Pairing

I've been thinking lately.  I have a large number of unfinished objects languishing in various bags and cubby holes around the house.  I think a lot of us do.  I wonder why.  It's not economical -- those UFOs are hogging up my needles and my stash space and, most especially my brain space.  I worry about them.  I wonder when I'll get back to them.  I ponder the yarn and pattern, having loved both enough to cast on for a project.

Eureka.  I think I've figured it out.  At least for myself.  Many of my UFOs are destined to be unsuccessful and on some level, my subconscious knows this and isn't letting me waste my time on them.  Most often, I think, it's an ill-conceived pairing of yarn to pattern.

Gisela probably falls into this category and I just haven't admitted this sorry fact to myself yet.

As a point of illustration, I have today's Finished objects.  Yum.

First up is a Wingspan scarf knit out of a new-to-me yarn by HiKoo and distributed by Skacel.  It's Timidity, a highly-textured wool/acrylic/nylon blend.  I used color number 3, a hot red and brown blend.  It knits up nubby and lacy and it's not what I'd call soft.

But pair it with a short-row pattern that lets its long color repeats stack up and swirl around?  Dayum.  I love this thing.  Even hubster, who generally has to be prompted to notice knitting triumphs, commented favorably on this scarf.  It's a statement piece.  

I have to admit that I started the scarf with trepidation.  I didn't particularly like the examples of it knit up in various variegated yarns on Ravelry.  I kept at it primarily because I wanted a garter stitch piece to work on at knit night.  But as the thing grew, I knew I was onto something, albeit unintentionally.  Yay me.

This pairing of my hand-spun yarn with Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket was intentional.  It's almost become what you'd call a traditional pairing.  Yarn spun from dyed roving often has this striping heathered quality and the BSJ is a pattern made to take advantage of the striping.

This roving was, I believe, a Romney wool.  It's a Hello Yarn club colorway, but I don't know which one.  It's luverly.  Once I make a hat from the rest of the yarn, I'll do the finishing (probably i-cord) and gift it to a newly adopted little guy at church.  

What do you think?  Are your unsuccessful (or maybe just uninspiring) projects often a result of bad pairings?  

Comments

[Frida]

you are so totally right, although I admit that sometimes projects die off because they take too long and I just get bored, but most of the time it´s just that it "doesn´t feel right".
best wishes from Iceland
Frida
ps. gorgeous FO´s!

[Joy]

I think you're onto something with the UFO's - then too, at least in my case, some are probably old enough that they would no longer fit the intended recipient.

Love the FO's - aren't the long color repeats fun to play with?

[Bridgett]

Ok what's the pattern for that gorgeous scarf? Because I want one now...