The Great Craft Use-Up Challenge of 2012

I am a chronic starter of craft projects. I am not a chronic finisher, unfortunately.

I was poking through my ever-growing box of yarn--well, now it's two boxes of yarn--well, I have a third box upstairs in the attic but we don't talk about that box--and I was overwhelmed by the number of projects I have in various stages of incompletion.

I hereby challenge myself to come up with a creative solution. The object of the game is to use up all this yarn by making all sorts of pretty things. I will spend zero to little money on these projects, as to assuage my guilt about accumulating and procrastinating.

I will then use these pretty things, sell them or give them away as gifts. Everything must get used! I am not allowed to buy any more yarn until I use all of what I have on hand.

This is the first fruit of my challenge. It is beautiful, if I do say so myself. When I knitted it, it was probably a third again this size. It looked like a baggy sweater, but it felted down to a perfectly sized purse. I lined it in a recycled tablecloth. The swirly designs on each side are made of scraps that were cut off the shoulder strap, which was too long at first. No scraps of wool were harmed or wasted in the making of this bag.

I am almost finished with another bag as well--I will post pics of everything to generate excitement and draw undue attention to myself. Just want to see if you are reading!