Five Stages of Yarnaholism (or how I couldn't resist Alchemy at 25% off)

Denial

Suggest problem has corrected itself and it will soon be over
“I need this new yarn to make the shawl I saw in that book, that’s all. I will certainly not buy any more yarn, after today.”

Exhibit apathy and numbness
“No problem. I have the cash. It’s no big deal. So what if it doesn’t fit in my yarn closet or in the basket in the living room or in the Rubbermaid storage bin in the garage.”

Rationalize
“I’ll make it fit. Heck, I deserve this. It’s only yarn.”

Anger

Sabotage the change effort
“If I go to the yarn sale, I might buy yarn. But if I don’t go I’ll miss seeing my knitting pals and having a good time. I’ll go to the sale.”

Play "shoot the messenger"
“Damn that salesperson. If she hadn’t told me the Alchemy was on sale, I never would have bought it. Well, I might have. I would have. Damn her.”

Withdraw from society
“Okay, fine. So, you want to make something out of it? Get outta my way; I’m going shopping.”

Bargaining

Cut a deal to spare others harm
“Honey, I know I said I wouldn’t buy any more yarn. But see, this yarn I’ve looked at so many times is on sale. And I’ll never-ever-ever find it on sale again at this price. And, you know, they discontinue yarns all the time. So, if I buy this yarn, uhm, you can buy that baseball card you’ve been wanting. And we’ll both be on purchase restriction after that.”

Suggest other concerns to redirect problem solving
“Well, I’m just glad I paid that insurance bill. Don’t have to think about that any more. Isn’t that great? Oh, and I have to remember to pick up the dry cleaning. Did I water the tomato plants today?”

Depression

Express a loss of control
“I admit it’s getting a little out of hand. The yarn in little pyramid piles on the floor was cute for a while. I just don’t see it as a design element anymore. I’m never going to be able to knit all this yarn.”

Withdraw from society.
“I’ve now officially got SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy). I’m just going to have to forego any more yarn sales. If I go, I’ll buy. I’ll just become a hermit. That’s all there is to it.”

Acceptance

Express ownership for solutions
“I do not need any more yarn. I must take a stand.”

Focus on achieving benefits
“When I finish using at least … 30% of my stash, then I can buy more yarn. But not until then! Okay, 20%.”

AND I GOT IT AT GREENWICH ...

Greenwich Yarn End of Summer Sale is from September 7 - 23. Topnotch yarns from 25%-70% off, including Alchemy, Debbie Bliss, Noro, and many, many more. I'm not kidding -- it's an extraordinary sale. If you're in the Bay Area, it's worth a trip.

Greenwich Yarn
2073 Greenwich
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-567-2535

Sucker for a Good Yarn Sale

My knitting group, the BAWDies (Bay Area Wool Divas) met today at Allyne Park in San Francisco. Since our regular Sunday spot, Valencia Street Books, recently closed, we've been on the lookout for a permanent place to meet on Sundays. In the meantime, we're a floating knitting group - not unlike a floating crap game - and we pass the word of our meeting places along to our members via a well-established Yahoo group.

After knitting, Tina of Knitwhits and I walked down to Greenwich Yarn, which is having their annual yarn sale. I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive. The last time I had been there, I didn't feel welcome, almost a burden to the salespeople. This time, my experience was completely different. The salesperson was courteous and helpful, and didn't make a fuss when I mentioned I had a store credit to use. The sale was in full swing - many yarns on the shelves were marked down. And on the back patio, baskets and tables piled with high-end yarns marked way, way down made me gasp. I had to avoid touching the luscious Classic Elite Lush (angora and wool) - so soft, it's nearly irresistible. Debbie Bliss, Lang and Rowan were among the choices on the sales tables. Temptation was almost too much for me. I did pick up some goodies pictured here.

Madil "Film" - 60% viscose, 40% tactel, 25g, 87m (gold, fine, Italian ladder yarn)
Louisa Harding "Impression" - 84% nylon, 16% mohair (sportweight, supersoft, slightly glam Italian yarn)
GGH "Marathon" - 75% superwash wool, 25% polyamide (sock yarn from Germany)

The sale is worth a trip. It runs through the end of July.

One weird thing: If you're out there on the back patio looking at oodles of smashingly good wool and things, and you hear profanities beyond the back fence, don't worry. A neighbor hanging his laundry on the line may repeatedly announce, "... f***ing wind ..." and intermittantly curse is blasted socks.