A Trip to the Frog Pond

This photos is of how far I got with the Beloved Baby Bonnet, a pattern I've really wanted to knit for months. Isn't it funny how sometimes something you're really excited about just doesn't work out? It's like coveting an expensive dress in a store window, and you walk by and fantisize about how great you'd look in it, how happy and confident you'd feel. Only weeks later, when you finally decide to go try it on, it looks terrble on you and the spell is broken. That's pretty much what happened here. I loved the bonnet so much, I thought it could do no wrong, so I ignored that it is knitted with laceweight yarn on 2mm (US 0) needles. Or that there are large chunks of moss stitch, which is a slow stitch to knit. Or that because my wee one is 8 months and I'd like it to fit the rest of the winter, I was knitting the largest size. Did I mention the laceweight, on 2mm needles? My tapestry needle is bigger than that.

I frogged it. I wasn't even that crazy about the yarn I chose (Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud, in raspberry). The fuzziness wasn't doing anyone any favours.

If I knit this again (and I'm feeling a little crazy when it comes to this bonnet, I just might) I would go up to 3mm needles and fingering weight yarn. I'm not sure I'd keep the moss stitch, it's a slow stitch to knit and my knitting time is at a premium, so I might do reverse stockinette, which would still have lots of texture (but I'm open to suggestions!). I need a bit of a break from it, but I'm hoping to tackle it again.

A Trip to the Frog Pond

I hate frogging. Every time I consider it, I suddenly have a Rain Man-esque ability to remember exactly how many hours I spent knitting it thus far, and it hurts.

The cowl was cast on in August 2010, while in... England? Stockholm? It feels so luxurious to be wondering what country/city I was in when I cast on. Which is why I've been clinging to this project, hoping it would magically become something I wanted.
But you know, it's just not going to happen. I love the yarn ( Knitpicks alpaca cloud) but this cowl is just... not working out. I know I'm not going to wear it. And what is the point in knitting something that you know you aren't going to love?

This was supposed to be this caplet, but somehow it transformed into what is a very granny tea cozy, no?

 (okay, this is a useless photo that is mostly showing the wrong side of the knitting, but trust me- it's striping and looks dreadful)

Because that's all I see when I look at this- a self-striping, granny tea cozy.  Which isn't going to work for me. I do love the yarn (although it was a surprise to find out it stripes!), but it's going to be shelved, and one day, the perfect project will present itself for this yarn, I know it.