One hour to spare

I haven't posted in awhile due to being blessed by these pretty things outside my door & working on a gift project that is due today (I just finished with an hour to spare).

Two weeks ago I received an invitation for a christening for twins. I then did what any respectful knitter would do....search for a gift project. I really wanted to do a baby kimono jacket, but I couldn't get my hands on a pattern that I liked (minimal seaming). After an evening of browsing the web for free patterns I found "Katja", a baby halter top, from knitty.com.

The following day I bought "Key West Karibbean Kotton" from The Sassy Skein in Beach Glass & Fruit Punch colors. I swatched that night I started knitting the next day. It took me about a week to complete the first halter top due to only 1-2 hours of much interrupted knitting time/day. I think the dogs wait until I pick up the needles to start their potty dance. Of course then we go out & all they do is eat grass. We come back in, I sit down & it starts again...usually with the grass that they ate coming back out.

I started the next halter top & realized that I missed 7 rows in the first one (there were two sections of "7 rows of stockinette" & I just jumped ahead in the pattern. So I finished the second halter top the correct way, then added the 7 rows into the first top & bound off again. After I finished the second top, I got out the measuring tape to check my dimensions 'cause the tops just didn't look quite right. Sure enough, they were 1.5" too wide! I should have measured sooner, but I was knitting in the round instead of flat (as the pattern was written). Normally I don't think an inch would matter, but on a baby garment the difference is readily apparent, even to non-knitters.

So I sat at the Tea shop (I was really supposed to be doing chair massage, but it was a very slow day), placed one of the tops on my head as a hat & did the math......today is Thursday, I have (insert number of hours of knitting time here), projects need to be ready by Sunday at 9:30am. The decision was made.....frog them both!!

People in the tea shop asked me what I was doing. Then I started fresh. I finished the first top & frogged the second, and started on the second all on Friday night. I tried to finish the second on Saturday, but caught myself falling asleep with needles in hand. So I woke up early today. Bound off & sewed in the ends. Steamed them & gift bagged. So now I'm off to shower, 'cause I don't want to be late for church.