Frogged.

You may notice my "On the Needles" column has been reduced to only TWO items... a record low for this knitter! Let me explain...

I attempted to cast on Chain Chomp a total of 3 times. The first time, the circulars were too long. The second time, the stitches got twisted (a rookie knitter mistake when working with circulars). The third time worked, even though it took me over an hour to get the first row pattern knit correctly.

In between attempts one and two, I had to make a decision. I had the right size circulars, but they were holding my (Valentine's Day themed) "Ballet School Dropout" legwarmers. I could have taken the stitches off the needle and held them either on a stitch holder or scrap yarn, but I was so aggravated at my wasted time at cast on attempt #1, I wanted those needles, and I wanted them NOW. It is NOVEMBER, I started those legwarmers in FEBRUARY, and every time I think about working on them, I get light-headed and experience stomach pains.

These thoughts led to the unthinkable. This is the first time I have ever legitimately frogged a WIP. Sure, I've quit after a few rows. I've realized I'm using the wrong size needles, or I started with too many stitches, or I'm not knitting with the right tension to produce the desired gauge. But I have never, *ever*, pored hours into a project just to yank it.

The determination to start this hate (and impending deadline of brother's aforementioned holiday parties) fueled my hatred of the legwarmers, and I yanked them off those needles so fast they actually stayed in tact. The aftermath of the frogging was akin to how I feel after eating an obscene amount of food -- "Why did I just DO that? I feel horrible!" So, my legwarmers are snuggled soundly in my knitting basket, their top row of stitches still in tact -- but they are, technically, OFF the needles. I doubt I will ever go back to them, but the guilt and shame I experienced after abandoning them paralyzed me from going any further.

RIP (or in my knitting basket), legwarmers. The world wasn't ready for you, and I wasn't ready to finish you.