Way back at the beginning of the year, I took a good hard look at all the projects I had on needles. I searched my heart, and knew it to be true: some of them I still wanted to make and/or own … others needed to be abandoned.  The good thing about knitting is that the yarn can be re-claimed.  I pulled out needles, then frogged and wound like a mad, mad knitter.

The ones that “made it” looked like this:

I am pleased to announce that I have finished ALL these projects — with the minor exception of the Ongoing Forever Sock Yarn Blanket, which is (as should be obvious) an “ongoing” project, with no clear end date in mind.  I think frogging the “unloved” projects was a great exercise in letting go of things … it’s made me better at deciding to give up on projects that just weren’t working this year — when my tendency is to plow ahead no matter what.  I gave up on “just” four projects this year … but that’s tons better than having a bunch of WIPs slowly aging into UFOs.

Deciding to finish the above projects also motivated me.  The shawl especially was a bit of a slog … lace knitting with beads, and nupps, on tiny needles with slippery, dark-colored yarn!  I kept telling myself that all I had to do was finish that shawl, and I’d be done with my “Finish It or Frog It” projects.  I cast off my shawl on October 3rd (look for a FO post this Friday), and I couldn’t be happier with it.

Here’s a quick photo gallery of the FOs….

Very Orange Hoodie

Princess Wander’s Aran Cape

Yggdrasil in Blue

Hellebores Wristlets

Little Brown Aeolian Shawl

Sheep Head Hat

Shoreward Socks

Tappan Zee Pulled Taffy