Ready for the New

One of the many things accomplished this weekend was the creation of the "perfect" pomegranate martini.  (I do realize "perfect" may be in the eye of the beholder drinker.) After a conversation last Friday with Cindy (we have one almost daily via email), in which I longed for a G&T and she longed for the pomegranate martini (we won't mention that this was 5:30 in the morning), I started craving pomegranate juice (ok it was the martini I craved).  I decided to make one for my "end of the week" treat that night. As it turned out, most recipes (google was my friend) called for citron vodka and we had only plain…but we forged ahead and created by taste.  What we ended up with the first night was drinkable, but we knew the citron vodka had to be procured the next day and we did just that. Saturday night we were able to tweak what we had the night before and proclaimed it "perfect" and our drink for the "Summer of '08". 

Summer of '08 Martini
2 oz. pure pomegranate juice
3 oz. citron vodka (4 oz. if you like a stronger drink, I'm a lightweight)
1oz. Triple sec
1 oz. sparkling water with 1 heaping tsp. powdered sugar stirred in
1 tsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
Ice
Shake or stir together and pour sans ice.  Makes 2

Another part of the weekend was spent frogging a sweater. Have you knit a sweater, not really liked it much when done and then let it sit unworn?  In all the years I've been knitting I don't remember ever completely frogging a finished sweater.  I usually give them away, either to a family member or goodwill, and move on.  Once the knitting is done I am so over it.  It was my love of Beaverslide  yarn that made me face the facts about an unworn sweater and start the frogging process.

The sweater was only worn once and I didn't really like the fit.  It had been in the back of my mind to do something about it, but I'd put it off over and over again.  The time finally came when I was cleaning up the sweater cupboard and had the offender in hand.  With a little picking and pull at the bind off edge I was able to start the ripping process. It took 2 days of work to complete the job, but it was rather satisfying!

This is a first…the only time a sweater has been ripped and the yarn destined to be something new.  Only a little of the yarn was lost and I ended up with about 1000 yards.  It's ready to be soaked, kinks removed, fluff regained and lovely yarn for a new sweater restored.  Have you ever frogged a completed sweater and reknit?

Before any knittin'o wool happens around here, there will be more summer sweaters in the works.  NBT is >< this close to the finish line and the next sweater is lying in wait.  This may or may not be the last summer sweater on my needles, but it is the last one actively planned.  I'm talking about Gigi in red Cotton Fleece with brown trim, unless something else catches my eye.  Everyone loves Cotton Fleece and now it's my turn to check it out.

Comments

[Carole]

It's early in the day (even for me) but that martini sounds yummy! You're smart to reclaim the yarn for that sweater.

[Sherie]

The martini sounds yummy! I've never frogged a completed sweater, but sounds like a good way to reuse the yarn rather than loose it all.

[Cynthia]

The martini sounds fabu! I used to drink only martinis (vodka with a splash of scotch) which I can't do anymore but they are the best.

Good for you on taking out the sweater. I love the colour and I think it is great to have a redo. The Gigi will rock in the colours you have chosen.

[Nora]

Since I've never knit an entire sweater, I have not had the pleasure of frogging one!

Your martini sounds lovely. I make a cosmo-like cocktail involving pomegranate/blueberry juice, vodka, triple sec, a little sugar, and key lime juice. I serve these in the special blue martini glasses I got at the dollar store - one for me, and one for my BFF. It means "summer is here."

[CindyCindy]

Hey! We need to try Nora's, too! I love trying new drinks. Good for you to frog the sweater you don't love with yarn you do love. It's gorgeous yarn and this fall will make a sweater you can love. And, now, I have to try Cotton Fleece;-)

[Grace]

your drink sounds delicious! would grenedine work? or is that too sweet?

[Kim]

I have never used Cotton Fleece....I will be interested to see what you think about it.

I LOVE pomegranate martini's. We use pineapple vodka in ours....(Kim-tini's)..hee

[Anne]

You are smart to recycle the Beaverslide - no use in letting that merino goodness sit and not be enjoyed in a finished garment!

[deb]

So 7:15 am is too early then too?

[Chris]

One of the best drinks I've ever had was a pomegranate martini mixed by a very friendly bar tender at a restaurant near by. She talked me into it because she says pomegranate martini is her specialty. I don't know the recipe she uses, but I just may have to go back. But first I'll have to try your recipe for comparison.

[Norma]

Mmmm, pomegranate. I have not learned to love martinis yet, but maybe this will help. Although a sweet martini seems like a cheat to me. :)

SO GOOD about the ripped-out Beaverslide! So glad you did not give it to Goodwill. You'll get to enjoy the yarn all over again.

[Heather]

Yeah, I once frogged an entire sweater after the guage-monster got me. It's sort of like ripping off a band-aid. Do it fast and it hurts less!

[Kathleen]

I just frogged a vest. It was an early knit, and if I were to do it again now it might have decently picked up neck and arm bands. As it is, I never wear it. And the yarn is Blue Sky Alpaca Silk, so it needs to be saved.

The 'tini sounds delicious!

[Kathy]

Oh, yum! (I mean, isn't it too early for a drink :-)

[Knitnana]

Oh! Gigi is CUTE! And those colors will be wonderful...
(I've never knit a sweater, so I can't claim to have frogged one! lolol! But good for you - reclaiming anything is so cool.)

I'm considering that Summer of 08 Drink - where do you find pomegranate juice? I have never seen it (ok...I'm a dork).
(((hugs)))

[Sarah HB]

I have a half knit sweater that may be heading to the frog pond. Just not loving it....

Love the martini recipe.

[Liz K]

I've ripped complete sweaters before, but only if the yarn was really worth it to rescue. It felt very resourceful to re-use the yarn into something wearable.

[Marcia Cooke]

I wonder how pomegranate juice would be in my wine spritzer? As for frogging, I would be queen of that pond for sure! I've not soaked the yarn, though, but used a kettle and steamed it straight. (There's that handspun sweater from last fall that is on its way to the pond, I think.)

[Cindy/Snid]

Well cheers! I think I might need something like a martini before I would face frogging a completed sweater... but I have to admit that I have contemplated the idea before! I have copied your recipe down and will see if I can get any/all of the ingredients here.

[bellamoden]

I've ripped one entire knit sweater once... definitely satisfying, when the yarn is good (funny thing? In this case? The yarn was cotton fleece ;) )

Gigi will be lovely! I hadn't considered gigi before..... hmm.

[Cindy in Happy Valley]

Love all things pomegranate, must try martini, but for the am I just got a delish sounding pom/blueberry smoothee recipe from our local Wegmans.

It appears that you're a B. Marie fan too. I just adore her stuff. Working on a Ribbi Cardi now. Looking to start another CeCe, with long sleeves, next.

[Wool Winder]

I have a couple of sweaters that don't fit anymore, but the yarn isn't worth saving--some acrylic blend. If it was something good like Beaverslide, I think I would do it though.

[Carrie]

Mmmm. That sounds good, especially since I haven't perfected the lemon drop recipe yet.

[Manise]

I grew up with pomegranates and your recipe sounds great! I think I will substitute simple syrup for the sugar for more uniform mixing.

You frogged Ariann? Well it makes no sense in keeping something that doesn't fit well and it's too nice a yarn to not re-use. I reminds me of my incomplete top down in Beaverslide McTaggarts Tweed that needs to be frogged- too big and yarn too bulky for this pattern, though I love the yarn.

[Cheryl S.]

Thanks for the recipe! And I think Gigi will be great in that red Cotton Fleece.

[Chris]

If I've woven in the ends, I usually gift the sweater to someone it's more appropriate for.

[elizabeth]

Thanks for the recipe! We'll have to try it out this weekend.

I still haven't ripped my too-big Drops cardi. Maybe the Pomtini will give me enough strength to do so...

[Nancy]

My friend discovered Pomegranate Martini's on our cruise. She will be thrilled to have a proven recipe for them!

Thanks for sharing:D

[Bex]

Sounds like a good drink - I will have to try it. So far, my favorite pomegranite drink is basically pomegranite juice mixed with silver tequila (50/50, I think) and ice. It is tasty and potent (ask me how I know).

Oh, and I do frog failed sweaters, although it usually takes a couple of years for the disappointment to settle out.

[P-la]

Just this week a pulled out a sweater to be completely frogged and reknit. Part of it was the pattern's fault and part of it was my fault. I'm actually going to reknit the same sweater with it, but with adjustments!

[Peg]

That yummy sounding martini would help with the frogging. I frogged Tilia (Elsebeth Lavold pattern) and used the wonderful EL Silky Wool to knit Cutaway. It is one of my favourite sweaters. Would never have worn Tilia, so it all worked out and there is a bit of the SW awaiting a scarf/hat!

[deb]

I haven't ever frogged a whole sweater, but I do have two candidates sitting in the very back of my sweater drawer.
I love the martini recipe! Sounds like a fabulous way to welcome Summer:) I wonder what flavor a splash of lemoncello would add?

[Imbrium]

I think I were frogging an entire finished sweater, I'd need the martini!

[Grace]

i made the Crystal Palace Kimono Sweater in my novice knitting years out of Lion Brand Homespun in Antique and trimmed in black. I was so proud I put it on and could not stand how the back was higher then the fronts and it sat in the closet for months, I woke up one morning at 5 AM and frogged the entire sweater. I used all that homespun in antique looking patchwork Christmas Stockings for nieces. I must try Cotton Fleece too--I love the colors you chose for Gigi which is what my grandchildren call me!! have a great day!

[Heather Joins The Round]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmartini! Thanks for the recipe!

[Amy]

Oh my god pomegranite martinis. I shall have to live vicariously for a few more months. :)

And I have that sweater's fraternal twin sitting in my closet upstairs. A disastrous flashdance-neckline-cabled-number that I didn't even enter into ravelry because I know it'll get frogged someday. (It's out of a lovely burnt-orange cash iroha.) Good for you for finally taking the plunge, maybe I'll join you soon!

[KarenJoSeattle]

I'm a scotch drinker myself, but the pomegranite juice sounds good.

As you know, I'm about to frog half a sweater. I have a couple of finished items that I should rip out. At least one languishes because the yarn doesn't suit me, though, so I may need to find a charity knitting group that could use it. The Beaverslide definitely deserves a new life.

[Keatyn]

Gigi is such a cute sweater. I have looked at it a number of times and thought about knitting it. I can't wait to see you make it.

[Beth S.]

Bless you, bless you for the pom-tini recipe. I can absolutely understand wanting one of those at the wrong 5:30. ;-)

And yes, I have frogged and re-knit. I may even do it twice... my Central Park was made with reclaimed yarn, which I think I am going to rip out yet again and use for something that will actually fit. ;-)

[kelly]

It's better to frog it into something you love than to let it clutter up the closet, I think.

If you are still not feeling the sock mojo, I just discovered (and joined) a Summer of Lace group on Ravelry!

[Julie]

I have only frogged a completed sweater once and the yarn still sits in a bag waiting to be reused (it's been in that bag for over 3 years now). I have a couple more that I keep meaning to frog. I wonder how many years before I do those.

[Zarah]

Which sweater did you frog? I have completely ripped out two sweaters - and never looked back. If I love the yarn, I hate to see it go to waste.
ps - looking forward to trying your martini recipe!

[Lucia]

To frog a sweater I'd have to finish one, and that's happened only twice, and I gave both away -- one to a very tiny friend after I seriously screwed up the gauge, and one to Lynne's Peruvian sweater drive -- that one did actually come out pretty much as I'd intended.

I love yesterday's post! (Just a tad behind the curve in my blog-reading here.) What are those pouffy pink trees anyway? I always thought they were some kind of cherry, but given my recent maple misconceptions, I don't assume I know anything, especially about trees.

[Kim D.]

Nothing motivates you to finish a project than the desire to start a new one.

Congrats on having the yarn balls to frog an entire sweater. You are my knitting guru!

[claudia]

I've frogged at least two whole sweaters and reknit them. And, the second sweaters were MUCH BETTER than the first ones. I'm sure the Beaverslide will be better the second time 'round.

[Laura]

I don't even drink martinis but that one sounds sooooo good!

I've never knit and frogged. I'm trying to figure out what sweater that Was...?

Gigi will be absolutely gorgeous on you but I have a hard time seeing it as a summer sweater in that yarn.

[Laurie]

I would not mind recreating the Rhinbeck pom martini! That must have been difficult research.

I have not frogged a sweater. Brave girl.

[Teyani]

hmmm - frogging seems to be in the air - I began the same process with a tank I knit last year... my dilemma has been that I did a great job in sewing in the ends, so its taking a bit longer than expected (grin)

[Cayenne]

Gigi is darling. I don't like Cotton Fleece, though, because of the color bleeding. I did buy mine at GBFAF as seconds, so maybe that was the problem? I'm sure you'll have fun knitting it up. I have about six summer things I want to knit from the latest KNITS. I have to wait until the lose some baby swelling first, though, so I can actually get some decent measurements!

[Wanda]

The martini sounds delish. Must try it soon. What sweater did you recently rip? At least you will reuse the yarn for something you love more.