Time to fess up -- how many finished projects can you claim compared to the unfinished projects sitting in little bags in the closet, under the bed, in your knitting bag, stuffed in drawers ----------

I confess- I have a navy blue sweatshirt style sweater with hood in the closet sooooo close to being finished. It's only missing the front zipper- Can you believe that? I lacked the motivation to finish when my daughter tried it on and said "I'm really sorry Mom, but I don't like it!! The hood is too pointy and it is just too wide." The magic of knitting is that the process is so enjoyable and relaxing that the fact that it sits unfinished in a bag in a closet doesn't bother me a bit. However, the next sweater I knitted was FOR ME

That's the only problem of knitting for someone else -- unless they picked out the pattern and colors and even then -- in my case -- they may have grown up and moved away before you're finished and it really DOESN'T fit

My problem was we were always getting in new patterns and new yarn and I had to put one project down to start another -- or I'd make one bootie - glove - slipper and get bored with that new stitch pattern and not make the other one

But one of these days I will dig out all those projects -- pick one out -- and FINISH IT !!

and by the way -- I got your email and will keep an eye out for the Owl sweater in the older mags we have laying around.

I guess it doesn't matter what the hobby or craft is, there are always unfinished products. I was never a knitter, but I did sew many years ago and had several patterns cut out and boxed, fabric, fabric scraps, etc...waiting for who knows what...more time, more patience, more creativity, whatever.

Finally, one day about 10 years after I had even sewn a stitch, when I was tired of opening, looking, moving, and trying to figure what to do with all this *stuff*... I pitched it all. I didn't even give any of it to the Goodwill. Just figured..who would want this *stuff*? Truth is, there was some good *stuff* there!

You don't know how many times I've heard this from ladies that moved here from up north and come into the shop saying "my hubby made me throw all my patterns and books and yarn away" or "I could just shoot myself for throwing that away".

My mom recently moved from her home of 35 yrs and the stuff she had !!! She finally threw away the yards upon yards of material she had when she was making my clothes 40 yrs ago -- the material was almost falling apart at the touch

But --- think of the memories

My mother has found a use for those old unfinished projects, and for clothing that has been discarded over the years. She makes memory quilts. She cuts squares and triangles out of the remnants and sews them together to make quilts and pillows. Then she either gives them to family members or donates them to her church ladies' group, which makes and ships a quilt a week to homeless and needy families throughout the country and world. Its a neat project. They use old blankets for the batting inside the quilts, which makes the quilts extra warm. I treasure my quilts she has made for me. First because they were made by her loving hands, and secondly, because quilts that well made would cost a fortune on the open market.