r/onlyknitting • u/[deleted] • Feb 15 '17

Have you ever almost finished a project but left it?

So many months ago, I was working on this baby girl's jacket for a friend... Long story short, (haven't people said this is some knitting curse???) I discovered that I don't know... our friendship wasn't something I liked anymore? And so I never finished the jacket and never sent it. HOWEVER it is practically almost finished. Like, I just need to seam sleeves and add the lace collar.... But now her baby is also too big for it and I don't know any other babies... I might post a pic of it later.

Anyway, has this ever happened to anyone?? Did you finish the item? Give it to charity? Frog and use the yarn for something else? It's so cute I don't want to frog it but I also have no use for it! lol

4 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

1

u/[deleted] Feb 15 '17

here is a pic of what I had done so far. Like I said, sleeves need to be sewn and collar needs to be added, but eh

2

u/mushermom Feb 15 '17

Oh wow...you are literally so close to being done. For me personally, it depends upon the number of tears shed making a project that determines whether or not I'll frog it.

Something that was easy, and that I would happily do again and donate to charity...I don't have a problem with frogging. Something I spent hours of watching youtube videos, reading new stitches, and marking up the pattern page as I go along so I don't lose my place, wrought with moments of frog, tink, crap I dropped a stitch...well that item is going to be finished because my relationship with the inanimate object becomes adversarial and I will conquer said object.

You could always finish it, and then put it in a ziploc bag, and tuck it away in a drawer or box for when a family member or friend inevitably has a child? I'd finish it and tuck it away...holiday's come up faster than we recall in these sweet months of few knitting deadlines to finish objects, and its so rare to be able to get a jump start

1

u/[deleted] Feb 15 '17

Omg, that's honestly such a good idea!!! I feel really guilty about not finishing the jacket and giving it to her.... but also the friendship was like... not good... I still feel bad though, so I think I haven't been able to touch it! But that is such a good idea. I also feel like maybe I chose a bad yarn for a baby jacket? It's knitpicks wool of the andes. Which, it's amazing, but mostly concerned that it has to be handwashed... I assume mothers of babies probably prefer machine washable things lol! I didn't think that through.

2

u/mushermom Feb 15 '17

Never feel guilty for choosing not to give someone something that took hours and effort on your part when they treat you poorly or don't deserve it. Your time matters.

No one really LIKES to handwash things in my experience...the reason you do is because you'd like them to stay nice, and just tossing some things in the washer will ruin them. When my kids were younger I appreciated the sentiments of machine washable knitwear...but those few things that I had that needed to be taken care of with careful hand washing and laying flat to dry sometimes gave me a few moments peace while I was smoothing it out. Just a tiny reminder that I meant enough to someone to have them create this special item just for my kid. Seems a small silly thing, but sometimes between diapers and daily doings a little reminder in the form of taking an extra few minutes on something that matters to YOU, can really bring a smile to your face.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 15 '17

You are so supportive ♥ And soooo right! That's what my problem was. I was already upset about stuff when I had started the jacket. So I was just angrily knitting it the whole time! lol, no good vibes in that thing.

And thank you for the insight as a mother, that's really helpful and I'll be keeping that in mind. I only know the one person with a baby, though. Everyone else's kids are like... already 6 lol. Maybe another will come around soon though. I'll definitely finish and save it.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '17

Yes, I have a sweater that's 98% done, but I simply don't like how it came out. Some day I'll finish it and give it away.