Good thing I like cables!

27 Feb - The beast is growing :D

08 March - Ack! A wild mistake appears! Fixed it using this method.

21 March - Finished the back, yay! Have started the first sleeve, which seems blissfully short in comparison. Want to make a note re change to the pattern so I don’t forget it:

Instead of doing increases every 6 rows, I’m just going to do them on the last row before the cable row (ie every 8 rows) so I never forget where I am. Shouldn’t make too much of a difference, but for god’s sake woman DON’T FORGET ON THE OTHER SLEEVE.

6 May- Sooooo, this happened. Yeah. Lame. Since then I have started the sleeves again, both on the same needle but I’m finding it slow going because it’s too big and tangly and irksome to be portable so I only get to work on it at home. I think it will be better once all the increases are done and I don’t have to carry around my little book, pens, etc. Ah well…hopefully it will be done by next winter instead of this one :P

13 May - The Ravelympics might save me! There is a WIP event, and the only rule says you can’t have touched it since May 15th. Since it is May 13th now…BOOYAH! I’m really keen on this, especially if it means I can get these smegging sleeves done.

06 July - I never thought I’d say this, but I’m keen to start this project up again. At this rate, Gary will have his jersey just in time for summer XD Ah well…it will keep for next winter I spose.

26 July - Getting everything sorted for tomorrow. I finished all my niggling little projects a few days ago, so I’ve been stringing myself along by making baby dresses and suchlike. The pain of the frogged sleeve is fully erased, and I am SUPER-excited to start this up again :D Might go down to the pub tomorrow to watch the opening ceremonies, or maybe Panda’s tv will work now that it has bunny ears.

31 July - Progress has been slow but steady. Managing about 1 pattern repeat per day. Sleeves measured 17cm when I picked them back up and now I’m at 28cm, so less than half-way still.

22 August - Poor sad sleeves. They often get pushed aside in favour of more exciting endeavours. At least I’m working on them fairly steadily, even if I didn’t finish them during the Ravelympics.

24 Dec - So yeah this happened. I have finally gotten up the gumption to frog back to where it was supposed to be, since I am cleaning out the knitting cupboard and I am in an expansive mood anyway. Must finish this jersey if it kills me.

About 15 mins later, after much adding…

Er. Ma. Gherd. I must have frogged this earlier in a fit of pique and then forgotten about it, because I definitely have the right stitch-count now. DEFINITELY. I have counted the stitches on BOTH sleeves at least twice now, and everything appears to be correct. It is hilarious that I have avoided this for so long in that case…moving it out of hibernation so that Gary can hopefully have his jersey by the time winter starts again :)

17 March 2013 - Poor old jersey :P I dredged this out of the bottom of the basket the other day, and I am pleased to report that I have now finished both sleeves (at bloody last!). It is actually a really soothing thing to work on, and I am quite looking forward to doing the front piece. It is lovely knitting…mindless without being boring, plus I can do continental on the purl side now, which really speeds it up. Yay, learning!

July 18 2013 - OH FOR THE LOVE OF PETE! Was just about to cast off the left front when I noticed a cable about 20 rows down that was twisted the wrong way. I was going to fix it the way I did before, but it was just so fiddly and annoying I decided that although it would take me longer to frog and re-knit the whole way down than to fix that one cable, it would be worth it in terms of sanity points. WILL THE HORRORS NEVER END?

Aug 30 - I DID IT AGAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE! headdesk, headdesk, headdesk, repeat. Really the lesson here is that I need to stop bringing this thing to the pub and working on it when the lighting is poor and I am tipsy. Decided not to frog back down again this time because that would mean another few months in the naughty box, so I am using the yarn harlot method to pick it back up, even though it is further down than the last one was. Maybe I am just feeling more Zen this month :P Anyway, I have enlisted the aid of a crochet hook and am feeling pretty competent and ready for this endeavour. If it goes well I should try to make a video so I can help other knitters out who are stuck in this hot mess.

Feb 15, 2014 - 2014, people! Two whole years later! Urgh, blerg, wurgh, etc. I re-read the last entry in this epic saga, and it is blatantly untrue. I gave up on the re-cabling in about 7 minutes and just…yep, you guessed it…frogged it back again! I am the absolute worst. Anyway, I think it’s time that this thing were finished once and for all; I have a lot of time in the shop ahead of me, so hopefully I will get it done before it starts getting cold. I hope my gauge hasn’t changed too much…I think I know enough by now to try and keep it the same anyway. Taking the plunge…here goes!

19 Feb - The bits are all sewn together! Or crocheted, rather. I just SCed it all together while watching ‘Call the Midwife’. G. tried it on, and he looks adorable. Now I have to decide what to do about the collar because that clunky cabled hood is gross, and because if I never knit a pair of matching cables again in my life it will be too soon (I lie: of course I will, because I will most likely be seduced by lovely patterns. I’m looking at you, Blackberry Cardigan!)

I think my two options are to just make a stocking-stitch hood, or to do a shawl-collar. I’m leaning towards the latter, but the way the BO of the neck goes, there is an annoying lumpy bit. I think what I will do is fool around with it this eve until I go to bed, and decide based on how it looks after that.

Feb 24 - It is done! Or at least once the ends are woven in it will be done. It is blocking now…I stuffed it with all of the plastic bags in the house (which is a LOT, let me tell you), so now it vaguely resembles a sofa. Ah well, I’m sure it will be warm for the wam <3

01 - Done! Completely and totally done! Ends woven in and everything! Can’t believe it has been 2 years. Weirdly close to exactly 2 years, considering that I started on Feb 28 2012. It’s probably because now is the time when I start thinking about winter being just round the corner (she said, on a blazing 30 degree day. Although we have been having a few blustery rainstorms lately, a precursor to autumn.). I should finish my February Lady Sweater too. Anyway, here it is…I made G pose for pics in the blazing heat, but he still likes it <3