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My friend Kim is having a baby boy, and for her shower she’s picked out knit and crochet patterns for a registry. We’re each choosing something to make off her pattern registry. (Kim, if you are reading this, stop here.) I’ve decided to make a cute little v-neck sweater that she chose. As I get ready to start the project, I’ve made the following observations:

MUST…CHANGE…PATTERN. I haven’t even cast-on and I already want to modify the pattern. It only comes in one size, and I’m thinking of making it slightly larger so it would fit better in the fall. I’m also debating leaving the sleeves off so it would be a sweater vest instead. Why? I dunno. Because. I just seem to be incapable of making something from someone else’s pattern without modifying at least one thing.

I WANT TO BUY YARN. I have the perfect yarn in my stash for this project. It’s a lovely autumn orange, and I even have enough. But I still want to buy a different yarn instead. There’s no point to buying a different yarn. It won’t work any better for the project. The only real difference would be the color; I was thinking green. I don’t know why I have such a strong desire to buy yarn for this project when I have the perfect yarn in my stash. I blame it on the non-stop advertising I’ve been subjected to since the week before Black Friday. It’s been a solid month of e-mails telling me to buy, Buy, BUY. Seriously, some places are even sending me daily e-mails. It’s kind of gone like this:

2 weeks before Black Friday: Get ready for our Black Friday Deals!

Wednesday before Thanksgiving: Preview our Black Friday Deals!

Thanksgiving: Shop our Black Friday Deals early!

Black Friday: It’s Black Friday!

Saturday and Sunday: Our Black Friday deals were so great, we’ve extended them 2 days!

Monday: Missed Black Friday? Check out our Cyber Monday deals!

Tuesday: Our Cyber Monday deals were so great, we’ve extended them till Wednesday!

Wednesday: Last day to take advantage of our Cyber Monday deal extension!

Thursday: Don’t wait till the last minute, special holiday deals available now!

And so on, and so on. With the glut of advertising is it any wonder I want to buy more yarn? Seriously, the military could take a tip from e-mail marketing on successful brainwashing techniques. I need some to send me daily e-mails for a month with “DESTASH! Use up the yarn you have NOW!”