frogging--I mean, slogging--away

I finished a pair of hemp mitts yesterday. Now that they have been washed and dried, they're a little big, but they are comfortable. And they seem to be exactly what I'd hoped for: mitts that are not so warm that I can't wear them in the summer. They're loose enough that I can wear my watch at the same time, which I can't do with my other mitts. The hemp's a little rough yet, but I like the texture.

Yesterday I gave in to my impulses and frogged that cabled cowl. The yarn just wasn't working for it; I was dragging my heels on knitting it so much that it was ridiculous. I started it and then finished one project (or was it two?) and started and completed two more, and worked out some kinks in a pattern I'm writing, before getting more than a few rows into this one. I've shelved that cowl for now. I like the pattern but it needs a different yarn. The yarn's been moved over to a different cowl, one that uses a slipped stitch herringbone pattern. I like it much better. I'm halfway through the sixteen row repeat already. I didn't manage to make it through a single repeat of that cable pattern. The herringbone pattern gives it an almost woven texture and it suits the yarn so much better than the other pattern did. When I have more than 2 centimetres, I'll post a picture.

I think that taught me that it's okay to frog something even after you've spent a while on it. If you can't stand the project, it's probably better this way. I had more fun making a pom pom than working on that thing (and while pom poms may be rather enjoyable to make, I don't really like the way they look). It's happier frogged and reknit into something that better suits its nature.

There's a new pair of socks on the needles now, too. (I know! I should be starting some Christmas socks, but I won't have the person's shoe size until I can talk to their spouse next week so I could only knit to the gusset anyway and then my best sock needles would be all tied up and I'd either have to buy more sock needles or put the socks on stitch holders and all this is just an excuse for me to knit more interesting socks with the last of my Misti Alpaca yarn).