Everything has a balance of yin and yang. It makes the world a livable place and (most) people tolerable. This balance can be found demonstrated in some truly odd ways.

I crave order and planning. (Yin) I am a huge procrastinator. (Yang)

This works itself out in ways that could drive a normal person (or matty) nuts. I purchase organizational tools and gizmos for each and every occasion. But I never get around to entering the data or keeping up with the projects. I vowed that this time would be different!

I'm fairly new to knitting so although I may make a swatch, it's not for the right reasons. I like to play with the yarn. Touch it; feel it; enjoy the colors. So I make a wee small swatch in garter stitch. Sometimes, it's even to tell how it'll play out on the needle size chosen for the swatch. But only sometimes.

But what to do with all those swatches?

Keep 'em! I've been holding on to these knit swatches and their corresponding yarn labels since I've started buying yarn. The trick was finding something that will keep them nice and neat, and that would allow for the bulk that would eventually come. I tried making my own bound book, but it wasn't working out. Patience was my friend.

Today I found a small-ish (6"x6") photo album that had sleeves on 2/3 of each page and a small area for notes. (The cover "art" was a bit wanky, but oh well. I can cover this if need be.) This would work! I can slip the label and the swatch in the clear pocket and make notes about where it was purchased, how it was to work with, and what I knitted. I could even place pictures on the opposite pages.

So tonight I worked on placing all my swatches, making some that I skipped previously, and made notes. It was orderly heaven. Sure, it's bulging already, but I figure that's what rubber bands are for. :-)

The extra nice thing about swatches? Since I don't knit for myself (yet), this gives me a small memento of the yarn and project. Ain't that swell. Ah, the peace and harmony when things are in balance.

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