I’ve been looking for the perfect pattern for this yarn I bought in Chicago over the summer. This pattern is it! I’ve long been resistant to it for some strange reason, but I see how great it is now. It’s perfectly Chicago for my great Chicago yarn! :)

This project has been going super fast! I suppose air travel does that for bored girls who knit fast. As I was in an airport without my knitting necessities, I had to provisional (and not very well at that since I only know how to do it with the dpn and crochet hook I didn’t have) the pocket MacGyver style with a fringe from my scarf, but otherwise, I’m doing it exactly as written.

The sweater is amazing! I keep thinking of two things as I’m knitting it (appropriately): how much fun John and I had in Chicago this summer and how perfect it will be for a return trip this January (if we go as I hope we will). I’ll wear it to Judge Mathis. :D I know John’s going to love it. He loves all the sweaters I make for myself, but I really think he’ll agree that this is a perfectly Chicago sweater. In the picture of the two of us reflected in the Bean you can see him carrying this yarn. That’s when I knew he was my one and only. <3

One sleeve and the collar left to knit, I try it on: there is no ease! I thought I might be able to block it to gauge, but even stretching it isn’t giving me hopeful results, so…frog to the beginning and start again one size bigger. I’ll get it done before the end of next week. Just you wait. :) I ran into number trouble with the right front when it came time to work it separate. I’ll be interested to see if it happens again. I ended up working the sweater with 5 extra front stitches.

This is going much more smoothly second time around. I am knitting the medium size for a fit that will be smallish. I’ve discovered my column gauge was off, which doesn’t typically matter except in a pattern like this where slope matters. That’s why I had the trouble with the count of the front stitches the first time around. I’m a little closer this time, so I suspect it will block out just about right. I got to put the pocket in as written this time. That was fun! And so smart! I might use that trick a few more times. :)

Done with all but the sleeves. I still ended up with too many front stitches, but only 2 this time, so I didn’t mess with them. I’m going to block it before I do the sleeves. I can’t decide if I want to do the short sleeves or something a little longer. I have a TON of yarn left, so anything I can do to use it up would be nice. I thought about doing a detachable long sleeve, but I can’t figure a good way to do it without it looking really weird. Maybe I’ll make my boy a matching Chicago scarf or hat, haha. I’m banking on this growing about an inch because it’s a little short. Otherwise, I’ll get to put the extra yarn to good use lengthening the stupid thing. :S

It grew! Woohoo! It’s gorgeous. :D I only wish the sleeves weren’t so torturous. :P I have one finished. I lengthened it to 5” long. I like it. Now to tackle the other….

I was sewing buttons on and got to the neck where I decided to try it on before I attached the last two buttons. I tried it on and decided the collar wasn’t long enough. I measured it and, sure enough, for some reason it’s only 6.5” long! I don’t know who I paid to measure it, but she’s fired! So I ripped back the ribbing and this time I’ll measure it correctly. :) It really should have been done a couple weeks ago, but I’m a slacker with my knitting. I’m running out of things I’m dying to knit and am just trying to delay the inevitable dead-end, haha. It’s probably best that I do dead-end, seeing as school has started again and I’m going to be a busy beaver for a loooooooong time.

But for some buttons and some loose ends, this sucker is DONE! I’m sooooooooooooooooo happy with it! Love it!

On October 6, 2012, John and I returned to Chicago, I wore this sweater and he proposed to me in Lincoln Park. It really was meant to be. :)