When knitting turns pointless

Brenda, who now shares my passion for sock knitting,  asked me recently to let her know what I thought about one of my birthday books, Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders edited by Judith Durant, so I thought I'd let you all have the benefit of my opinions.  I put this book on my wish list as while the patterns are for sock yarn they mostly use not much more than 100g so I thought there would good ideas for using up any yarn from the stash.

There are 101 patterns and most of them I like, plenty of socks of course and gloves, some nice scarves and interesting shawls,

baby items including pretty tights,

sweet little cardies, there are dolls clothes, cowls and bags,  all perfectly knitable and useful stuff.  I like the book, I think its inspirational and good value though I really don't like some of the odd items towards the back that personally I would never ever knit.

I don't want to deck out my lotions and potions with a cosy or even knit a decoration, definitely not a Christmas decoration.  

I started thinking that you'd be desperate to reduce your stash if you went down this route.   I put all my odd bits of yarn in a bag and hand them in at the charity shop or give them to someone who I know knits for charity, hoping they won't end up as some chicken shaped cover for a small Easter egg.  I may be a knitting snob but I have definite ideas about what you can and can't produce from yarn and needles. I knew someone who knit dish clothes which is fine in principle but she used the cheapest acrylic yarns that were hopeless and went straight in the bin, what a wasted effort.    Knitting must have a purpose that's my motto so I'd rather knit blanket squares than this lampshade.