It’s been pointed out to me that I seem to have a hundred works-in-progress. I do not. I have SEVEN, is that so bad?
Regardless, they weigh on me psychically and are keeping me from knitting all the things I really want to knit this year. So I basically conducted my own intervention. At our knitting klatsch on Thursday, I pulled each WIP out of its project bag, held it up, and had my beloved friends weigh in on whether I should frog it or finish it. (It’s an incredible blessing to have friends who aren’t shy with their opinions.)
The verdicts:
1) chunky Walpole: FINISH IT. This one‘s a no-brainer. I love it, want it, can’t wait to wear it. The only thing holding me up is that … well, it’s knit back and forth, so I keep getting distracted by circular things. But the real issue is I haven’t decided what I want to do about the sleeve shaping. Anyway, I’ll make a decision on that and “buckle down,” as my mom would say.
2) black tweed pullover: FROG IT. Cast on impulsively from yarn I had bought impulsively, this one was doomed from the start. I got as far as the bottom of the yoke and already the yarn is bagging out — the neck has become ungainly and it’s not even a whole sweater yet. Ugh.
3) brown cardigan: FROG IT. I never got any farther than the little neck piece because I am just really unmoved by this yarn. The color wasn’t what I expected (ordered it online) and hasn’t grown on me, so I need to exchange it. Will figure out something else to do with the one skein I busted into.
4) garter-stitch wrap: FINISH IT (SOMEDAY). Have I ever mentioned this? Last January, I started an oversized garter-stitch scarf. I keep it around for moments when I really want to knit but don’t want to think about a single thing. If I keep going at this pace, it should be done in roughly six years.
5) marl mitts: FINISH IT. Remember how I said I hoped to do some consequential knitting last weekend? That didn’t happen. By Sunday night when I finally got a minute, I was in one of those instant-gratification moods. So of course I made a mitt. I’ll knit the mate tonight.
6) back bay poncho: ALTER IT. As this thing gets bigger, and heavier, and warmer, and … heavier some more, it’s clear I will never wear it. I love the top part, and I like a big cowl that can be tugged down around your shoulders, so the plan is to rip it most of the way back and refashion it. Although, once I start ripping, I may just frog the whole thing.
7) honey cowl: PUT IT UP FOR ADOPTION. Untouched since last December. It’s a lovely thing — I can’t stand to rip it — but I don’t want to finish it. Let me know if you do! (You’ll need another ball of Cascade Eco Alpaca.)
Now, what did I mean to be knitting this fall?
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Good job cleaning up! WIP’s are tough. You are smart to let some go…like a book you just know you’ll never finish.
Exactly!
Not everyone could ask friends to help with this process and I think it’s great that you did and that they did and that you listened! Happy finishing….
We’re all nice and thick-skinned around here.
Oh my gosh, it would drive me crazy if I had that many works-in-progress! As it stands now I have two. Both sweaters and both just need sleeves. One was to be for Meg but I seemed to have gotten the wrong gauge and now it’s for me. The other is, also, for me but knitting those sleeves have become a chore instead of a thinking of it as a completion. I do usually cast on something simple and mindless to take along for knit night. So I don’t count that one.
But good girl for getting those that you have decided you really wouldn’t like out of your life!
Of course, rather than focusing on the two I’m keeping, I’m already thinking about what else is next. It’s an illness.
I have the same illness.
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I’d love to finish off that lovely honey cowl, if you don’t mind posting it to Australia that is :)
Hi, Wendy. If you want to work out how to cover the postage, sure! I have no idea how much that might cost.