Do you keep track of how much you spend on knitting?

I do 🙁

I’m not going to reveal the shameful numbers but suffice it to say, my level of “sin” has been around the same each year for the past few years –  Except last year…

… in 2013 I managed to spend more than twice my normal annual spend 😳

I was shocked.

Looking at what I had bought – a large chunk was yarn for specific projects, bought in New York, Ally Pally and the ever seductive John Lewis sales.

This wouldn’t be so bad if I had knit and enjoyed all my purchases but too many are hiding in my stash. Ziggy, Kitty and Purcey are not going hungry because of my yarn purchasing addiction but I don’t like this level of indulgence and waste.

So what to do about it? First, I should be very happy that this is a problem I have to deal with!

I have done my best to put these “crimes” in my Ravelry queue  (View my secret shame here ->> Susan’s Ravelry Queue ) and I’m trying to work my way through. The first 15 or so projects are ones I really want to knit then they start to drift into more speculative “stash busters”.

Did I mention that I was also appalled at the amount of yarn currently in my stash?

Flossie, Honesty and the Purl Soho Pullover  were a good start on this new leaf of “knitting the stuff I’ve already bought”.

So what is next?

It has to be Esme – another design from Kari-Helene Rane of Purl Alpaca Designs.

This is the pattern pic for Esme – does it look familiar?

Seen that somewhere before?

It’s based on the fabulous Icon Dress I made last year – I was so pleased with everything about Icon, I really could not resist.

I am making Esme in cream (I seem to be in a bit of a cream phase at the moment!)

I’ve done the pretty edging and the peplum…

Love that edging….

And completed the back…

This is pre-pressing so looks wonky!

And started whipping up the front too…

neater than the back!

I used a 4.5mm needle rather than 4mm to get gauge (same as for Icon and honesty) but the cream yarn somehow feels thinner and is giving a lighter fabric which is harder to make “neat”. I’m hoping that will improve after some pressing.

So far it’s an as enjoyable romp of a knit as Icon was – I can barely put it down 😀

Watch this space for another item out of my backlog and into my wardrobe!

Knit faster!