In an effort to clean up the cobwebs in my knitting basket, I dug up some old projects to decide whether or not they would live on.
There doesn’t seem to be a lot going on in this picture, but I didn’t include all the projects I already have on the go. This process wasn’t about how many knitting pies I have my fingers in. It’s more about whether I want to continue on with the ones that I’ve left on the wayside.
First up, is the ubiquitous Forest Path Stole that I started back in March of 2007. It’s been a very rocky relationship and I think it’s more then time for us to part ways. Unfortunately, an easy dissolution was not meant to be.
I got out my handy ball winder and set to it. I immediately ran into knots and the yarn kept breaking on me! I was left with little increments like these:
I got so frustrated, I gave up before I was halfway done. If anyone has any helpful hints on how to frog this monster, please let me know. I’d hate to have to toss the rest of the stole. It would be such a waste!
Next up, are the Gothic Spire Socks. I started these back in June 2007. I love the design, but the wrapped stitches really bugged me. So I put it away after I had finished the first sock and the ribbing of the second. In the spirit of Do or Die! I picked it up again this week and I managed to get most of the second sock done.
Finally, we have the Flower Basket Shawl that I started in August 2007. I’m really not sure what I’m going to do with this one yet.
My initial excitement has died down. While I love knitting with my handspun is great, I’m no longer thrilled with this particular yarn. It’s a little scratchy for my taste and I’m not sure that this pattern is right for the yarn. But I’ve gotten so much done that I don’t think it would be right to rip it all out. I’m probably going to try and finish it once I have a couple other shawl finished.
So there you have it, my little effort to eradicate my little pile of UFO’s into FO’s. Now if I could just finish my current WIP’s before they get relegated to UFO status too.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Ohhhh no! I can’t believe you ripped the forest path! Lol. I looooved that one. You should have sent it to me to finish for you!
I am glad you are finishing the gothic spire. They are so pretty even if a pain to knit.
I say finish the flower basket, I think it will be pretty in that color.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I think you’re making good choices – sometimes knit languishes in the corner long enough to warrant frogging… I do think the Flower Basket shawl might soften with a good soaking once it’s done, and if you finish it you’ll have a nice gift for someone even if you don’t care for it…
April 10th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
You are so brave! I just can’t bring myself to tear out my ‘Albatross” (also known as FPS). I have fooled myself into believeing that I will finish it one day. I used a fuzzy alpaca and I don’t think it will go willingly into the frog pond. Meanwhile, I will continue to ignore it.
April 10th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
In light of your up coming MSWF visit, I think you should finish Gothic Spire (I had to blow up Cookie’s photo to see those wrapped sts and can only imagine that they look very artsy, especially if they are not exactly the same) and your Flower Basket Shawl. This may be too difficult, but I think you should just toss your Garden Path Shawl. Cut your losses, lesson learned, and you will be buying a few new things very soon. Please let us know how it all turns out!
April 10th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Ohhhh, looks like the spring-cleanies have gotten ahold’a you!
April 10th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Yeah, if you don”t want to finish them, just toss them. No point in wasting valuable knitting time on projects you don’t enjoy.
April 11th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Sometimes you just have to clean out the knitting basket! I hope you don’t frog FBS – I think it will be pretty in that yarn, and its your handspun! But then again – no point in spending time on a project that doesn’t make you happy!
April 11th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Good for you Opal! I wish I could clean out my UFO basket! It’s a mess! I am not as brave as you, I guess. Those socks are nice! Glad you are finishing them. Hope you will finish the Flower Basket Shawl too. It looks good so far and you have done so much already! You can always give it away if you don’t like it once it is done – to me, for instance!
April 11th, 2008 at 3:58 am
I was so scared that you were going to rip out the socks after finishing the first of the pair. Just a little more and you are done! Go, Opal! Go, Opal! Go, Opal!
(Does the cheerleading help?)
As for the Forest Path Shawl, I think you did the right thing. You never sounded particularly happy about it. As for the knots, if you are not into macrame and untying those buggers, scissors work wonders….
April 11th, 2008 at 4:03 am
ah, how liberating! :)
April 11th, 2008 at 5:36 am
I really need to do this. I am trying to finish the UFOs, I really am, but there are so many fun things that I want to cast on for…and they don’t have that “been there done that” attitude about them…
April 11th, 2008 at 5:48 am
Good for you!
Is it worth trying to save that yarn at this point? What will you do with a million tiny balls of yarn? I would toss it and call it a lesson learned, but that may just be me.
The socks are looking good. Is that a pinky-red? ;^)
I think you should finish the FBS. It could soften up once it’s been soaked and blocked. And there’s always a hair conditioner. Plus I would be concerned about how the yarn would handle being ripped back. Ya know?
April 11th, 2008 at 7:48 am
I did one of those cleanouts recently. It feels good, doesn’t it?
April 11th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Oh, you go girl! The picture with the FPS is scary, though. : ) As for the shawl… soaking with a no-rinse soap or shampoo might help soften the yarn, maybe?
April 11th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I have a couple of those myself. I conveniently ignore them and so far it’s working. One is an aran sweater I started before I realized that it would never ever be cold enough for me to wear a wool sweater where I live–especially as hot natured as I am. The second is an afghan I started. It is knit in long strips which are then sewed together. Since I hate sewing, I was going to try to figure out how to knit it all in one piece, but didn’t get very far. Both are languishing in the back of the closet.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Those socks look too lovely not to finish….
April 11th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Oh, but the best part about these days is you end up with some finished pieces after only a little bit of work! If you actually can get back into something that is almost finished (even if you don’t really fully enjoy the process), it is finished in no time!
April 11th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
OMG. Did I influence you even a little? I’m sorry!
(((Hugs)))
April 11th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Wow! Great progress on the second sock and you get extra chocolate for having the guts to frog (or try to frog) that stole! The Flower Basket is almost done (you could also just make it a shawlette size so you can finish it . Big points for even looking at the hibernating projects :-)
April 12th, 2008 at 4:46 am
I’m glad you frogged it but I won’t say why here lol.
I love the socks! I can’t wait until you finish those!
April 12th, 2008 at 5:38 am
Brave girl! I admire you taking affirmative action in clearing the cobwebs. I’m glad you plowed through the Gothic Spire socks as the yarn and design are so pretty.
I’ve always wondered when the transition from WIP to UFO occurred. Maybe you treat your projects just like your closet. If it hasn’t seen action in the past year or two, consider that a sign to clean house.
April 12th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I’ll join in the cheerleading…Go, Opal! Go, Opal! Go, Opal!
Getting rid of things will free up energy, ya know. Energy that can be used for picking up really great roving, patterns and yarn at a large sheep festival. Just sayin’.
I agree that if it isn’t making you happy, frog it.
April 13th, 2008 at 4:59 am
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…
you gotta know when to hold em, know when to fold em :)
April 13th, 2008 at 5:13 am
I love the Gothic Spire Socks they are so beautiful. I think it is great that you are finishing them even if they are a pain to knit.
April 14th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I wonder if you were to wash Forest Path Stole in hair conditioner, if that would make it easier to undo? Kinda crazy, I suppose, and I know I’ve recently read somewhere about using hair conditioner on knitting, but not in the context of frogging, so I don’t know if it would work.
April 15th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
They ALL looked pretty to me. Of course, I have 1,000,001 UFOs of my own to worry about..
April 15th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Oh wow! Look at you go and unravel too!
April 16th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Yike, spring fever is sweeping the nation. I am taking a hard look at my basket and trying to finish up some old projects!
April 16th, 2008 at 10:07 am
do you have any knitting friends that you could gift it to? Maybe someone local who you could trade WIP’s with and finish each other’s stuff? :) it’s better than tossing all that beautiful work…
or just rip it out and donate the yarn – no harm done there either; in the end, it’s just yarn :)
hugs
April 16th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I think you’re right on track with your decisions. I know how to make your green monster disappear. Send it to me! ;-) ~snort~
April 16th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Please don’t frog the shawl. Wash it in a little shampoo and put it in the freezer when it’s still wet. Leave it for 24 hours. You will find this makes it a lot softer.
Good luck with the ufos.
Willemtje, a Dutch knitter