So do you have one of those projects that you started forever ago but have never finished? And it’s still hanging around, staring at you balefully?  Well, I certainly do – it’s my Cables & Os sweater from No Sheep For You.

I started this project in April of 2007.  4 years ago!

I remember loving the pattern when I got the book – it was so pretty.  And I had a bunch of Cotlin, which I had bought for a different sweater that didn’t work out. I also thought it was a perfect project for my first sweater on needles smaller than size 7.

Of course, working on size 2 and 4 needles with a bunch of cables makes very slow work, at least for me.

So I kept putting it down and finding other things to work on that gave me a more instant gratification. Then I decided it was too hot to work on in the summer. Then I moved to the East coast & packed it away, figuring I wasn’t going to work on it in the car on the drive out, plus it was more of spring sweater anyway.

I picked it up the next spring & worked on it for awhile, but again, I kept getting distracted & putting it away.  I really loved how it looked though!

Somehow it became the sweater I dug it back out every year & always had an excuse not to finish it. In 2009, I was back on the West coast, but I gained about 40lbs since I had first started it & was worried that it wouldn’t fit!  But by then I had put too much time into it and it was too pretty to frog so I sadly stuffed it back in my yarn cabinet & forgot about it.

When we started bringing out the new Cotlin colors this year, I was again was reminded of my poor sweater.  I’ve lost a lot of weight since then, so I decided either I was going to finish the darn thing or frog it & find something else.  So I pulled it back out last week & tackled it!

When I last hid it away, I had gotten partway through the right front (if you aren’t familiar with the pattern, the body is knit in one piece from the bottom up) – you can see it in the picture above actually.  Well since then, I’ve finished the entire body!

I’m now working on the sleeves, which certainly isn’t my favorite part (also a reason I kept putting it away).  I’m changing the pattern slightly so I’m doing them both at once in the round, to the arm pit.  Because if I don’t, who knows how long I’ll put off seaming them up!

I really can’t wait to wear this so I’m going to keep pushing through!  Luckily by now I have the stitch pattern memorized so it’s going much quicker.  Think I’ll finish it to wear it in May?

So do you have an old WiP that’s been calling to you?  What’s your longest work in progress?