Early mornin' froggin'
Four in the morning, came without a warnin'
So here I am, AWAKE, at 4:00am. Just awake. No reason. Bleary-eyed.
So I am blogging.
Last week when this happened I did our taxes. I was reading Wendy's blog. Wendy, who is a DOER, off-handedly mentioned she did hers, and so that caused a mini-4-am freak out of, "oh my god we need to get our taxes done, it's like March (it was still very February) and it will take so long (it took about 30 minutes) and OH MY GOD what if we owe like $32,000? We'll have to make payment plans and put off my loans, and... (we got a refund)."
Clarity.
Sometimes, though, at 4 am, there come moments of clarity. Of acknowledgment and realization of things I knew to be true, but didn't want to face.
[...]
I am frogging the poncho.
Yes, it is 18 rows from probably being done. Yes, I had a cool border all picked out from THIS COOL BOOK.*
But I will not wear it. I know this deep down. I'm not a poncho person. I tried awhile back to be a shawl person, but I can't do it. I'm just much more of a jeans and weird-vintage-too-bright-shirt-person. And I picked the wrong yarn for it. It's too thin, it won't be warm. Drafts will just come up when I raise my arms in it.**
Here's the evidence. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip.
Really, it feels like a weight has been lifted.
Next task: What to do with this super silky wool? It's a great yarn and worthy of something. Thoughts, anyone? I looked through lots of IK and other books and have some great ideas...
One step forward.
I did finish my Sockapalooza socks.
Click me for a close up of the leg pattern.
The amount of cat hair they picked up from this picture session (which took all of 90 seconds) was atrocious. They have been since washed and hermetically sealed till I can send them to my sock pal. I really hope she likes them.
Until next time. Going blearily back to bed.
*Look through this book at least, you guys. It's really cool. No, I don't get a commission.
**[And I love the Yarn Harlot, I really do! No offense, Steph. It's a great pattern. My niece's Yarn Harlot Poncho turned out really well.]
Comments
WHOA! You're up early. Glad to see that at least you are doing something worthwhile! Nice work taking the initiative to frog that baby if you weren't going to wear it. I hope I develop some perspective like that soon, too. Get some sleep!!
Posted by: molly | February 28, 2005 02:59 AM
cool socks and that reminds me, i'm got some frogging to do. way to rip and reuse.
Posted by: froggy | February 28, 2005 05:26 AM
Way to recycle!
If you aren't happy with it...rip it!
Your sock pal is going to love them!
Posted by: heather | February 28, 2005 07:48 AM
Hey! Wanna frog together? I have to frog a whole entire sleeve [sob!] and knowing that you're frogging the poncho overseas somehow makes me feel like I've got company. Hee! ;-)
Posted by: Becky | February 28, 2005 08:11 AM
I don't like to see 4 am whether I am coming home, or waking up. It's not natural...can you say 'sleeping pill'? Anyhoo, your socks are fabulous! Whoever gets them is going to jump for joy and only wear clogs the rest of their lives. And oh crap, now I have to go start stressing about my taxes!
Posted by: Anne Marie | February 28, 2005 10:13 AM
Why not knit a sweater with a long, open placket like the one Alison (blue blog) just finished -- her "January" sweater. Just the right thing for wearing over weird-vintage-too-bright-shirts -- who wants to cover up such a thing?
You're sockapalooza socks look great, I love the pattern up the back. They're begging to be worn with some clogs - hey nona has clogs!
Posted by: nona | February 28, 2005 12:39 PM
No offense taken! I honestly don't know how much use my mom will get from the poncho, but I think she will appreciate the effort and at least get joy from looking at it. I think of it as more of a spring/early fall garment. As for the silky wool, I saw all kinds of good uses for it in the PatternWorks catalog I got on Sat. With such a light yarn, maybe a tank or short sleeved sweater?
MUST get started on my taxes.
Posted by: Stephanie | February 28, 2005 03:07 PM
I can't believe you frogged the poncho! But you know best, especially at 4 am. Tee hee.
The socks look AWESOME. And she will LOVE them!
if you wanna knit that sweater that Nona mentioned, I have the pattern.... :)
Posted by: Carrie | February 28, 2005 05:57 PM
Aw, bye-bye poncho. They aren't for everyone. (This coming from another jeans and too bright vintage shirt person!)
Love the socks! Congrats on being all done. :)
Posted by: alison | February 28, 2005 06:03 PM
Well, if you have to be up at 4am, what better way to spend the time than to rip - at least you're probably out of it enough that it doesn't hurt as badly! Maybe next time you can do some finishing - that's probably less painful in a half-asleep state, too. :)
Posted by: Anne-Caroline | February 28, 2005 09:04 PM
Oooh I love the Silky Wool. I'm planning on ordering some tomorrow from my LYS. Have you seen Elsebeth Lavold's new book... "Book 4:The Sophisticated Lady Collection"? It's worth a look. It also knits really nicely at 6 st/inch rather than 5.5. Have fun turning it into something more fabulous than a poncho!
Posted by: Johanna | March 1, 2005 09:38 PM
Goodnight Jenny!
I love Knitting On the Edge...now if I could put it to good use!
How about a spring cardi with the Silky yarn?
Yea!!! Money back at tax time!
Posted by: Eilene | March 2, 2005 08:06 AM
Oh - I've been meaning to make one of those ponchos, but was on the fence about it...now i'm teetering on the side of "I will never wear it."
I've been curious about that book! I'll have to see if I can get it!
:)
Posted by: BigLug | March 3, 2005 08:43 AM
I have tried to be a poncho person. Oh, when the stores were filled with ponchos, how I wanted one. I looked them over, thought to myself "I could SO make that" but jeez, I looked terrible in them. And they make me feel like I should be speaking Spanish and leading a donkey...but they're so cute! *sigh*
Let's hear it for refunds!
Posted by: Jenn | March 3, 2005 10:25 PM
I like the socks! The pattern is great. Good colours, too.
Strikkelise
Posted by: Strikkelise | March 4, 2005 08:33 AM
Let 'er rip baby. Resist the evil lure of the Poncho. Nothing worse than spending forever watching it glare at you while you don't wear it. Move on, and do it cheerfully.
Posted by: Stephanie | March 4, 2005 09:52 AM
I've done the very same thing to my poncho, not at 4 in the morning though!
Posted by: Tracy | March 5, 2005 08:34 AM