The project that never was

20 years ago

I am sure we all have that one project that never seems to get completed. We rip it back. We change to a different pattern. We decide to start again with a whole new yarn.

My great white whale is a pair of legwarmers I promised to my niece. I started out knitting a pair of ribbed ones that I added a twisted cable to. They would have been lovely if I hadn't lost my place several times so the cable had "oopsies" in it. And there was no way I could repeat things for the next one because I lost track of rows and such.

So, I changed to a different knit pattern, ripping back to the cuff which was the same and starting again. Nearly kilt me to get all the stitches back on the needle and not twisted.

Then I decided that it was taking me far too long. Never mind I was almost completely done one of them. Maybe I just got bored? So I switched again to a crochet pattern. Got partway done the first legwarmer and realized they looked like crappola with the yarm I chose. Off to the store to get NEW yarn that would look better!

A nice chenille should do it. Almost complete the first one to realize there is a glaring error in the pattern so I have to RIP IT BACK again! Darn me, crocheting while I watch TV.

So now I have a several test swatches, a few part legwarmers, two piles of curly ripped back yarn, some new skeins and some partly used skeins of various yarn staring me in the face and laughing at me. Her birthday is in two weeks. I don't think I'll make it LOL!

What is your elusive project, the one that just could never get done? And what do you think will happen if you ever finish it?

I believe the sky may fall if I actually get these done before her birthday. Yeah, that's it. By not finishing them I am saving the world!

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Comments (7)

socks
20 years ago
How frustrating!
tami_ohio
20 years ago
Dances, I have to many to count! Besides the socks that I have going all the time, some of which are Christmas gifts, I just ripped out a poncho that I had about 4" done on from last year. I am now making it into a prayer shawl. 2 strands worsted weight, CO 69 sts, knit 3, purl 3, ending with Knit 3. So far, I've got about 10 inches done. Oh, size 11 needles. The one I saw at the shop, which we are all encouraged to work a few rows on, is done with chunky yarn instead of the 2 strands of worsted, but it's coming out about the same.

Just keep trying, you'll get the hang of keeping track of your rows. I know you. You won't give up! Wish I could come up and help you. Guess you could come down and see me, course, you may end up running to the ER with me for my mom, but hey, it's good knitting time! And if you do, bring Anne with you!

Tami
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PurpleRainbow
20 years ago
Like Tami, too many things to count. One in particular comes to mind, though. I was going to crochet a bedspread sized blanket. Couldn't get it right, got sick of ripping and redoing, stuffed it away and forgot about it. When I discovered it again last winter that yarn turned into a ripple crochet afghan for a friend. I'm rid of the reminder of my lack of accomplishment and she loves her afgan. I tend to use up yarn in something else to get rid of the guilt. :D Happy endings are the best.

I told my DD I was making her a vest for her birthday last March, it's still not done. When GD realized her mom knew about her bday gift she was upset it wouldn't be a surprise. "If I actually get it done for her birthday, that will be a big surprise," says me. March is 5 months away, maybe for next year?

So how are the leg warmers coming along?
Sunflower_Sue
20 years ago
It is so good to know there are "others" out there, who, like me, have many projects half finished and they are all suppose to be done by Christmas and unfortunately never get finished and my head is so full of ideas for projects to start, all that yarn to buy. A historical moment happened to me yesterday, I went to my favorite yarn store and I did not buy one skein, but I think I'm going back today and I just know what's going to happen....
Amino_X
20 years ago
I started a blanket of granny squares. The concept was simple, white single crocheted granny's with a nice blue border in between to make a blue and white "window-pane" effect.

One day, a couple of months ago while working on my great-nephew's baby blanket (BTW, he came into the world Friday! Woo hoo!!), my mother ran across some old home video's and asked me to see if it was something I wanted to keep. It was from the Summer of 1996, and what to my wandering eyes did appear... but that darned half-finished blanket laying on the back of the couch! LOL!

10 years it had been laying around unfinished, and it wasn't much better than when the video was taken. So, when I finished all the baby blankets, I ripped out the 10 year old blue and white monstrosity and stitched it into a nice white blanket (the same one I made for my great-neice) which I just finished not an hour ago and started bordering with the blue LOL!

After ten years, it looks like that blanket is F I N A L L Y getting done! LOL!

Best Wishes
Amino-X
msmeow
20 years ago
I had an afghan I had started long ago to use up scraps left over from other projects. I got bored with it and put it away, then took it out again much later, decided it was ugly, and put it away again. A month or so ago I thought I would just rip it out and use the yarn for something else since it was ugly and I was never going to finish it. Then I realized how much I had done and sat down and gritted my teeth and finished it in a few days! I'll probably donate it to someone who's collecting blankets.

My sister's got the best though - she's very artistic (she can paint and draw) but not "crafty" - no sewing, knitting, etc. Back when she was in high school (at least 20 years ago) she decided to start knitting a blanket. She was just doing garter stitch, and would knit row after row till the skein ran out, then use another color. Well...she's still "working" on it - probably won't ever finish it, but still not ready to throw it out!

Donna
ell_in_or
20 years ago
I have a "knit in a weekend" sweater that I started in 1988. :-)