the sake purely OF, is never the right thing!!!)

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  10. Some days clean underwear is as good as it gets for me and now I'm expected to organize my yarn?!?!?!? Hahahahahahahahaha!

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  11. I'd never be able to find anything if I didn't organise my stash! I live in a very dusty flat on a busy road so need to keep yarn in boxes - and I worry about moths and the damage they can do ;o)

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  12. I'm totally a word person, but that doesn't equate to visuals as well with me (or it could just be that I have an appalling memory). I'm somewhere in between the 2 organisation camps I think!

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  13. I shiver at too much organizing, brings me back to first grade and the ruler margin imposition that made a difficult task of printing even more frustrating!!!!
    I have my needles displayed, I have all of my knitting books and mags together, my patterns are in binders and I have two bigger totes for yarn and three smaller ones, and lately, piles of recently acquired yummies. I just need a bigger room, not organization. That's my opinion and I stickin to it!

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