starting point

Before I begin, want to take a moment to pause and reflect on what happened yesterday morning at Virginia Tech University. My thoughts and prayers, along with many of those in our nation, are with them all.

We all must start somewhere, or at least that's what I've been told. In that spirit, I've decided to sort out my inventory of yarn into a list.

• 2 skeins of Sugar & Cream cotton in sage green
• 1 skein of Red Heart in sage green
• 3 skeins of Bernat Softee Chunky (2 sea foam green, 1 pink)
• 2 skeins of Bernat Boa in peacock
• 2 skeins of Moda Dea Ticker Tape in monet
• 1 skein of Bernat Baby, color unknown
• 2 skein of Bernat Cotton Tots (1 mixed berries, 1 pink)
• 1 skein, divded into two small balls, of Cascade Quatro in jamacia
• 1 skein of Wool Ease in green heather

Not pictured: 2 skein of Bernat Baby Coordinates in pink, 3 skeins of Bernat Softee Chunky, and 2 skeins of Bernat Boa. All have been used already for projects.

With all this yarn, what is a knitter to do? To be honest, I'm not fully sure. I have ideas, but what will actually happen is anyone's guess.

One thing is for certain; I need to finish the scarf I promised my sister around Christmas. The top picture there shows it; the green item on the needles. It's about halfway finished at this point. I made the mistake of letting her decide what yarn she wanted, and sure enough she chose some of the thinnest yarn available, which means it will take longer.

I can't blame her fully. My lack of progress can also be blamed on my working on other projects. I decided at the beginning of the year that 2007 would be what is known as a 'destashing' year. What it means is that I am not buying any more yarn, with a few exceptions, until I have used up what I own now.

Good idea, right? To be honest, I was skeptical that I would be able to do it, just because I owned many skeins that I really no longer wanted. Most were sitting untouched for months.

Then I found a group called Crafting for a Cause, or 3000in2007. I was extremely touched by their mission statement, found towards the bottom of their information page. It reads:

"As of the end of 2006, approximately 3,000 US soldiers had died in the war for Iraq. There's a lot that you can say. There's a lot to cry about. But we feel that instead of adding more negativity to the world, we could do something great to honor those fallen soldiers."

The last sentance stresses something I really strive for in my life. I know for myself, it is so easy to get wrapped up in all the bad things that are happening. It's simple to get the 'I'm just one person' mentality. Yet, here is a chance to change that, even in some small way.

My appologies to my sister; that scarf of hers will have to wait a little while longer.