Tuesday 14 June 2016

Basic arithmetic

tells me that  I need to knit a little everyday to reduce the amount left to knit. This will of course only happen if I do not add to the current amount of yarn to be knitted. (Okay, I did order a small cone - a mere 150gms - yesterday but it is a mixture of merino and  yak and my friend C is currently in Mongolia doing something with  yaks. She has also done rather a lot for me in recent months so she needs to be rewarded  and finding something labelled "yak" seemed fortuitous. It will be knitted for her.
But, no more yarn. I will not buy any more yarn. I have enough yarn. 
I gave away a good deal of yarn earlier this year. It was yarn which had been given to me. Knitters will know the sort of thing I mean. It comes with the "I thought you might like this. I found it in the charity shop." and "I've been clearing out Mum's/Aunty's/sister's/cousin's "stuff" and there's a heap of knitting wool and...." All too often the "wool" turns out to be acrylic and better used for pet blankets. That's all right. I know people who knit and crochet pet blankets.
I am currently knitting a shawl out of merino-mohair mix. It is nice yarn but very fine. I need to watch each stitch. It isn't exactly fun. There are a thousand metres of the stuff to be knitted up. It's a sample for my friend who runs the stalls at fairs around the country.
I have made the cotton hat she asked me for and I am, I hope, about a quarter of the way through this. A little each day will do it. I know that, at the other end, I should be able to do something I want to do.
It is something I thought about as I read a slew of letters in the paper this morning. One of the regular correspondents had written a letter supporting the financial record of her side of politics. The problem was that she had not checked the actual figures  or, if she had, she thought other people would not. I read through other letters - one from someone who had obtained the official Treasury figures. 
They didn't make happy reading. We have accumulated too much debt. We are not paying it off. I know we won't pay it off  under either  side - and the minor parties would have us spending even more. 
It makes me feel guilty about  that cone of yak/merino. I didn't really need to get it. I know I could have used something else. C....wouldn't have minded. Telling myself that it was special because it is "yak" was just an excuse.
All I can think of now is that at least it was not quiviut (the incredibly expensive under hair of the musk ox) and I can turn it into something of value.
But can we do the same with the budget - or will that new "150gms" or billion or two be wasted? 

4 comments:

Holly said...

You are right about the politics, but wrong about your yarn. Even if all of us went on a yarn diet for a year and contributed the money to our governments toward debt stabilization - it wouldn't be enough to make a difference.

What is important is whether or not the individual can afford their purchase.

And this is where (priorities, ability to pay and common sense) I see our governments not being responsible consumers..

catdownunder said...

And after I had written this Holly I was offered a bucket full of knitting needles and crochet hooks - have accepted to pass on for charity!

Jodiebodie said...

I know what you mean about the type of 'wool' (that invariably isn't) donated by well-meaning people. I've got too much of it in my stash. So now I have a stack of things to make that I hadn't planned on making until I received the yarn (for which only a particular use is suitable). I feel I ought to honour the donation but also, because I am on a strict budget, I hang onto it for that day when I don't have the money to purchase yarn and need something to make. I don't have money for yarn at the moment and probably won't again for a while. My budget is that tight these days so I am grateful for the donations but they can also be blessed burdens, preventing me from getting to things I would rather be making.

P.S. Were there any tricot hooks or aero brand hooks in that bucket? If so, maybe I could exchange them with you for a donation to your preferred charity.

catdownunder said...

No, but if I come across any at any time I will put them aside for you.