Leo: challenging the curse

Don't get me wrong, I do not usually have such a cavalier attitude toward these old tried and true superstitions. So late last year, when everything still seemed to be going well between myself and Fiver after I made him a football scarf (go swannies), it was not a decision we took lightly when we decided that it was time for me to knit a jumper for his Fiverness.

Since we had already decided to buy a house I figured I may as well bring on the breakup vibes sooner rather than later, if a breakup was indeed imminent. What better way for a knitter to really put the relationship to the test?! Of course, as you know the house purchase went ahead before the jumper was finished, but things are still looking good chez Fiver & Meg. While I don't pretend to have the secret to happy relationships, I think a key to surviving the curse of the boyfriend jumper is recognising just how annoying the process is for the recipient. Here are just a few of the matters Fiver had to patiently endure as part of my knitter's peskiness:

1. Constant emails with links to patterns demanding instant detailed responses. Do you like this pattern. If not, why not? If so, why?

2. After a pattern was [finally] selected, a second barrage of emails regarding yarn types and colours. More questions such as "Did you REALLY look at the shade card?!"

3. Enduring explanations of the compositions of various yarns, why certain shades of brown are just WRONG, and the finer mysteries of gauge and why it means you just can't have the yarn you want.

4. Numerouse trips to yarn shops to visit shortlisted yarns in person to squeeze and rub yarn against cheek, and to confirm colour choice matches perception of colour afforded by computer monitro.

5. Enduring ravings of girlfriend when perfect yarn (baby 4-ply alpaca) is located for an amazing sale price, but desired colour not available in the quantities required.

6. Trip across town to another yarn shop for price comparison and to see if required quantity of first choice colour is in stock. Decisions as to whether desired colour justified astronomical price difference.

7. Return to yarn shop with big sale to purchase second choice colour (aka, the colour foisted upon you by excited knitter).

8. Suffering many evenings of worrying over rewriting pattern for different gauge achieved with purchased yarn.

9. Agreeing to purchase of additional 2 balls of yarn at non-sale prices once knitter decides the amount purchased ("You already have more than 1.5 kilometers of yarn!") will be insufficient.

10. Witnessing the agony of a knitter who realises after knitting an entire sleeve that the re-calculations to adjust for different gauge are, in fact, incorrect.

11. More of #8 above

12. Driving large removalist van while knitter happily works on sleeve version 2 even though you say you need knitter to follow along in the street directory so we don't get lost and look for cars in the blind spot so we don't crash.

13. Sitting through hours of Olympic and Commonwealth Games television coverage, including the figure skating and gymnastics, because knitter has decided televisised sporting events make good motivational factors to attain knitting goals.

14. Consoling knitter when said deadlines are missed.

15. Wooing knitter to come to pub for the evening by agreeing that the knitting came come too.

16. Being dragged out of the house while coming down with a cold in order to pose for blog photograph.

But I think he would say it's worth it in the end. (click for larger piccie.)


(Fiver actually does have a head. He's just a little shy about showing his face to everyone.)
More project details here.

eta: There are a few tips for making Leo in the round posted here.