the blue blog archives: size matters

I know better than to be fooled by Shannon's attempts to convice everyone that she's lagging behind in our little two-woman zip-up raglan knitalong. Despite what she says, I could just see her, every night, knitting away on the jacket and then showing up at knitting group having already started the sleeves. (Note: My fears aren't completely irrational, as I'm knitting at a smaller gauge and am also not usually as monogamous to one project as Shannon is.) So I've neglected my other projects, like the failed cork sweater and my neapolitan socks, and have been knitting as much as I can on hubby's zip-up. I'm at about 12" now and am just a smidge ahead of Shannon, who generously knit something else at knitting yesterday.

While I sit knitting at top-speed to "keep up" with Shannon, I can't help but think of my son, B, the older twin, who always wants to be first at everything. Yesterday, both boys got up from the dinner table to use the bathroom - not exactly something you think he could turn into a competitive sport. However, when B was all done and standing in front of the bathroom trying to pull his pants up from around his ankles, he caught sight of his brother coming down the stairs from the upstairs bathroom and immediately started running to beat him back to the table. He made it about 10 feet before the pants tripped him up and he took a header into the Playskool toy garage. We've tried explaining to him that everything isn't a race, but he only seems to remember this principle selectively, like whenever they're eating or building Legos together and B thinks that S is ahead. B will admonishingly remind his brother, "it's NOT a race!"

posted by alison at 10:22 am | in man sweater

Comments

I was going to pull a B. and remind you of the not-a-race principle today since when I left last night YOU WERE AHEAD OF ME. People, do not be fooled.

Posted by: shannon at January 16, 2006 10:48 AM

My 2 kids (17 mos. apart; 1 boy, 1 girl) were so competitive it used to drive me crazy. Shoe-tieing, milk drinking (with predictable results), and walking/running out to the car all involved "being first." I noticed, however, that cleaning up and finishing homework never were part of the competition.

Posted by: Diane at January 16, 2006 11:16 AM

Everything in our house is a competitive sport with my boys (5 and 7). If I ask someone to do something I have to specify who I'm talking to otherwise they'll try to kill each other to do it first! My neighbor says to enjoy it because soon when you ask for something everyone will disappear.

I like your sweater. It's the one I want to make for my husband if I ever get the nerve. Not that he's huge or anything but he's just a lot bigger than the little people I usually knit for :o)

Posted by: Kim at January 16, 2006 12:15 PM

I'm so glad to read that other people's children are competative like mine, even to the point of racing to the front door when we get home, even though neither one of them has a key.

The sweater looks great!

Posted by: Kim at January 16, 2006 12:36 PM

My son isn't competitive b/c he doesn't have anyone to be competitive with, but your story of your son coming out of the bathroom with his pants around his ankles made me think of Hayden (and laugh out loud). At least your son pulls his pants back up after going to the bathroom - Hayden usually comes out naked! Isn't that a George Costanza thing?

Posted by: Stephanie at January 16, 2006 12:55 PM

That kind of selective memory? I think you're describing me as a child! I was forever trying to catch up to my sister (two and a half years older), and was always the first one through a door, or done with dessert, if I could at all help it. But heaven forbid if she was first at everything! "It's not a race, Patty!" If it helps, by my experience, siblings can, in fact, outgrow this kind of thing....

Posted by: --Deb at January 16, 2006 2:06 PM

hehe cute story. I am racing again on my Essential Stripe sweater, but I am racing no one but myself. I'm just happy for once I don't have the itch to work on something else. It's so nice when you want to knit and want to knit all the time. I hate when I hit slumps and have no urge to work on anything.

Posted by: pixie at January 16, 2006 2:32 PM

I think we have the same kid! Everything is a race or a contest to my oldest son too. INCLUDING going to the bathroom.

For his birthday I'm going to make him a shirt that says "I'm the line leader." You definitely have a line leader of your own!

Posted by: suzanne at January 16, 2006 2:59 PM

Your boys crack me up=)

Posted by: Kylie at January 17, 2006 3:23 AM

Well, consider entering the Knitting Olympic over at Yarn Harlot's then. *winks*

Posted by: Elemmaciltur at January 17, 2006 4:50 AM

LOL!!!
gawd I love to gaze at your knitting it's always so perfect.

Posted by: Orli at January 17, 2006 7:57 AM

Racing is an embarassing part of childhood development; I have the scars and the stupid stories to show for it. But boys love that kind of stuff, yeah?

Posted by: Dava at January 17, 2006 10:44 AM

I started this sweater in the fall and put it down after I joined the first sleeve. I am convinced that: a) I did not get the increases on the sleeve exactly right and b)that I joined it incorrectly to the body of the sweater. So, I started to knit the other sleeve, but couldn't bear going any further until I had verification that I did it right. I vowed to head over to the knitting store, but instead it has been buried in the bottom of my bag taunting me. If you would show photos of your sleeve increases and the join to the body that would be awesome!!! If I see someone else's I might just finish this thing after all! Thanks.

Posted by: rebecca at January 17, 2006 6:42 PM

I absolutely will, Rebecca. I haven't been knitting for a day or two because I've got one helluva cold, but I've been planning out how those increases need to be done so that the sleeve will match up with the body. I'm making the third size, so if this is your size, hopefully, I can help out!

THANKS so much to all of you who have warned me about this! It's so good to know ahead of time that the pattern will need a bit of reworking.

Posted by: alison at January 18, 2006 10:21 AM

How do you do it? How do you knit SO FAST? I've been working on my zippered raglan for days now and still don't have 12 inches. Oh, wait, it might be the other two projects vying for my attention...

Looking good so far, and are you two making sweaters in the same color?

Posted by: Jen the KnittingSpaz at January 18, 2006 4:58 PM