Day: January 2, 2013

Happy New Year, everyone!

This past week, I decided to frog one of my handknit cardigans. This is not really an actual WIP, but frogging nearly 1000 yards of sport alpaca yarn is a job of a kind.

Paris Cardigan

I was never really happy with out Paris turned out. I knit a lot items and it’s true that I do not wear some of them at all. I just couldn’t even see myself wearing this cardigan. I also wanted to salvage the yarn which is Susan Andrew Collection Inca Gold Baby Alpaca.

This was my first time completely ripping apart a sweater. I’m already finished ripping it out and putting them into balls. That took quite a number of days, but I had patience and the time for it. I was sick for most of it so I had not much else to do.

Things I learned: with knitting in the round, it’s easier to start from the bind off end. With knitting flat, start at the cast on edge. I learned this the hard way which is why I have so many left over balls. It was inevitable though with my shortrow sleeves that it was never going to be a simple frogging process.

Frogged cardigan

Do you see the edge of a ball in the top right hand corner. This is the sixth ball that I didn’t use in the cardigan by accident. After I ripped the cardigan, I only had 240g. That’s when I realized I never used the sixth skein which was hiding in my yarn box. No wonder I ran out of yarn, but I wouldn’t knit Paris again.

The next step will be winding the balls on the Niddy Noddy. Thank goodness I made one of those; it is finally proving useful these days. After I tie it up, I will wash, tie, and hang the yarn to dry. I will skein them until I am ready to reball them and use them for a future project.

Plans for yarn afterwards: another cardigan or pullover. The main contender is Buttercup by Heidi Kirrmaier which I will likely lengthen sleeves. But it’s time I do something with positive ease. This is alpaca after all.

Has anyone else been frogging projects?

For more WIP Wednesdays, go to Tami’s Amis.