day three: musing about finishing

Is it somewhat ironic or bizarre that at the very beginning of this blogging marathon that is Blogtoberfest I am already waxing lyrical about finishing?  Perhaps so, but anyway that's what you're getting today, or rather tonight at precisely 11pm.

There's nothing quite like the sense of finishing when it comes to knitting. Except perhaps the elation of starting something new, which explains the embarrassing state of my WIP basket.  But finishing brings with it that little rush of adrenalin, and those anxious moments wonderings of will it fit, will they like it or even does it work. That excitement is even more heightened when it's something that's taken a while to knit.

tTis is one of those stories.

Meet Tobias, so named for the cheeky little boy it was intended to adorn.  A sweet little cardigan with a touch of leprechaun (yep, you read correct) knit in what is becoming my staple yarn, WOOLganics.
Can I just say, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this green just a wee bit muchly!

I started this little cardigan last September, with the intention of finishing it on our two week holiday in Tassie. There was a bit of driving involved and I was knitting a 12 month size so it really was quite a reasonable aim.  The lengths I went to to knit this cardie will have non-knitters backing away uncomfortably and pointing and whispering "weird".  I flew to Tassie with the kids and spent a night in a motel while Andy came over on the boat.  A night in a motel equals ample knitting time. One problem. We were flying Jetstar light, which meant only carry on baggage and at that time in history, no knitting needles allowed. You would not believe the far fetched and ridiculous ideas I came up with to get my needles to Tassie. Luckily a fellow knitter came to the rescue and dropped some tips at the motel I was staying at for me, so all I needed to bring was my yarn and cable.

I almsot finished Tobias in Tassie, all bar a sleeve. Then I tried it on him. Too small. bugger.
So, I threw it into the corner in disgust.

Obviously, I picked it up again and finished it. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't be writing about it. But it did take me until all of September school holidays this year to do so. I think I finished two days before the one year mark.

I like. Toby likes. so we're all happy...
I particularly like the little pockets in it, they're real little boy pockets.
now I've just got to grade the pattern.

And of course, then Toby cut his hair just as I wanted photos.... so I'm not sure about this photo.  It seems almost a bit of a piss-take to be honest. There's something about it that seems incredibly funny to me, maybe the pure stupidity of the hat and the crazy overly innocent I've-just-come-down-from-up-a -chimney look on the kid's face???