UFO Sunday – Biting Off a Mouthful
It’s UFO Sunday and time to check in on all those unfinished objects! It seems the only UFOs I’m getting done these days are knitting, crochet, or spinning related, which is good because I have a lot left unfinished in all of these crafts.
A few weeks ago I made the dangerous mistake of looking in my yarn bin and deciding to start using it all up in various projects. One giant ball of Lion Brand homespun yarn lead to a thought I have never had before – “I can make a sweater for James with this!” – and this is what resulted:
I have a new UFO definition for this kind of project – biting off a mouthful. In over my head. Got more than I expected.
Because trying to use up 1 ball of UFO yarn to make a sweater lead to buying 2 new balls (because 1 is absolutely NOT enough), and spending 2 weeks crocheting a sweater that my child will probably never actually wear.
Had James stood still for 2 seconds you would see that the sweater body is a bit big and droopy, but the sleeves are a bit short, giving this UFO monstrosity a bit of a bulky kimono look.
I didn’t work off a pattern for this sweater but instead worked it generally off a crocheted granny square, which was fun in the pure-crocheting-designing-fun arena, but not fun in the this-needs-to-actually-fit-arena.
So I’ve learned my lesson. Next time I have some fabric or yarn and think I’ll quickly make up some awesome project to use it up, I’m going to think twice and not bite off more than I can chew.
It’s not that this wasn’t fun to make, it’s that at the end of all that work, I would’ve liked the sweater to look better or at least be something James wanted to wear. But speedy projects with the intent to “use up” anything are just NOT going to look good or be something my child wants.
They’re going to look rushed and unplanned and lumpy. And who wants to wear anything like that?
So that’s it for my UFO this week! I sure hope you have a better story of redemption and hope in the face of unfinished projects! Personally I’m going to put the lid back on my yarn stash and head back downstairs to quilt. At least I never have to worry about a quilt fitting properly!
Let’s go quilt,
Leah
Is it wool? If so, wait until you are sure little man won't wear it, and then felt it and explore quilting on felt. Maybe even felt as an embellishment.
Happens to every knitter or hooker. I have my shame too. Once I used bad makes as package padding for the mail.
Have you come across 'extreme knitting' or crochet? Using ginormous needles and anything from 3-200 strands of yarn. Its a way to use multiple yarns at once and make thick fabrics. I have a large crochet hook, over an inch thick, and its my intention to use up all the yarns Ive acquired, in one decent hit!
James looks like he is having fun modeling. That picture needs to stay in the family album. Someday you will all have a fun time remembering.
I think he looks so cute! 😉
Leah — you did a great job on that sweater! Although I have a big mouth — not sure I could have bit that off! Nice work…
Karen
He's getting so big and cute! At least boys at that age usually don't care what they wear 🙂
Hey – an Ewok Halloween costume! Awesome!!
I would suggest to felt it too – it might shrink, or if you felted it by hand you could make sure it fitted by only shrinking the bits that need shaping.