S.A.B.L.E.

Is an acronym for Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy.

That's a lot of yarn. A lot of serious knitters often end up with SABLE. I know I have.

First there is the yarn I have bought—Like the 10 skeins of turquoise worsted, (Paton Classic Merino Wool) for a oversized sweater jacket—That I still want to make one of these days. I have the pattern, I have the wool, I need the will. And there is plenty more wool just like those 10 skeins...There was a plan for every skein—some times I have forgot the plan, but...The yarn remains. Lots and lots of it.

Then there is the wool (and silk, and other luxury fibers) that I received from other knitters—who died with SABLE. There were several. I could (and did) easily pass over the synthetic yarns (well except for some pretty stuff for my granddaughter!) and went right for the silk, or silk and wool blends, or the alpaca, or angora—and a lot of this yarn has been planned for, too. The girls (as I often refer to my twin granddaughters), are too young now for fancy muffs—but when they are 4? Pretty muffs, lined with angora will be perfect. I have 8 skeins of the stuff—plenty for a pair of warm pretty muffs.

And finally there is the gift yarn. Non-knitters often buy pretty yarns—but in such small quantities, the gift can go unknit for years—waiting for the right project. Single skeins are inspirational—but they require small projects. I have something short of a million hats—how many more do I need?

How big is my SABLE? Well in my best year, I knit 14 pairs of socks. If I continued at this rate--(a really big IF there) I have enough yarn for a good 10 years worth of socks--(with out buying any more sock yarn—as if that will happen!)

At the more reasonable rate of 9 pairs of socks per year—that is 15 years worth of socks. I want to live that long, and longer... but if I do, I suspect there will be some new sock yarns added, so that the supply would never be completely depleted.

And then there is Yarn LUST. I have lusted over and for Kauni Effekt yarn since I first saw it.

Last week, I gave into my lust, and bought 150g--(a mere 600 yards or so.) The plan is for it to become, paired with a solid, a stranded color work yoke to a sweater.

I show the yarn here with the natural oatmeal colored Lion Brand 1878 yarn (about 1870 yards)--together 2400+ yards—enough for a sweater. But I have 1878 in black and white--(2 cones of each color)—so I have some options about what color to match with the Rainbow color way...I am thinking black would be best—but..who knows what I will think when I finally get around to knitting it.

Before I go to work on this yarn, I have some other projects lined up.. A sweater for my self is one item on my queue, but will it be this yarn? Or the alpaca? Or the turquoise wool sweater jacket? Or something else?

Meanwhile, my almost 5 inches knit on the foot beaded blue socks, have become, over night, almost 7 inches knit.

I will need at least 7 inches—actually more like 7.5 before I start the toe shaping.. These socks are pair 5—in 8 months.. so I will be pressed to complete 9 pairs for this year--(and will be below average) –that just makes my SABLE just a little bit bigger.