While managing a four month stash diet, from October 2005 to January 2006, I came up with a few tricks that might help fellow stash knitters, and I thought I should share them here:

1. Set goals. It might be “I will knit at least one sock, one sweater, one shawl and one accessory in this time”. It could be “I will knit one pattern from each magazine I read (though not necessarily every issue), or “I will knit one green project, one red, one blue and one purple (substitute colours for those of your preference/contained in your stash). “You could even try “I will reduce the stash enough to actually fit into the stash’s storage boxes/room (without buying more storage boxes/starting major house renovations)”.

2. Take photos of any yarn you have a use in mind for, with the intended pattern, required tools, etc, and place wherever you will see them whenever a) you have an idle moment (the tv, the bedside table, the toilet) or b) are tempted to buy more yarn (in the handbag, next to the computer, glued to the front of your credit card or onto the screen of your computer).

3. Fondle your stash at regular intervals. How can you get inspired to knit from it if you don’t examine, daydream over and play with it often? If anyone questions this behavior, tell them you’re checking for moths.

4. Buy a program that prevents children accessing inappropriate websites and get someone else to set it to block terms such as “cotton blend”, “handpainted” and “sale”.

5. If you live in a hot climate, buy an airconditioner and set it to ‘high’.