UFO’s make me not want to knit. It has ruined knitting for me. I finally figured it out the other day and confessed to Margene how much it keeps me from knitting. Seriously. All of my life I’ve never had a stash because I only bought yarn with a project in mind. After working at Village Wools for a year and being smack dab in the middle of the whole online yarn world, the UFO’s piled up for the first time in my life. It wasn’t until recently, I realized how much they hung over my head. Everyone out there is writing about what they knit this year and I’m not going to do that. Not because I didn’t knit a lot this past year but I just don’t really care enough to go back and figure it all out. Instead, I want to look forward. So today I decided something big. Huge people! I don’t want UFO’s anymore. Now this may not look like a lot but to me? These little projects have been driving me crazy. I know. Four projects. What can I say? I’m totaly OCD and can’t handle it.
You see two socks, my Shadow Shawl and my Ruffles from Scarf style. I started Ruffles a year ago! What the hell!? Why do we keep UFO’s? Have you ever really wondered about all of the things you have on your needles? Do they bother you? So why not do something about it? I did. Look.
I frogged everything except the Shadow Shawl. It felt so good. It now looks like this and the biggest weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. Major Zen moment. Immediate relief. I’m going to make Wendy’s Dream Swatch Head Wrap next with the purple Debbie Bliss. I’m going to knit something for myself that I will wear that’s practical. Such a concept!
I have decided to go back to how I used to knit. I want to be inspired, get the materials and knit it. Knit it until it’s DONE. I will keep the Shadow Shawl and work on it when I feel the urge. Otherwise, I will work on other things and not let this one UFO bother me and look at it more as ongoing project to have by my side and not as some sort of failure. To me, a UFO = failure and I don’t want to feel that anymore. (Notice how I said “To ME” it feels like that. I’m not implying I judge anyone else for their UFO’s. Just me peeps!)
If you’re feeling burdened by your UFO’s why not join me? It’s okay to rip out a project that’s been sitting around forever. Why keep it and make yourself feel badly for not working on it? If you want to join me in my new found freedom I made a button. It’s not an along, or anything like that. I just want to give you the permission to rip the crap out of an old project if you just know you will never finish it. Or hell, what about if you just don’t want to!? Why torment yourself when you can JUST FROGGIT!? Try it. I dare you.
Who’s on board? I wanna see some frogged yarn if you do it. I promise, you will feel so much better. Also, in looking through my stash I realized I have quite a few of these girls and thought you might need a little eye candy for the last day of 2006.
Ten skeins of Socks That Rock? Huh. Maybe I’ll just frame them? We all know I won’t be knitting 10 pairs of socks any time soon. I guess I do have a little bit of yarn. These are what stay by my knitting chair so I can just stare at it all day long.
Finally, let me wish you all a Happy New Year. May 2007 bring you love, happiness, good health and many, many beautifully knit items. Collectively, you have made this year such an amazing year for me. Your continued love, support and cheerleading has made my little old shop a true success in my eyes. Really, without each and every one of you, I wouldn’t be where I am. Thank you. I kiss you all! Stay safe tonight and have a Scout, kick-ass martini and think of me.
Tomorrow I will show you my last FO of 2006. The scarf is almost done. I decided to measure my favorite scarf from the GAP and it’s 83″ long. Leave it to me to like the longest length scarf in the world. I’m out. Catch you on the flip side!
52 Comments
Write a Comment»Funny you should write about this… Just this morning I was thinking about 2 sweaters
that I started and did not have the guts to work on. I am not sure why I am scared
of major garments… I will need to conquer this fear in 2007! I think I may just do that
and share the results over the next couple of days.
On to the eye candy—-I love, love, love your STR stash! M favorites are the pink and
grey and the end one on the right.
Happy New Year to you too!
Dude. The Ruffles Scarf takes farrrrrrr-evah. I’m working on that now with some periwinkle Cascade Pima Tencel. I’m only on the second ball. I keep shoving it back in my bag after a few rows. It’s the short rows I think.
I was a good little girl and finished up all my UFO’s except Ruffles because it was driving me bonkers too.
Good for you! I’m teetering on frogging some toe-up jaywalkers. They just aren’t behaving. And that stash of STR is gorgeous. Mmmmmm.
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Good for You !!
I also have just frogged two projects and it feels fantastic !
I would like to put your ‘just froggit’ icon on my website if I can can figure out how to do it, and if it will be alright with you .. let me know ?
dhyana
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About 11 months ago, instead of frogging some of my UFO’s I threw them out. Sometimes I go a bit crazy. (throwing them out was better than putting my head in the oven…) UFOs are big stressors for me too.
Good for you!!
Nothing like starting the new year off, fresh like!!!!
Good for you! Sometimes I forget that it’s just knitting. It’s supposed to be fun!!!
What are the colors of the STR? I’m drooling on my keyboard!
I have seen that STR yarn beside your chair and I am here to tell you that it is NOT stash… it is INSPIRATION, pure and simple…have a wonderful, wonderful new year and hug the kidlets from me.
More power to you with the frogging! Happy New Year to you and your family!
I did it too - a sweater a didn’t like working on and then just plain didn’t like. I have another sweater ready for sleeve, but my tastes have changed or something since I started it, so I think it’s next. It really did good to make my list of UFs shorter. The last two days I’ve finished a scarf and a pair of sock ’cause I didn’t want them haunting me into 2007. Oh, btw, if that STR stash ever becomes a problem for you, I’d be happy to take care of it for you.
Now, on to the swag I bought from you last month…
Happy New Year!
Beat you to it! I frogged several items in November because it pained me to see them sitting in the basket. I’ve knit more since then than ever, but now I am falling down on blogging and photos (although I finally managed to put up Christmas photos today, on the last day of the year)!
What is it about STR that is so wonderful? I’ve never seen it in person (nobody local carries it). Is it super soft or what?
Anyway… HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU! Send some snow my way!
I hate UFOs too — they do weigh on me and I’ve frogged quite a few. Happy New Year!
I could take the same picture with my STR. I didn’t knit one STR
sock! Happy New Year! Hey, do you have size 6 DP’S?
Stole the button. I did that the other day and felt so much better. I never realized an unfinished cardi could bother me so much. I’ll take pics of the yarn and what I’m going to do with it next time it’s sunny.
I’m proud of you. It’s takes a lot to see that it’s not working out and go to the frog pond.
I hope this coming year is a joyous, healthy and wonderful year for you and your family. *hugs*
Just did it to a sweater last week! I’m currently working on 2 projects, and love tha tI don’t feel overwhelmed. Happy New Year! Going to go make myself a cranberry martini
I’m with you! I have three shawls in progress, and I think I’m going to frog one of them. I started Icarus a while ago, but it’s just sitting around because I’m afraid I’m going to run out of yarn. It’s my fault for knitting with a needle larger than the one called for. I think I may just froggit and start over on the right size. I’ll probably feel much better about the whole thing. One of the other shawls might get frogged too, because it’s knit in two pieces, and I don’t want to do the second half. Sounds like I need a new one-piece pattern! Have fun playing with your “new” yarn and send me somr of that STR, will ya?
Frogging does feel good! If it’s not working and stressing you out, then rip, rip, rip!
Have a happy New Year!
It seems many of us are on the same “cleaning house” wavelength. I decided this afternoon that
my hot pink Clapotis–made before and after my knitting change (can you believe it’s almost a year
since you and Carole and Mona helped me with those gauge issues!) needs frogging. I’m
never going to be happy with it looking all wonky as it does. Time to do something else with that
Silky Wool and find another Clap yarn!
Happy New Year, chica!
xx
Yup, that’s what I’ve been doing for a few days now. And organizing all my needles and tools. And if there’s anything unwanted, send it to Squid for her kids.
Good for you!! I’m getting the button, and will perform frogging on a few…but a couple I just can’t LOL!
I’m also looking at your STR..um..I see your skeins and mine from the club are…well..just are skeins!
Happy New Year to you, too! I’ve enjoyed your blog throughout 2006, and I’m looking forward to 2007!
I believe in frogging! You’re smart to knit only what you love. You’ve had quite the year. May 2007 be full of
love, surprises and new found passion. XOXO
Frogging is a good thing. Also adds to the stash! A very Happy New Year to you and yours!
My knitting tends to be very seasonal, so UFOs don’t really bother me. It’s too hot to wear wool most of the year, so I tend to work on what I might be able to wear at a particular moment in time. Which means lot of shawls in the summer! Because nothing is colder than a restaurant in Texas in the middle of summer. If it’s 110F outside, people feel like it should be 65F inside.
Having said that, I’m also a big frogger. If I’m not feeling the love for a project and it becomes more of a chore than a joy, then I tend to frog it and move on. There are too many great knits waiting to let yourself get bogged down with that awful sinking feeling of that UFO that you know you’ll never wear anyway, staring at you from the corner. Besides, I probably needed those needles anyway ;>
I am a crocheter who has picked up the craft about a year ago. It did not take me long to realize that while my pals could have MANY MANY UFOs that I had my limit. The number? Four. Any more than that and I start to go a little bonkers. So, like you, I took a trip to the frog pond and felt MUCH better! =-D Now I limit myself to a bit project and smaller/quicker ones. That way I stay motivated on the larger one.
I haven’t tried socks yet, however, STR…love, love, love! The best part for me is the subtle way they colors transition from one to the next. Sigh.
Happy New Year!
Scout, I am totally with you re the froggit philosophy! I’ve liberated myself from those judgmental UFOs many a time and feel no remorse–just freedom! I’m holding a New Year’s Day frogfest to eliminate more recent UFOs before they have a chance to mock me. I can’t wait!
One of my resolutions is to limit myself to three projects at a time: socks, something big (like a sweater), and a miscellaneous project. We’ll see how long the plan lasts.
All that lovely STR is making me woozy…
Good for you. I’ve frogged a bunch of UFOs and it does feel good. Other UFOs are ’so close’ to being FOs. I’ve got to get back to my WIP-it Wednesdays and knock them out.
Happy New Year! Congrats on your epiphany. I love when I figure out stuff like that. In fact, I think I’ll be borrowing your button because I reached the decision to frog the one Christmas gift that didn’t make it. It didn’t make it because I don’t love knitting it.
Best wishes to you and your family for the new year!
I am not afraid of frogging - I do it all the time! I think I have only two old UFOs hanging around - an entrelac scarf that’s almost out of yarn so I may as well finish it, and a sock. Ok, 1 1/2 socks. But when I realize I will never finish a project, am sick of it, or am just not happy with the way it looks, it’s frogged immediately, with no guilt.
I think I may have a cosmo this evening - but no lime juice and Grand Marnier instead of triple sec. In a fancy-ass martini glass. Mmmmm!
oh, and…Happy New Year to you and your gang!
Ok. This post was great. So well written Scout, that when I scrolled down to the photo of the frogged yarn, I honestly gasped, and then breathed a sigh of relief. So I felt it. LOL
Today I’ll make a make a cosmo and pull out the ball winder in your honor
Happy New Year.
Good for you! And a very happy new year, too!
That is great! I went through my stash and my UFOs on Christmas day and I ripped about 6 of them. I just knew I wasn’t going to get to them and I had changed my mind about some of the items.
Wishing you a great New Year
I had something similar with a Lopi sweater. I didn’t finish it for years, but I felt like I couldn’t go on without finishing it first. So I basically didn’t knit from 1994 to 2002 or so. Then, I finally hauled out the project and realized I hated the yarn and the colors and I didn’t want to decipher the pattern revisions I’d done. So I frogged the whole thing and it was so wonderful! I also highly recommend it.
Alright…2 scarves and a pair of socks. I thought I had more, but I think I did a bit of froggin’ through out the year
Great idea!
I did the same thing last night! I SO should have taken pictures of the piles of kinky yarn. Lots and lots of ‘em since I frogged 7 projects. It feels weird to have nothing on the needles except my little Bejeweled scarf. I’m going to try project monogamy and see if it works for me. =)
I think I’ll be joining you for at least one froggit project…will post later on my blog.
I’m all for froggin it!!!!!!!! Wooo Hoooo!!!!
oooohhh pretty yarn :o) I got clearance to do the sock club again this year - after I said I didn’t want to because it was expensive, it was pointed out to me that a) I wanted to do it and didn’t shut up about it ’til I had my reservation and b) I’ll spend the money on sock yarn anyway ;o) So yay! More STR for me ;o)
Oh, and before you kill me about the ‘not buying from Scout’ thing, I think I need to have you do a dye job for me. Just not this month, I can’t afford it *grin*
UFOs don’t usually bother me. I go back to them in time and finish them. I like the adventure of starting a new project. However, I do have a couple which I think need frogging! The New Year is a good time to dedicate myself to finishing more projects!
I finished my biggest UFO stressor yesterday. My mom’s Faroese Peaks Shawl, which I started for the knitting Olympics. It’s blocked, I have to fix one little snag (which of course was frikkin’ invisible before the blocking *sigh*), and then it is off to live with her. FINALLY.
Now I just have half a sock to go and all UFOs are DONE.
I started a hat for my hubby way back in Sept. It was going to be a Christmas present. And while I still like the pattern I
have in my head for it, it just didn’t work with the soft alpaca wool I picked out. I was over 1/2 way done when I re
admitted that I just couldn’t give it to him looking as wonky as it did so I frogged the whole thing 1 week before Christmas
and re-knit it in a super plain style. I even got it done in time, he loves it and it is no longer wonky. The frog pond is
really not a bad place after all!
Happy New Year to you, Scout! I have an embarrassing number of UFOs, including sweaters just waiting to be seamed. I count it all as learning experience. There are some that I will definitely frog, and some that will probably continue to be monuments to my fear of finishing. And there are some that I still hope to get back to someday.
Happy New Year, Scout!
Dixie (the bunny I named for you) went to her first show on New Year’s and was first in her class. While she isn’t brilliantly colored (just a lovely black and white doe), I think of Scout and yarn every time I see her.
I’d like a little snow here, we’ve been unseasonably warm for the last month.
Damn, you’re good! I never even thought of Frogging as a solution to UFOs! Not quite there, yet, but I LOVE it! (Not there meaning ready to frog any of my UFOs, but definitely there in the number I have!) Thanks for sharing a good thought!
Damn, you’re good! I never even thought of Frogging as a solution to UFOs! Not quite there, yet, but I LOVE it! (Not there meaning ready to frog any of my UFOs, but definitely there in the number I have!) Thanks for sharing a good thought!
Frog it - I usually frog pretty quickly, but I also rethink the project - like a sweater that turns into a pillow.
A shawl that turns into a felted purse and so on.
I can’t do project monogamy, so I usually have at least one small and one large project going at any given time - but if it sits around too long - it is so over.
I finished a purse (was a shawl) for Christmas. It turned into such a fabulous gift that had been sitting for soooo long. I hate doing finishing work, so I tend to knit stuff up and never seam them. I would even pay someone to seam and sew in ends. I would rather wash, pick and card than sew. I guess everybody has that one thing.
Good luck with the new no FO’s. I imagine you will be a speed knitting queen now that the burden has been lifted.
Happy New Year.
Holly
I took the button and feeling empowered by you, I frogged, and I think I will continue to frog all those things that had potential once upon a time, and now “just aren’t doing it for me!”
I like it in theory, but I’m not quite ready to give up on most of my UFOs.
I am completely giving up on the moebius cat bed, however - these cats have a loveseat and 1/2 a queensize bed. Like they need a cat bed.
YAH! I frogged something! AND I am not going to EVER finish it. Thanks for the push. I needed it. There are so many things I want to knit and these UFO’s are holding me back. Now there is nothing to stop me. What can I rip up next??
I came across your site a few days ago when I was researching Kool-Aid dyeing. I was inspired by your “Just Frog It” and today I got to work. I frogged my first three projects which I didn’t like. Next I am going to my basement to look for more. I guess this could be considered stash enhancement.
I have a gazillion UFOs…just look at the long list on my blog. That’s my goal for 2007 to get those done and then I can get more yarn.
Gosh, if I have that many skeins of Socks that Rock, I’ll die!
Except I have none
i just frogged a sock this morning-loved the yarn (koigu) and the colors (peachy and golden hues with a dash of purple here and there) but every time i thought ‘i should work on those’, i’d pick up something else. so i unraveled it all. and i feel soooooo good! now…what NEW sock pattern to try with this yarn?
and…i have quite a few STRs that i’ve not used. started, but not used.
i really gotta get my butt in gear and knit some me socks.
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