Frogging and finishing: A WIP intervention

knitting work in progress intervention

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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10 thoughts on “Frogging and finishing: A WIP intervention

  1. 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….

  2. 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!

  3. Pingback: Marl Mitts | Fringe Association

  4. I’d love to finish off that lovely honey cowl, if you don’t mind posting it to Australia that is :)

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