Can we postpone Christmas?

Christmas is approaching like a freight train. Loud. Fast. And unstoppable.

I am so not ready.

The children are getting several homemade gifts this year. One of which is unbelievably awesome. So unbelievably awesome we will never again have a gift this awesome to give. The Greatest is in charge of that project, but I've got an important role too. I'd say it is a 95/15 split for the workload. One project is because I want to be a Weasley (that's all me). The last of which is because I am full of self-loathing and have decided as punishment for being me and not a Weasley I must give up sleep and work on this project every spare moment the children are in school or sleeping from now until Christmas (this project is also all me).

And the Children wonder why I'm so stressed and yelling all the time.

'Tis the Season.

In other fun news we've had fantastic weather. Cloudy. Gloomy. Brooding.

And there's been rain! I adored it.

Until last night, when the dogs realized they are distant cousins of the Wicked Witch of the West and as such they must not allow water to come into direct contact with their fur. As a result of this revelation the old dog went outside and peed on the covered patio a foot from the grass rather than pee in the rain. Small dog peed on my family room rug. And boy dog peed on our Christmas Tree.

Awesome.

I'm starting to re-evaluate my life and pondering why we have so many dogs.

In unrelated news here's today's sweater.

(blurry, off-center, dirty bathroom mirror photos. I need more sleep)

Pattern: Sabine (rav link)

Yarn: Sock That Rock, Light weight, 2 skeins

Needles: Size 8 Addi Turbos

Modifications: I made quite a few. I cast on for one size, but ended up doing increases on the yoke until the stitch count was equal to a much larger size. I knit the sleeves next instead of the body, and I might have added some length to the sleeves (I don't remember, and my rav notes say "I might have, but I don't remember"). I never worked the decreases for the front of the body. I just kept increasing. First every other row, then every three rows, then every four rows, then every five rows, then I ran out of yarn.

Review: I knit this ages and ages ago. Probably sometime last year. I've never actually worn it until today. I don't love this sweater as much as I want to love this sweater. It has fantastic detail. There is waist shaping. I love the eyelet row on the back...

And sleeves...

Although I'm not sure why I keep knitting sweaters with fantastic back detail. My back looks like this.

No one ever sees them.

But back to the knitting. The bind-off technique is a revelation.

So pretty.

I love the yarn, and the way the colors remind me of a painting by Monet. I should love this sweater. The individual elements are full of win. But when you put it all together, it just doesn't do it for me. It has a similar shape to the Whisper Cardigan, which I liked so much I've knit two. I almost wonder if I shouldn't have just knit a third Whisper. The drape on this isn't as nice. And I wonder if it just isn't a tad too short. I used every inch of yarn I had, so if it is too short that is because of yarn supply, not a deficiency in the design.

It is wearable. And I got a compliment on it today from another knitter (although I haven't ruled out the possibility that she was just being nice). So I guess I'll keep it for now, but I can not promise that I won't frog it at some future date and make it into something new.