Ribbit! Ribbit!

Nope, I’m not talking about frogging yet another project (although I do have one that’s just sitting there, asking to be undone). This time I’m talking about an actual frog. Or, more specifically, a knitted frog.

I’ve been on a mission this summer – before I buy any more new yarn, I wanted to try and use up my constantly growing yarn stash. You knitters out there can probably relate. A typical scenario: you’re browsing the yarn store, just to pass the time, telling yourself that you don’t need anything new. Then something catches your eye – a colourful and exciting new yarn! But wait, you don’t have a project in mind, so you don’t know how you’d use it or how much you’d need. Doesn’t matter. You can’t just walk away from it. And then you touch it, and you’re hooked. Somehow you’re already at the cash register, digging in your wallet for your debit card, thinking of a way to hide this new little gem from your husband (if he’s not already with you) when you get home. Yup, that’s generally how it goes.

So, one Saturday afternoon as I sorted through my stash of yarn and half-finished projects tucked away under my bed, I pulled out new balls of yarn that I bought on a whim and have since hidden away. I began to look at them with fresh eyes and wondered again what they could become. And what did I find? A little ball of variegated green yarn, all coiled up and just waiting to be knit. I think at the time I bought it, I had thought to turn it into a scarf and give it as a Christmas present, but that obviously didn’t happen. With only one ball, I had to be creative in thinking what to knit. My first thought? What’s green and small and ribbits? Not leftover moldy cheese in Tupperware, but a frog, of course (was that funny to anyone else but me?!). And wouldn’t you know; my niece had a birthday coming up. And I do love knitting stuffed toys. So, let’s count this stuffed froggy as a win for one less ball of yarn under the bed!

I love seeing kids’ faces when they get something new, and when Ava saw this frog, she smiled and swung it around, a good sign that she liked it. And then her big sister saw it and asked where hers was. I told her that it was Ava’s birthday, but maybe she’d get something for her birthday next February. She promptly put in her request for a pink elephant. And a purple elephant. And the pink one should be bigger than the purple one. Guess I’ve got my next project.

I’m sad to say that I have not successfully accomplished the above summertime mission. I broke down and bought myself some Cascade 200 Heather (my ultimate favorite yarn to knit with) in a gorgeous burnt orange colour (but it was such a good deal!). I am restraining from starting to knit with it, however, until I finish up a few other projects I have on the go, but a knitter can only have so much will power! Plus, with all the fall magazines out on newsstands, I'm sure to be tempted...