I have a problem?

I'm embarrassed.

I can't believe I'm posting this, either. (Mom, if you're reading, just close the window and walk away...you really don't want to see this. Honest.)





Hi. My name is Erika and I have a problem.

I'm addicted to fiber. And I have to admit that I didn't realize the extent of it until I was challenged on Ravelry to show my fiber stash. Someone (several someones, actually) wanted to know what 200# of fiber stash looks like. And I decided to add in my yarn stash. So I really don't want to know how much is here. And if you see something you like, make an offer, because I'm feeling rather sick to my stomach right now, looking at this.

Here I am, trying to simplify and make life less cluttered, and I've been accumulating stash like there's not going to be any more wool or silk produced ever again. I am so totally prepared for the sheepocalypse, I could spin for the rest of my life and not finish with this stash.

I really am feeling sick about it.

Now, for the tour:

Welcome to my living room, where the "soon to be handled" and "in process" fibers reside. Next to the couch we have a wicker basket, topped with another wicker basket, topped with sweaters to be frogged for the yarn (why???? why do I feel this compulsion????) The top basket holds an abandoned sock pattern and several spindles, along with a bag of yak down.
The bottom basket holds this:
and then some.

Across from the couch is the weaving loom, wtill holding the remaining Christmas towels, unwoven. You can see under the loom where I cut a bunch of them off, so I could hem and give them out at Christmas, but I never finished the rest. And so they sit.
Next to my favorite chair, the chair Mom bought for me when I was enormous-pregnant with the Little Boy, is my current projects. And another basket full of fiber. That basket weighs about 35#. It's pretty stuffed. You can see the edge of the tapestry loom in front of the fireplace. Why I need to start playing with a tapestry loom when I can't/haven't finished last December's weaving has me stumped. Any and all good explanations currently being accepted...
The main stash is in the basement. Here we have two bins and a bag. One bin is roving and top for the Little Boy to make batts with, one is random wools, and the bag is stuff I dyed for the Mystery Project that hasn't been carded yet. The box right behind the bag holds collections of batts for the Mystery Project That Requires Lots of Pretty Fiber. Note the treadmill and the edge of the weight machine - they are NOT covered in fiber. I actually use the treadmill year-round, since I can't stand running outside in freezing cold or blazing hot.
Here's the big one: the Wall o' Crafts. The wall is lined with shelving, and there's an old table in front that holds that carder and whatever I'm working on right now, which includes book-making. At least I have somewhere to work on this stuff without junking up the dining room. the "stuff" on the weight set is my balance ball, which is stored on the seat, and the cover for the carder that keeps the cats from brushing themselves on the carding cloth.
Elsewhere in the basement I have stashed fibers. Here's a bag of clean wool I've been slowly carding.
And in the "closet" in which I store out of season coats and clothes there's another stash of box and two barrel-shaped containers. I didn't pull them out for you. Not going to.
In the main room is the knitting machine. It sits in front of the shelf of fabric, with a couple bins of coned yarn topped by two boxes of coned yarn.
So are you getting uncomfortable yet? Or is it just me?

There's a bathroom in the basement that seldom gets used. The shower hasn't been used in a few years. not for showering, anyway. It holds raw fleece now. (And a small amount of fiber from sheep Shed Studio, waiting to be dyed).

The garage holds the raw llama fleeces waiting to be cleaned and carded. These are what I sell in my Etsy shop and on Ravelry. My cousin raises them, and I process and sell the fiber. Awesome fleece! There's a little over 100# here.
On to the knitting...

each drawer is just under 3' deep.




as is the closet.The guest room holds the rest of the machine knitting stuff, and a bit more yarn.
It also holds the pretty dyed fibers I've posted here as I dye it up. Those boxes are full.



I think that's it, reserving the projects I'm actually knitting on right now, which total 4, I think.

I'm horribly aghast at the volume of wool and fiber I've accumulated. I find it disturbing. I have so little time for actually playing with it, making things, that it is exccessive. If I played with fiber all day, or was ploughing through it, I might consider this to be reasonable, but I think I have passed S.A.B.L.E. (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy). Unless I get to be the first person to reach the ripe old age of 234.

I've seen pictures online of other people's stashes, some smaller, some making mine seem tiny (I seem to recall one where her knitting yarn completely filled her master bathroom, rendering it unusable...) but I think the fact that I'm uncomfortable with it indicates that I have too much for me.

And yet...every bit of it has the potential of being a finished object, gives me inspiration and ideas. Which of those ideas am I willing to part with first??