My self-imposed yarn diet ended the day before Rhinebeck. It was an unusual one-- I could buy as much yarn as I liked, but I had to run laps on the track (4x the amount of yardage I bought) to pay for it. This method worked very well for me. I don't like to run, but I was able to buy yarn if I *really* wanted it.
In the end, I've run 10.5 miles for yarn, and I owe David 3.5 more miles. You see, I had a bit of a falling down a few weeks before Rhinebeck.
I was thinking about the Wollmeise yarn. I love it; it's my favorite sock yarn, but it's now so hard to get. I went to Yarnissima's web site, and she happened to have all of her kits available, and well, I had to get some more Wollmeise. Even with paying for the Yarnissima patterns, the price was very reasonable. I totally recommend this option for the Wollmeise crazy-- the patterns are beautiful, and the kits are in stock quite often.
That falling-down aside, I can really feel how this diet has changed my way of thinking about yarn. At Rhinebeck, I could see the frenzied looks in other knitters' eyes, and I felt a little bit like the designated driver at a New Year's party. But I did make purchases that were what I really wanted, and things that I knew I could use well. Almost everything I got, I though about the yarn, the yardage, the color, and did I really want this yarn. I walked away from several options because of this. I did have a couple of "Squee! I must get this!" purchases, though, which is very fun.
I'm going to suspend the running-for-yarn diet for awhile. There are some things I would like to buy that I don't want to run for. But I think I'm ready.
That said, I'm going to Stitches East tomorrow :) I'll probably be bringing home some more yarn. But probably not an unreasonable amount? We'll see! If you're going, look for me in my favorite sweater!
Wow, have fun at Stitches!
Posted by: Oiyi | November 07, 2008 at 12:24 PM
That's an interesting yarn diet...so 400 yards purchased means that you would run a mile? I should try that just to get myself to exercise.
Posted by: Cassy | November 07, 2008 at 02:51 PM
I so need to employ this run for yarn technique - I don't care for running either but I like the idea of thinking "do I like it enough to run??" :) And wollmeise, isn't she heavenly!?
Posted by: stacey | November 07, 2008 at 06:29 PM
I loved that yarn diet when you first brought it up--glad to hear it worked!
I have never knit with Wollmeise, what's the big brouha about?
Posted by: Amy | November 10, 2008 at 09:34 AM
That really is some pretty yarn!
Posted by: tiennie | November 10, 2008 at 09:05 PM
Alas, it looks like I'm losing a running partner soon. :(
Posted by: David | November 17, 2008 at 06:32 PM