~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~
Something sad happened with my February Lady Sweater. I finished my first lace repeat, and had even added stitch markers all the way across to make the lace easy. I was totally loving the pattern and feeling excited about this sweater. Disaster struck when I started knitting the row in which you divide for the sleeves. The changes I had made didn’t end up working out. I thought I knew what I was doing, but really I didn’t. I puzzled and puzzled, but in the end there was nothing to do but start over with new numbers. Before I could think too much about what I was doing, I pulled the needles from my work. I have never frogged that much knitting before, about 200 yards worth. Recovery was a little rough. It took me a couple of days before I could make myself sit down and figure things out and cast on again. I am proud of myself because my first thought was, “Forget you, February Lady Sweater.”
It’s kind of funny that I had to start over on my sweater this week, because we are also starting over with chickens. We found a new home for our previous flock last fall for various reasons. I have really missed having chickens though. We’ve all been taking turns reading The Small Scale Poultry Flock, and this is definitely my new favorite book about keeping chickens. We are doing things a little bit differently with our new flock based on what we have read in this book.
So what are you guys knitting this week? I hope your projects are going better than mine!!
p.s. I put up a new spring header. Beatrix’s Immie still fits, yay!
Good on you for not putting the sweater down and getting back to it asap! I think if we all did that we would get a lot more knitting projects off the needles! The hardest part is always starting, or, restarting!
Oh poo having to start over…but way to go! I most likely would have just given up and started on something else!
The new header is gorgeous! Perfect for Spring. I love her little sweater!!
Ohhh, I hate starting over like that…good for you for picking it back up though.
I’ll be starting another February Lady sweater as soon as my yarn arrives. It’s such a great, easy pattern. It’s also my favourite baby sweater.
I only recently became ok with frogging projects — previously I would just blunder on with my mistakes, hating to undo so much work. Now I know that frogging is worth it — but I’ve never had to undo 200 yds before! Kudos to you for giving it another go!
you are a stronger woman than I! I think I would have moved on to something completely different!
thanks for the book info – I will definitely have to get that one.
blessings
Karen
Way to go!! *~Frogging is so liberating ~*
I am crossing my fingers for you, hoping your numbers work this time around. And good for you! starting over again. I am quite sure I would have left it in the “someday” pile.
Ahh, how annoying! Good for you for going back to the needles in just a couple of days. I think I would have been sulking for much longer!
Your new banner was the first thing I noticed. So glad it still fits. I hate when my knitting doesn’t keep pace with my growing children. So sorry about your FLS. My first attempt sat for quite a few years before I garnered up the courage to try again. I eventually frogged that version and started fresh with a new color even. Not much knitting happening here, but a whole lot fo reading.
Oh, that much frogging just makes me want to cry!
I am scared that my sweater is going to meet the same fate as yours! So many possible things that could go terribly wrong. Yet I don’t know if I will have the gumption to try again if I have to.
Oh no! So sorry about the sweater troubles. You are far braver than I to pick it up again so quickly. I hope it all works out this time!
Oh Ginny! I’m sorry! Frogging is NO fun! I’m still confident you’ll end up with a sweater that you love though. 🙂
i feel like i have to do that with every single sweater i knit myself…usually forced to reconfigure numbers as i never can match the gauge. hope the second time round goes smoothly for you!
I’m proud of you, too! When you find a pattern you really like or love, it’s best to work through the emotion and start over. It will be a very special sweater to you! Love the color of the yarn…beautiful!
This sweater is on my “to do” list for one day…but I must gain a few knitting skills first! If you had problems, oh my – I had better really brush up on my skills! My sister made this sweater and I have had sweater envy ever since!
So sorry! Coincidentally my post today is also about undoing of knitting I’ve done, but in a much different way! I too will be reknitting. At least we like to knit. 🙂
Eeek! I forgot to add the word crochet behind our name. Sorry.
If it makes you feel any better I have to frog an entire hand spun, hand knit sweater. It simply doesn’t fit right and I’m not wearing it. I would rather frog and reuse for something else.
Oh yes, I am in denial that I need to rip back… ahhh, the work! The energy! The time! One of these days I’ll take a deep breath and dive back in…
That’s so sad about frogging your sweater! I hate that! My current project is in danger of being frogged, but only a few rows and it’s much smaller!
I also love your header! B’s immie tee has inspired me to knit my 2 yo one! I have the yarn waiting for me to start, but I think a big part of me really wishes I’d bought yellow (I have the same color you used), so we’ll see what happens!
Happy Wednesday!
Sorry to hear about your sweater mishap…. what a shame! My yarn along post this week gives you a big THANKS for hosting the giveaway that I won!
Oh no! Having to start over is no fun- I should know, I’ve had to do it a million times. Mostly because I haven’t taken the time to learn how to correct my mistakes. When the fls is complete, you’ll be glad you started over!
Excited about the chickens- I wish we could have chickens. Maybe one day……
And I love the new header- Beatrix is so cute.
you are brave to frog! i usually soldier on then create a sweater fit for a muppet….good thing there is outdoor spring weather to knit in….
Wishing you the best with your new chickens. We so enjoy keeping them too.
I would love to know what you learned from that book – perhaps we will have to find a copy.
Warm wishes,
Tonya
Good for you for starting over right away!! That happened to me last year with a sweater I was working. I STILL haven’t started over!
So sorry about the sweater, but good on you for giving it another shot!
So sorry about the sweater, I can only imagine how difficult it was to do that. Hoping it works out this time.
Will have to check out your book. I just finised reading the Chicken Whisper’s Guide to Keeping Chickens, while it was a good read, it kinda freaked me out about keeping chickens. We are still going ahead with getting some in a few months and I would love to read something else, this looks like a good one, thanks.
darn it.
thats exactly why its still sitting in my favourites and not a queue. i feel the same about the
featherweight sweater too. when soooo many knitters write about it not fitting and heaps of tweaking just to get it wearable, well, i move on to the next. a 6 dollar pattern that fits and is written perfect in my mind pays itself over a thousand times.
i love the iimmie in the header, perfect colour for spring with those daffodils. x
Sorry about the frogging. I have frogged entire garments before because I did not like how they turned out in the end. Good luck with the re-knitting.
oh…..so sorry about your sweater! I think we all have been there at some point! I know I have! Hope your new numbers work out perfectly!!
Oh dear- I a sorry you had to frog so much!! I love the new header!
Oy! I am so sorry to hear about your sweater. I think I would still be recovering. Congrats though for getting back on that horse! More chickens in the future? Wonderful. Love that you continue to learn and grow!
xo
It really does take a lot sometimes to go back to something that’s proving difficult. I find that with the ‘easiest’ patterns! Well done for sticking with it. It will be worth it in the end, the colour is gorgeous x
I’m sorry to hear about your February Lady Sweater. How disappointing! I hope you have better luck with the numbers this time around.
I love Beatrix’s sweater in the header! Such lovely details.
Oh, the heartbreak of extensive frogging – I know it well. Good on you for recovering so gamely. And yay for new chicks! And your spring header is scrumptious.
Hey Ginny, looking forward to seeing your beautiful cardi grow again! Your new header is so beautiful, love the photo and LOVE Beatrix’s Immie. Happy stitching and gardening this week, isn’t it so wonderful that it’s Spring again x
Sorry about your sweater woes. I remember, when I was first learning to knit, the thought of spending that much time on a project and then having to rip it out seemed like the worst horror in the world! But I’ve been through it now, and the thing I’m learning to love about knitting is the journey of it, and the calmness I get from it. It’s also wonderful to get new clothes out of it, sure, but I think I’m *a little* more zen when it comes to starting over. Good luck with your sweater challenge and your chicks.
Hope your sweater works out this time, makes the unpicking of my one sock seem a little less dramatic.
frogging 200 yards??? oh my…. that hurts, i know it too well! hope you’re recovering well!
that chicken book sounds lovely, i’ll have to take a peek into it!
Your new spring header is beautiful! Good luck with your sweater and your chicks.
After a 3 year break we are planning to ‘start over with chickens’ again this year, I’m so excited. I want a goat also but hubby is saying NO NO NO!
That book sounds good. I have been trying to convince my hubby that we need chickens with the amount of eggs we go through every week. So far he is lukewarm to the idea 🙂
Sorry to hear about your frogging. I guess thats one of the reason why I never even started a sweater in the grown up size yet, too scary… I prefer going with the small projects but I admire everyone who is brave enough like you!
Deep breathe. Its tough to frog so much, just after knitting it. Good decision though. Hope the chickens go well. I love ours pottering around and the eggs too.
Ginny, if I had to total up all the frogging I did I really think I have knit my cardi about 4 times. As talented as you are, I’m sure you will get it without too much trouble.
It’s nice that you have chickens again. I know we enjoy our chickens and their eggs! I have plans to hatch a few more eggs, but first I need to build another coop. There is always so much to do!
I am dreaming of chickens. Thanks for the book recommendation. And commiserations for your knitting trials, but it will be beautiful in the end, I know.
I hate when frogging is necessary. I recently frogged a entire glove, 2 rows from casting off because I realised my numbers were wrong and bizarre 🙁
Good for you Ginny. I love the colour you have chosen . FLS is on my list too.
Oh no! If it makes you feel any better, I’ve frogged entire sweaters. I am glad you found your error as quickly as you did. I hope your sweater this time around works out with the new numbers.