Those of you who read this blog regularly will know I’m good at setting myself impossible stretch goals. Looking back at last year, March seemed to be the month I really excelled at this.
Last March I set myself the task of starting and finishing a cross stitch in six weeks.
I didn’t quite make the six week deadline, but was close enough that the framers managed to turn it around in time. Getting it finished involved pushing a lot of other things to the side and a fair amount of gnashing of teeth, but overall I’m glad I did it. It felt like a big achievement and, despite the gnashing teeth, was a labour of love.
This year my March madness appears to have come early. In my defence, it’s Lovely Husband’s fault….
Last weekend when I completed my colour block sweater, he said in a rather left out tone…
‘You could make me a jumper.’
I’m still carrying the guilt that I only made the girls Christmas sweaters last year, but I do plan on making him one this year. I’d also secretly started knitting him an Aran sweater, but of course I couldn’t tell him about either or it would spoil the surprises.
Since knitting Aran patterns is slow, men’s jumpers are bigger, and because I can only knit it in secret, I was planning on the Aran Sweater being a Christmas present. However, the twin forces of my guilt and the compliment of hubby wanting me to knit for him, roused my March Madness from hibernation.
All through last week I calculated and thought, and thought and calculated. Could I complete the sweater in time for his birthday in mid April? I read last year’s cross stitch post about how much I didn’t enjoy working under pressure and wasn’t the sort of person who excelled when working to a tight deadline. But still by Friday I’d decided to go for it.
I’m really loving working on it – I do love knitting Aran sweaters. Right now the challenge is doing it in secret, as most of my knitting happens in the evenings, when he’s usually home. I’ve got eight weeks from last weekend when I’d got this far.
I have added the caveat that if I find myself rushing or not enjoying it, I’ll stop and go back to it being a Christmas jumper – but I really do hope I can make it.
Wish me luck!
Dartmoor Creative 
Go Go Go!!!! Sending you speedy needle thoughts (and my mojo, since I should be working rather than knitting!)
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Thank you and for the lend of the mojo 🙂
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Beautiful work! I love the delicate work of your counted cross stitch and intrigue Aran stitches.
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Thank you 🙂
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Good luck! 🍀🍀 This is gonna look great, is it another of your designs? 😃
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Thank you. Yes, it is. You know I like to make life hard for myself 🙂
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This looks lovely, you seem to be steaming ahead on it. I’m sure you’ll make it, but don’t push yourself if your not having fun… 😀
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Thank you. Am at the moment, just how it goes depends how much he’s out of an evening in the coming weeks. Absolutely yes, my philosophy, I’m not working on it if it makes it feel like a chore.
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Good luck! I think peoples Best Wishes will see you through to finish it on time.:)
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Thank you 🙂 Let’s hope so.
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Wow! That is so beautiful! Good luck–at the very least, you’ll make a lot of progress on it and that will feel good.
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Thank you. Yes, it will get me a good start, even if I don’t make it 🙂
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Love the Alice quotation 🙂 Good luck, but glad you gave yourself a get-out clause just in case ‘life’ happens…
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Thanks. Guess I have learned from my last experience and given myself a parachute 🙂
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An impossible thing is only impossible until somebody does it 🙂 Speedy knitting! And that pattern does look nice!!
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Exactly! 🙂 Thank you.
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I was looking up some ‘making up’ stitches in my battered copy of ‘Stitch and Bitch’ the other day and read the warning about never knitting a jumper for a boyfriend because it usually signals the end of the relationship. I don’t know why – maybe if they don’t make enough complimentary remarks about it or, worse, never wear it, you feel you have to give them the elbow. I know this is true because I did knit a jumper for a boyfriend once and we broke up a month or so later although it had more to do with me two timing him than any knitting non-appreciation issues. However, it also says husbands don’t count because, even if they are not appreciative you are stuck with them. I’m sure Lovely Husband will not fall into this category as he has requested you make him something and he is, after all, ‘Lovely’.
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Ha ha! That’s an interesting observation – although I agree the two timing may have had an influence. I did make him a jumper when he was still my fiancé back in the 80s and that didn’t blow the relationship – it’s a whole other story why I haven’t made him one since. Anyways, lovely husband will be suitably appreciative or they’ll be trouble 🙂
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Going great guns already 😉 wishing you well for whichever deadline it’s ready in time for ! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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I am sure you will make it, even if just in the nick of time. Or even earlier, one can never tell. 🙂 I love the blue aran, it’s going to be stunning.
Go for it, keeping my fingers crossed.
And I absolutely loved your needlework. So delicate. 🙂 Multi talented for sure!
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Looking good! Guilt is a waste – don’t give it houseroom! I am sure you will do it!
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Thank you 🙂
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Ooooh LOVE this 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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From that sneak preview, one can see that it is going to be one beautiful sweater no matter when you give it to him… but what a fun challenge for yourself! Good luck – if anyone can do it it’s you! Love the quote! 🙂
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Thank you. That’s so kind 🙂 x
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That’s going to be such a gorgeous jumper! I’m sure he will love it no matter when u get it finished. 🙂 (I love surprise knitting, somehow it maintains my motivation.)
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Thank you. I do love Aran patterns. I think the feeling you’re doing something you shouldn’t be helps motivate me with surprise knitting.
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