Ambitious and then some

On August 15 of this year, I sent an email to a good friend of mine outlining a wild scheme with the subject line:  "Queue before Christmas."

In it, I outlined exactly what my knitting plans were:  I wanted to make Perry Street Rugby for one daughter, Strokkur for the other daughter, Guston for my Swede friend, Reverb for my beautiful friend and his lovely bride, and a Striped Sweater for my husband.

Let's just say that "Holy Toledo" were the first two words in response to my email.

Things rocked along swimmingly as the Perry Street and Strokkur flew off my needles.  I was waylaid for a brief period on the split front of Guston, but that was quickly resolved and turned out to be a delightful knit, as well.

When I got to Reverb, the world came to a complete halt. Now, I know there are a slew of people on Ravelry who have knit this pattern.  I, unfortunately, will not join their ranks.  This was the second pattern by that designer that I have worked on. The first I finished by sheer force of will.  The second made me decide that life was too short to spend every moment pulling my hair out.  There is nothing wrong with the pattern or the designer, it had everything to do with me, I have no doubt.  She and I simply do not speak the same knitting language, and that is okay.  Our minds do not work in the same way.  It happens.

Going back to the drawing board, in this instance my good friend's queue, I found another pattern that would work equally well, if not better, with the yarn I had previously selected for the Reverb.  I was off to the races yet again, when I had a crisis of confidence.  What if it didn't fit?

So, I put it on hold, until she could try it on.

In the meantime, the husband told me he had enough sweaters and suggested that I knit something for myself, instead.

I needed no further encouragement.

As the blog well knows, I received the book "The Rhinebeck Sweater" and immediately cast on for Beekman Tavern.

This past Sunday, my friend came over and tried on the Mondo Cable Pullover.  Not only did it fit, the color was absolutely stunning on her, and she actually liked it!  YAY!

The plan is for that one to be completed in the next week or so, which should put me right at December 1st! As in 25 days to spare before Christmas arrives.

What to do?  What to do?

In addition to knitting (working full time, doing the wife/mother thing), I have also been dyeing.  I reported earlier in the month about a variegated colorway called Lioness.  While I loved the color, I was gobsmacked as to what to do with it.

This morning, the very same friend to whom the queue was emailed back in August, greeted me with news that the Twist Collective for winter had gone live.  In it was a cardigan called Thorntower:

Okay, it is knit with a solid colored yarn; however, my swatch says my yarn is the perfect weight, AND I have the perfect four buttons to make it really special.

What do you think?

Seriously, what do you think?  Too busy?  Just right?

The Monami pattern above is why I think it will work.  That pattern was a contender for the Lioness yarn, but it calls for more than the four buttons that I have...

Option B is for a different pattern and involves some worsted weight yarn I dyed on Saturday night in a color that is reminiscent of the blue used on gunmetal.  

I think I want another Beekman Tavern...I know I can get that done before Christmas...I think.

In any event, the original queue called for five sweaters before Christmas. Another week and the fifth sweater will be complete.  That means, I could actually finish a sixth one before that date.

Anyone taking bets?

Happy Knitting!