Every Last Bit

I'm always worried about how much of everything I waste--food, paper, consumer electronics, you name it, my garbage is shameful! That's one of the reasons my ripple/granny project appeals so much to me. I think people used to horde their yarn as precious. Waste was not only immoral, but just plain impractical. I read in one of my vintage pattern repro books that even cabling was sparing in wartime patterns--it used up too much yarn--and was only used for embellishment. The ripple afghan is a way for you to use up your stash for something useful. And even more wonderful, the little bits left over from the color runs can be used for the grannie squares!



I have found that, with some planning, this is all I am left with from a skein of yarn after it yields several ripples and pieces of a granny or two:



Now what on earth can be done with these scraps? It doesn't really make a difference in the world, I guess, but at least it's mindful...

When I think about my yarn exercise, I remember that we're in wartime right now, but who could tell? It's so easy to forget the soldiers and their families, I'm so removed from it--there's no rationing, little news, I'm not uncomfortable or worried (well, any more than usual). This is probably the time to send something overseas through a program like My Soldier. My friend told me about this lovely kit. I wonder if a soldier would like a pair of handknitted socks...probably too impractical...but it's certainly alluring!