To frog or not to frog...

That is the question.

I know that around the knitting blog circle, today is known as "Work in Progress Wednesday" and I never participate - ever - because I've never had the desire and I'm not even participating now but it did get me thinking so I pulled out all of my WiPs from their hiding places and stared at them.

Then my brain got down to the interrogation ~ what all do I have lingering on my needles?  Should I frog it or will I honestly sit down and finish it?  Do I even still like it?  These are all important questions that will either breathe life back into old projects or give me the strength to simply let it go and reclaim the yarn for another project.  Care to join me in a "cleansing of the needles" as it were?

1. Hobbit's Capelet   2. Faux Circle Sweater  3. Pokey's Sweater 
4. Challenge project  5. Hobbit's Bunny Slipper

I bet y'all don't even remember some of these projects, do you?  Don't worry, I didn't either... well, I did but only when I started digging and taking stock.  I know when I started each of these projects that I was excited and loving them, I still love some of them.  Having them all laid out in front of me, I was a bit proud at the number of them - only 4 1/2 (I haven't technically started the hat for our contest yet).  I hear stories of people with WiPs that are in the double digits or that have been sitting for several years and that always amazes me.  I tend to take stock once a year to see what is hanging around and what just needs to be reclaimed and said goodbye to because I know I won't work on it any more.  Today is that day for this year.

I started Hobbit's Capelet at the beginning of summer break when the kids were away with my folks in Texas... in 2010.  I found through working it that the yarn I chose wasn't fabulous.  It kept splitting and I was too scatter-brained at that time to pay close enough attention to the details of the pattern.  It was written for chunky yarn and I chose a light silky DK weight.  It just isn't working out - at least, the yarn choice isn't.  I am going to frog this one and reclaim my needles for another project.  I might give it another go with the proper yarn and needles as the project states because I really do love it and I've learned a thing or three since I first began this particular project.  I think it kind of deserves a fair shake so while this version will be frogged, I am sure that a proper rendition will not be long coming.

My Faux Circle Sweater was a chance to make something for me and with my most expensive yarn purchase ever - the scary yarn!  I still love it every time I pick it up but I admit, the pattern is boring.  I'm in the home stretch though so I think I will leave this one for a bit and see if I pick it up again once I finish a few of these other smaller projects.  The yarn is just so soft and the colors are so wonderful even though they don't photograph well.  I also know that this sweater will be one snuggley warm thing when it's done because I get rather warm under it while I knit.  I toyed with the idea of giving it to Peanut but I just know she'll shrink it or felt it or both.  I still don't think I have enough yarn to do the collar and cuff banding so perhaps that choice will determine if it stays or goes.  I'll have to browse Berroco soon and see what might work well with it - because all that I've found in town clashes too much with the body of the sweater and I don't want use something boring like black, although a scrumptious grey might be alright.

Pokey's Sweater will get finished.  I am on the second sleeve and it's so close to being done - it's just hit that boring stage too.  There isn't enough detail to keep my brain entertained and therefore I just get the blahs when I go to work on it.  I am going to have to give myself ultimatums in order to work on it - knit at least 2 inches on it before I can knit on anything else.  That usually works and before I know it, I'll be to exciting stuff again - blocking, banding and the collar.  I could continue to work on this sweater for our contest because I will have to switch colors for the banding but it doesn't fit in the time frame since I started it back in June of this past year.  It doesn't get really cold here until February - oh how funny, Pokey just looked over and saw this photo with the title and said "NOOOOO... you can't frog my sweater" so even if I was thinking about it I guess I would have just changed my mind.  Silly man, I wouldn't frog the first sweater I've ever made, especially since it's for him.

I am on the second slipper for Hobbit and it will get done before she goes back to school on Tuesday.  I just need to sit down and knit on it for a bit.  The only reason it is even in this pile is because it is a WiP and I wanted a true count of my outstanding projects.  As soon as the body of this one is done, I've got to make ears but I think they might end up being a different color because this ball is getting rather sparse.  I'm going to turn it in for my Care of Magical Creatures homework.. at least, that's the plan for it anyway.  If you are lost as to what I'm talking about, it's okay because I haven't talked much about my joining this particular tournament.  I only did it this week as something to do while I wait out the gap month for Nerd Wars - although I really seem to thrive under the whole tournament thing so I might do both simultaneously... who knows.

My hat for the contest, although not started, is slated to be cast on this upcoming week when Hobbit goes back to school.  It's a mental WiP so therefore I included it.  Sure, it's not even on the needles but I know it will be in less than a week so what is the point in lying to myself?  Sure, I would believe me because I have "one of those faces" but still, it's just not nice.

I have to wait until Hobbit goes back to school before I begin because I am honestly nervous about the colorwork aspect.  It is going to be a wonderful hat and seeing the shape of Pokey's yesterday, he is in need of a new one.  I can make this more masculine by not adding the pompom on the top and decreasing the amount of rounds at the end to eliminate some of the floppy cuteness and make it more form fitting for him.  The snowflake pattern is appropriate for anyone and the colors work well too.  Plus, with me using such a small amount of the yarn for this hat, I can always make matching ones for me and the girls with what I will have leftover.  Now there is an idea, although I will probably never do it because I can't stand doing the same pattern a million times over - I run into the whole "bored" thing.  I could, however, make fingerless mitts, mittens and a scarf or cowl... shoot, I bet after I make that hat I'll have enough to make Hobbit or even Peanut a sweater.  I bought a lot of it but they were each a bag sale and the price was too good to pass up.

So there you have it - I'll be frogging the capelet and reclaiming the yarn and needles for something else.  Yeah, I know it's only one project that I'm taking out of the mix but it's better than talking myself into keep them all, isn't it?  Plus, when I finish the slippers this week I'll only have two things on my needles... well, until I cast on for my hat that is...

How are you doing with WiPs?  Are they abundant or do you practice project monogamy?