More objects to rework for February’s challenge.  I may start early, C gave me this sock I’d made him years ago and asked if I could fix it.

My first impulse was to throttle tell him absolutely not, what are you thinking?  How did it get this way… it’s on the top and the bottom.  Were you playing with the cat with this sock??  This morning I had second thoughts, I’d add it to the list of items to be reworked (sounds better that ripped out).   I went in search of the leftover yarn.  I’m fairly certain these were made 5 years ago or so… but I don’t throw anything away (don’t grimace Dad), so it had to be somewhere.  I knew I’d seen it.  Now, here’s the I can’t remember anything it seems mystery.  I found it on the floor under the dining room table.  It has not been there for five years.  I must have decided to use it to wrap a present or something, maybe he was playing with the cats, heck if I know.  But there it was, not in storage, but under the table.  Weird, huh?  So a la Sally Melville’s class, I’m removing the lower foot, by unraveling from the one row, from the one cut stitch.  And, I’ll make a new one.  It’s very cold, I attempted to relocate the bird feeder , now I’m waiting for parts. 

  The cats, the ground feeders and the squirrels are very happy with the results.  The platform feeder is now constantly heaped with seed.  All the better to see everyone. 

Yep, it started again last night, and it’s still snowing.. up to 10 more inches by tonight.   When I went out at 10:30 this morning all the municipal plow trucks were driving around with their plows up (that means not plowing), the sanders spraying sand onto the 4 1/2" covering the roads, and people driving and sliding into snow banks to stop themselves ( or maybe because they could NOT stop themselves) everywhere.  Why weren’t they plowing?  I’ve got this theory that plow drivers don’t think they are appreciated enough.  So they ‘make ’em suffer’ so they know, that we know , that they are out there!  Whatever..  it’s winter, it’s snowing, and the cats really wish I’d leave the office and make a path to the cat door.  Independence.

Last night I checked two things off the knit list.  The Natalya wristers are finished, I wore them out today

and the second sleeve of the Weekend Sweater is done.  I realized that most of my hesitation to finish this sweater stems from this one problem.  Which side do I want for the right side.  Check this out.  The little rolled neck edge will match the first picture here.

  But, I like the second option better, the one that uses the ‘wrong’ side.

I like the rolled edge to roll under.  It won’t match.  I still think I’ll be happy.  Last night I passed around the finished sleeve and asked the question.  Everyone agrees, roll under.  So, the decision is made.  I’ll change the pattern ( what’s new??) and use the ‘wrong’ side.  I feel much better, now I can finish.

I’ve picked up the gauntlet, taken the challenge… my first recycle, rip it …
a project I made more than 20 years ago and haven’t worn in almost the same length of time.  I just never liked the fit, the shawl collar too, tooo shawly and the ribbing at the hips waaaaayyy too tight.  So here it is..

So there you have it.

finifobia: the fear of finishing*… that’s the only excuse I can come up
with.  Shortly before the completion of any project that needs to be
‘finished’, I abandon them, well… not exactly, but work on them stops
happening.  I don’t generally put them away, but rather leave them, in
their own knitting bag, on the floor.  Over a period of time, the bag
works it’s way to the back of the line that circles my chair; a wagon train of
projects from in all states, started or still in the ‘dreaming up’
.  And there, it waits.  One has actually ended up binned.  I
put it away safely in my moth resistant bins last spring rather than just sew
it up.  I’m telling you this in hopes that it will break the spell.
You know what, it won’t.  It’s the way I am.  I’ll keep procrastinating..
my nature.   I’m not really afraid of the finishing part.  I can do
it properly.  I just don’t enjoy it.  I have to break the repetitive
pattern of the knitting of it, and think again..  and hope that it all
works out.  Hope that it fits, that I’ll like it, use it…   I
like projectss that are made up all in one piece.  When you’re done,
you’re done.   

I liked making the Natalya wristers. I loved the Patons Classic Merino.  I made them longer in the hand and thumb.  When it came time to decide whether to continue the pattern stitich to hte end (and rip the first one back to match), I waffled.  Both have the ribbed edge, it matches that on the thumb.  Would I make another pair?  Sure, fast and easy..  and remember.. when you’re done, you are done.

I love this:  Time and again the second frontpage of the newspaper offers more real information than the Frontpage crapola.  Here’s an offering I had to share; another use, medical this time, for Duct Tape.  Wart removalby duct tape is more reliable than surgical removal.  Ha! http://www.octanecreative.com/ducttape/hmo/