Oldest Yarn

Our Secret Pal 10 Contest #4 is to write about our oldest yarn. Like so many challenges, this one is challenging. I've been buying and neglecting to use craft supplies for nearly 30 years, and it's not like I'm organized or anything.

A few years ago I did a Giant Acrylic Purge, and I suspect that knocked out most of the really old stuff. My active stash fits in two suitcases and three small totes, although I know there are some stray balls wandering around, especially at my parents' house.

So this is a best guess - the oldest yarn of known provenance is 10-year-old (almost to the month) Sugar & Cream. A friend was crocheting an afghan of many colors of Sugar & Cream, and I became jealous. So I decided to make my own - and not knowing how to crochet was only a small obstacle. It was nearly impossible, back then, to find a generic granny square pattern, so I faked it. I bought every color of Sugar & Cream (or its generic relatives) that I could find.

After a summer, I had about half the squares needed for an afghan, and had gotten bored and joined two rows together. That's where the project's been ever since. Two balls of sport-weight Sugar & Cream had worked their way into the mix, and a few years ago (after some false starts at sock-making) they became the Roman Rib footies pictured here. I really intend to go back and finish the afghan, especially since that will empty two of the small stash boxes. Maybe it will be an every-10-years Summer of 'X7 project.

No picture yet, because my camera is packed, ready to go to Germany! I'll add one eventually.