It’s so interesting to read what everyone else has to say about their stash! I admire people who are happy without a stash at all. I know it’s never going to be me–I’m not a collector by nature, but I do like to have some amount of inspiration around the house. So I display my stash–in a basket here, a hand-carved wooden bowl there. I love seeing my current favorite yarn while I work, play with Jacob, or cook. I like touching it as I go by, changing my mind about what the yarn will turn into dozens of times. It keeps my knitting juices flowing when I’m embarking on yet another small-gauge stockinette project.
I think the folks who commented that organization helps them feel less overwhelmed are really on to something–right now, the stash is in huge ziploc bags on the floor of my crafting closet, where I dumped it the day we moved in. Sadly organization will have to wait, since in a little under two weeks we’re headed back east for a month (hey, Boston and Providence and Maine knitters-give a shout and we’ll get together!) and things are a little hectic before we leave. While I have probably half a dozen small projects I want to complete by Christmas, I’m not worried about those. I do want to complete log cabin slippers and a hat/fingerless gloves combo by the time we leave, so they’ll be wrapped up when we arrive at the intended recipients’ house. I’m not sure that’s going to happen, although the hat that looked like this on Wednesday:

…is already finished, soaking in Soak as I type. I also cast on for Jacob’s alligator scarf, got through the head, realized what a pita the body is going to be, and promptly decided it can wait until after the mitts and slippers.

It sure is cute, though, isn’t it?