Taking stock

Recently, I’ve been working on documenting the stash in all its glory.  I have held off on creating my own database to do this for now and have instead been recording the information over on Ravelry.

I want to document, as accurately as possible, the color and texture of the yarns in the stash so that I can shop the stash even when I’m not able to be in physical contact with it.  So as part of this endeavor, I have been taking a lot of photographs.  Many, many photographs…  In order to make the task  a little more fun, I’ve been playing around with lighting and angles.

While I think that I’m more than halfway through the photographing process, I am by no means near the end.  The project has taught me a few things so far, though:

1. I have a lot of yarn.
2. Indirect natural light is really good for photographs in general but sometimes distorts the colors of some yarns…
3. I have a lot of yarn.
4. It’s really hard to get the color of heathered yarn, especially in blue and green tones, right in photographs…
5. I have a lot of yarn.
6. Attempting to photograph black (or even dark grey) yarn against a black backdrop is not really the best course of action…
7. Oh, did I mention that I have lot of yarn?

Overall, I have been very pleased with the results of my photo shoots and I thought I would share with you all some of my favorite photographs so far.

First up some simple Knit Picks Palette in Ash:

The photograph reminds me of stacked stones.  I think that this yarn is destined to become my pair of Earl Grey socks from my 10 in 2010 list.

Next, something with a bit more color:

Two skeins of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in the Edgewater colorway.  I love the way the colors turned out in this one; although, I would have appreciated slightly less intense highlights…

Brooks Farm Duo:

I love the way these skeins pop off the background.  I purchased this yarn on my first trip to Rhinebeck.  I love it so much that I haven’t been able to bring myself to make anything from it.  That’s a silly notion, isn’t it?

Well, its the same notion I have about this yarn:

Fingering Superwash Merino Semi-solid in a colorway called Meadow Grass.  Also from my first trip to Rhinebeck but, this time, received as a present from Andrew.  It was hard to get the color correct in this photograph but I think that I did a reasonably good job.  I absolutely love the color.

Now, some yarn I picked up during my last trip to Japan:

I had to include this here because I really love the lighting in this photograph.  This is some very thin pima cotton from Avril, an awesomely cool LYS  in Tokyo.  I think that it is really intended for weaving but, since I don’t currently weave (although I’d really like to!!), I’ll probably use it to make something lacy…

And finally, a little red:

Little Traveller from The Sanguine Gryphon in the Rojas colorway.  I think the photograph makes it seem a little ethereal…

Well, I think that’s all for now.  I hope you enjoyed the photographs.

Now I’m off to daydream about being snowed in with my knitting and an endless supply of tea and baked goods this weekend…