unclogged at last

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i think—no, i’m sure—i have knit my last clog for this winter.
i’m pretty sure i have enough now

and i’m positive that i’m totally sick and tired of them (at least for this year). that would be a pile of 11 pair, so, yeah—that sounds like enough to me . . .
for everyone who has asked, these are knit from fiber trends patterns written by bev galeskas, and can be found at many, many vendors, including this one

i always do the same thing—i start out with those cute lil kiddie clogs. they take about and hour each to make. i get all involved with embellishing them in fun ways, and start thinking, well, why don’t i just reel off a few extra pair, so that when ours wear out/we need a birthday gift/we go to someone else’s house, we them?
the problem is that the adult pairs are just not as fun, especially after doing six kids’ pairs.

and the next thing i know, i’m mad as a hatter, plotting ever-more-extensive amounts of clog knitting. it’s insane, especially since i could have finished a sweater or two with all that knitting.
and realizing that made me really crazy.

last night, when all the firecrackers were going off around 12, i finished the last pair. how’s that for out with old, in with the new?
i snapped right out of it, as soon as that twelve o’clock pair was done. i packed up all the remaining clog yarn, needles, and anything else having to do with them, and brought it right upstairs to be put away. hallelujah!

the good news is, clogs use a lot of yarn, so i am about 6 to 8 pounds lighter in that regard, each adult pair taking about 12 ounces, and each child’s pair taking about 8 ounces. i used up virtually ALL my scrap yarn and odd balls too, having now only some pinks and reds left (but you know how those scraps are—they are just “starter” for next year’s batch.)

so today, feeling fresh and reinvigorated, i put a pot of black bean chili on

and dragged out some WIPs to assess that situation. it’s actually not as bad as i’d feared, though, to be honest, i didn’t dig that hard (i did not, for instance go into “deep storage”—the bottom drawer in my yarn closet, which is the nesting place for at least three really old, unfinished shawl projects).

i am not one to castigate myself over UFOs. hey, stuff happens, y’know. sometimes, it just doesn’t work out with a particular project, for whatever reason. i find it helpful to just move on, and reassess once per year, to make sure that project is still on my list (and trust me, some of them stay on the list a lo-o-ong time—read on!).
after sorting the UFOs from the WIPs, i use a spare afternoon to rip out all the projects that will definitely NOT go forward—i find this activity inexplicably joyful. it always results in a light-as-air feeling inside me. this year, that pile is very small—only two items.

the pile of works that are in progress and staying in play is a little larger, and i feel i need to work that down, even though i am very, very anxious to get started on some new lace shawl designs.

i have three sweaters in process that i’d like to clear off my plate, seeing as i can use them, and i love the yarn. two of these are pretty recent starts (within the last year) that i never intended to let go . . . it just happened.

first up, the tangled ropes cabled sweater, in handspun coopworth/cotton tweed. LOVE!

i got distracted from this last spring when i was cranking out lace shawls, and then it got warm, and yadda, yadda, yadda. i am working on this today, and i think, that if i concentrate on it, i can get this finished quickly. the largest part of it is done (the yoke), and one sleeve is started. the cable is too much of a PITA to do during classes, but i can make it my morning coffee project.

then i have this charcoal-gray, lightweight T-shoulder gansey, in one of my favorite stitch combinations—a knit-purl pattern, paired with cables at side seams, shoulders, and sleeves.

it is worked bottom-up in the the round, sleeves are knit top down, and the neck has deep ribbing that forms a wide mock t-neck. it’s knit from a semi-fuzzy rowan fingering yarn that has been discontinued; i have already knit both myself and david sweaters from this yarn which we wear constantly in spring and fall.
and, ahem, spring is coming . . .
so, once the cabled sweater is done, i will commence to finishing this sweater.

now this last sweater is an ancient one. this project is so old, it predates david in my life. when i was organizing my yarn closet last week, i took it out. i have both raglan sleeves done. again, i never intended to let this one go unfinished. and, it’s SO cute, too—see these cuffs?

i think my problem with this one is yarn quantity. it’s a short-ish zip-front raglan with a deep-set ribbed stand-up collar and front rib—sort-of vintage-looking. the hems are all done the same as the sleeve cuffs. i have approximately 700 yards of yarn left—can i make it?
i might be able to run the measurements through the sweater software to check the feasibility. more likely, i will just get started look for a solution if and when i do run out of yarn.
(this is one of the differences between me and the knitter i was 12 years ago . . . she never would have done that; she was fa-a-ar more sensible.)

i showed you these mitts a few days back, and here they sit.

i fear these may be a teardown—i’m not sure. i’m just not groovin’ on ’em . . . should i restart, maybe with a lacy ribbed cuff instead, or just scrap them altogether??

ditto for this project, begun last winter in a lace knitting class i taught. it’s a scarf. no, actually, it’s half a scarf—about 24 inches-worth, and i’m just not feelin’ it. back to the ballwinder for it, i say.

love the stitch, love the yarn (mountain colors bearfoot), just not . . . together.
it has sat like this since july, and i think now i am ready to tear it out. i can make socks from this yarn.

and then there is this very pretty japanese feather stole in alpaca, which is so desirable. i love this project, and i keep forgetting about it—why??

because i have too many “new and better” ideas all the time, that’s why!
and i keep almost forgetting about another beauty, but this one is also getting pulled out tonight for a catchup session

the starlight evening wrap, which i had originally hoped to have done for the holiday season, but which got jounced by holiday knitting, poor thing. and i do love it, too. this one will be my nighttime knitting.

and don’t think for a moment that i forgot the half-started smokeSox

they are going to class with me from now until they are done, as my first pair of 2007. and now, i think that’s enough introspection for the workbasket.
happy new year everyone—and happy knitting, no matter how belated it may be!

24 thoughts on “unclogged at last

  1. I absolutely ADORE those smoke sox – is it your pattern? I would love to knit these myself, is the pattern available?

  2. Anne, Thanks soooo much for your nice email and your promptness on my order for the jumper pattern! I simply cannot wait to get started on it. I’m also working on a booga bag that I just began last night, but I don’t mind putting it on hold at all to start on the jumper. I love all three of your sweaters so far(I especially love the yarn on the first one). If you really aren’t loving your lacy mitts, then maybe you should consider ripping them out and starting again(or just forget it altogether rather than get frustrated?) Good Luck-Happy New Year, and happy knitting!

  3. I’ve been ripping for the old/new year too. I sit here with a wad of squiggles in my lap. (:-)

    There’s something wonderful about those smoke socks, with the traces (dare I say, “wisps”?) of pink together with the swirly ribs. Compellingly Visuo-tactile.

    Glad to have found your blog — my cousin Angela recommended it.

    Knit on!

  4. That’s an impressive array of projects. The sweaters are so close to finishing, though, that you’ll be done with them in no time. And I’m anxious to see that Starlight Evening Wrap all finished!

  5. I love watching your progress, almost as much as my own knitting projects. I really like the tweed yarn in the cabled ropes sweater.

  6. I’ve vowed to finish my UFOs too–and get my spare room fixed up so I can actually knit and sew in it. I’m too embarrassed to publish my “before” pictures because the room is a mess.

    What knitting software do you use?

  7. Happy New Year! I love the green sweater with the groovy cuff and the handspun sweater with that cool cable — look forward to seeing them! Great knits. Now, have to knit some clogs!

  8. Tangled Ropes Cable Sweater??? I (for one) and a handful of other internet buddies have been searching for that pattern for -oh- say – at LEAST five years!! will you be writing one? I would gladly pay for it – thanks for the info, and HNY to you as well … thanks for all your great patterns –

  9. wow. that is a lot of ufos! but, all beautiful – I love the tangled ropes sweater – I was wondering where it went! can’t get enough tweed or brown! The cuffs on the green sweater are wonderful – such a nice touch!

  10. anne – I can’t TELL you how happy this post makes me feel!!!!! anne hanson has UFOs and a multitude of WIPs. I feel INSTANTLY less like a loser for my own UFOs!!! Thank you anne for divulging all those wonderful photos!! I love the green sweater too….

  11. That’s a full plate! I’m sure you’ll whittle it down in due course, but how many new projects will you add in the mean time? 😉

    I did the same reassessment over the holidays, it seems to be the thing to do.

  12. Great WIPs, especially the sweaters! It is encouraging to know that you have projects that get set aside, even for years. Makes me feel more hopeful.

    Blessings for the New Year!

  13. Hi, long time no comment. Sorry I was gone for so long, life just overwhelmed me and left me no time to blog or blog-read.

    Seeing all of your UFO’s makes me feel less guilty about all of mine. I really need to sit down with them all and decide which to rip.

    Hey, I remember that tangled ropes sweater with its mystery cable pattern. 😉 I think I agree with your assessment of your various UFO’s, and I especially love the last 3 projects listed (2 wraps and the socks).

    Happy New Year!

  14. Its funny, I think its great your ufo’s are still hanging around… I want to have some to look back on like that, too. 🙂

  15. I was reading through your archives last month and saw that cabled sweater, nice to see that it lives to see another day. And I love that starlight wrap, sucha pretty blue, almost as if you can still the stars twinkling through the lace. That smoke sock is so cool. As usual, I’m in love with all your knits.

  16. my favorites in order of appearance … chili, tangled ropes, and starlight lace! i don’t even bother with a review of ufo’s, as it would be mighty embarrassing. and to think, i was almost seduced by a bag of malabrigo yesterday (instead, i fell to something smaller, … sock yarn).
    there are some projects though that should be ripped. and some that need more attention. i mean, i too could be wearing sweaters if i’d quit making dishcloths! gaaa!
    i’m amazed at the number of clogs you made. i didn’t have it in me to make more than 7 pairs of elf slippers 🙂
    and i didn’t really use up stash for those, but rather ‘enhanced’ it a little!
    happy new year ann 🙂

  17. All of your UFO’s look as though they’re going to turn out wonderfully! In fact, they look so great that I wonder how you ever set them aside. With my UFO’s it’s usually obvious at a glance: bizarre choice of color or yarn, mind-numbingly dull pattern, obvious error requiring much frogging, just plain butt-ugly, etc.

    Looking forward to seeing yours UFO’s in FO form soon!

  18. What a relief to do some ripping – I recently got over half my stash out of storage, and after 2 and a half years, it’s so easy to frog some of these disasters! I no longer have any compunction about not finishing, as long as I can start something new with the yarn … one day.

    I have several almost-wearable sweaters that are going to get some attention soon.

  19. Neat entry! It’s enjoyable to see what others are working on. You’ve got quite a grouping of lovely projects, and many of them with quite a lot of progress. Reflection is a good thing!

    I’ll add my query to that of others about the smokeSox. Gosh, those are gorgeous! Is the pattern your own? And what about the yarn. Details, we want details!

  20. Ditto on love it all!! I would like to know more about the starlight lace also!!

    The Felted clogs – what is the pattern that you find the easiest to use?

    love your work!

    Happy New year to you and David…..

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