Froject!

Neither the Red Chocolate nor the cowl has seen all that much progress since last week, as I've been busy with a Secret Project :) It'll all be revealed shortly, but in the meanwhile I FINALLY got my act together and frogged (rip-it, rip-it) a project that's been in hibernation for about 2.5 years. It's taken me forever to admit defeat, but I finally felt ready to do it.

I fell in love with this project in the spring of 2011. It was a gorgeous red top with beautiful lacework up and down the body. I felt sure it was way beyond me knit-wise, but couldn't resist the lure of it, so bought the yarn one afternoon, and cast on immediately after coming home (didn't even stop to knit a swatch first - silly me... although funnily enough that's not even part of the reason why I'm frogging!). I knit about 20-25cm and while it was indeed difficult, it was no worse than I could make it work - something I was very proud to realize. However, I put it down temporarily in the summer of 2011 in favour of another project, and just never picked it back up again.

Two years later I've gotten a number of tops under my belt (eh...) and done a fair bit of lacework as well, and no longer feel like there's any reason why this top should be beyond me... Which is probably why I am now finally ready to frog the entire thing. I no longer "have" to finish it to prove anything to myself. And now that those blinders are out of the way, I see other things about the top that I couldn't spot before...

Firstly and most importantly - it's really not my style. I love the colour of the yarn, but while the pattern is really beautiful, it's just not me. It'll look beautiful on somebody else, but not on me. This is my main reason for frogging - if it had been perfect for me, I'd probably have chosen to deal with the rest of its issues.

Secondly I have to pick up like a million stitches for the two hems at the front... and I hate picking up stitches!

Thirdly: Buttons! This thing has 8 buttons to sew in at the end. I hate sewing in buttons! I'll do it if there are just a few, or if it's for a piece I otherwise love (like the Lady Bug Sweater. Those 9 buttons were a labour of love, I tell you that!), but when I'm already having doubts? Forget it!

Forthly - and related to both #1 and #3 - a top closed by buttons? What was I thinking?! Certain... uhm... 'assets' of mine make sure that those never fit me right, and though knitting my own clothes should be a way to fix that, I think going beyond as elaborate pattern as this one to adapt it to my own needs is still slightly out of reach.

Fifthly - I've come to realize that I don't really enjoy knitting garments in cotton... which is a bit of an issue, as it means I now have no idea what to use this yarn for instead. It IS gorgeous though, so I'm sure I'll figure something out.

So hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to frog I go.