The Frog Bin

Where old projects go to die...

I have a load of old UFOs that span back about 10 years, things started and for some reason never finished. I think my nomadic lifestyle is to blame with my university and military years seeing me shift my stuff across the country and around Europe meaning projects got left behind. As I've found different things I've either decided to finish or rip them depending on what it is. I recently found more that I dumped into the frog bin for recycling but have changed my mind and decided I might keep them after all. Granted I'm no longer the skinny teenager that cast them on, but what's a few inches between old friends? Thank goodness knitting stretches.

I'd forgotten all about this one, I went through a phase of liking very plain knitwear that I usually did on a machine for speed. I didn't fancy the chances of this mohair getting through with being mangled so I adapted the machine pattern I'd written and started by hand. It was a time when rolled hems were all the rage and it was a good excuse to be lazy and leave off a rib. The bit still on the needles was a hood I'd planned to put on, but now don't like the idea of. I reckon a 2x2 rib would be the best thing for the bottom and cuffs but will wait to see what the neck looks like when worn to see where to go with that. I'm quite pleased to have a whole sweater almost ready for very little work right now.

This one I certainly couldn't forget about. It's been a nightmare for years. It's thick and thin mystery yarn that I only bought a small amount of. I didn't like the way it pooled as the thinner parts of it look so patchy. This is the third neck I've put on it and I'm still not convinced about it. The first was one of those big cowl necks that came into fashion and hurriedly went out of it again. It looked ridiculous and I wouldn't have worn it in public if you'd paid me. The next was the same as this, but I did it too small to go over my head and I was in no mood to fix it at the time. I dragged it out again late last year and put this one on it, but now I think a ribbed one would look better. What's the money on me not liking that either? The ribbed strips at the sides were initially meant to be shortish armwarmers that I lengthened when I took the big collar off, they may be a bit of a squeeze for full length sleeves, but there's only one way to find out...

This is one I've been debating about for ages. I love the pattern (out of My Weekly Magazine many years ago) but wonder how it will look on my body shape. If I were to start from scratch I'd probably rethink it quite a lot, but I'm loathe to reknit it again. I'd done quite a lot of it the first time I made it, but then lost the pattern. It was such a long time between working on it and picking it up again that I couldn't remember it well enough to carry on without it. Sod's law well and truly struck and once I'd frogged it I found the pattern again. I'd got as far as the back last time and am now debating whether to go on with it or not. I'm still not decided what to do. I really like the blush pink boucle that I'm working in and have enough extra to do long sleeves and even to add something to the bottom such as an long rib section. Decisions, decisions.

The green cabled cardi is coming along well, I started the sleeves last night. I'll be glad to get it out of the way as I've already decided what to make next.