Deer hunting in South Beach and other mistakes

So while waxing poetic in the previous post about finding my style/stride with knitting, I come full-circle to show you these two mistakes (or as I like to think of them: growth opportunities).


First, the socks. I really like the pattern and the design is easily memorized for maximum portability. The project gets an A+. My choice of yarn? C (can't give it anything lower because I love green, and yes, there is green in there). To my Wisconsin eyes this sock looks like a deer hunter landed in South Beach. On the other hand, the name of they yarn is 'frogprince' which pretty much sums it all up. The camo colors are reminicient of a frog, with strands of princely blue/turquoise running throughout.

Aside from the color, the yarn, a nylon/wool blend, knit up like a dream. One sock is complete and the second is on the needles so I am required to finish them - plus they are a part of my handmade holiday pledge so they must be knit and gifted. They really are lovely socks and the soft yarn feels great against my skin. Luckily my recent knitpicks order arrived with three sets of solid color essential sock yarn: grass, pumpkin and dusk. I can now re-knit this pattern, and the embossed leaves pattern, with pride and cross two more handmade holiday gifts off my list.


This second photo is of the very first sweater I ever completed. Have I ever worn it? Once - the day I finished it. Will I ever wear it again? Nope. So I am mustering the courage to frog it. I need to - the yarn is too nice to waste away on a closet shelf, making me feel guilty. The buttons are too nice to be hidden away. When I was learning how to knit I got impulsive and tried a rowan pattern - 'Slate' - which was too advanced for me. I got in over my head and never looked back, until last night. I think I will try to dig up the pattern and re-make it - it has all the components of a lovely cardigan, but my problem was the gauge, yarn, needle combination. It is too drapey (is that a word?) to wear - it needs more structure and substance. So, I have resolved to pick a night, in the not too distant future, to frog the entire thing.


Any advice on what to do then? Do I need to wash/soak the yarn before re-using it? Is this a hopeless project? Should I just save the buttons and move on?