Girl Who Knits

I can't believe I made it this far but see what I am working on now:

Steeks!

For a while there I thought this vest was going to a pre-mature grave.  Here is the story...

So my extra yarn came on Wednesday and that night I picked up the vest and got to finishing.  A few hours into my work I finally let my mind address what I had been subconsciously worried about ever since I reached chart two (about half way).  It is too long.  Some of you may remember that I had already discovered my row gauge stupidity but I thought I fixed it.  Or, I should say, it was supposed to be fixed.  Around midnight on Wednesday, I stood up and held the vest to my body only to discover...it was knit for an amazon.  My sister roommate Kara was on the couch knitting and when she looked up and our eyes met, there was only one thing we could do.  We laughed.  We laughed hard for a good while.  The whole thing just seemed so ridiculous.  I mean, why can't I have one handknit sweater that turns out.  Why?  I sat back down and thought things over.  Frogging was the only solution I could think of and the only one I was unwilling to accept.  Then I started thinking, surely this will fit differently once it is seemed, steeked, and blocked.  Perhaps I am being too hasty.  Perhaps the late hour is addling my brain.  Perhaps it is just fine.  Don't be so hasty.  

I went upstairs still a little depressed but with a hesitant optimism.  I decided to play down this newfound optimism to find out what Kara really thought.  Depending on our moods we sometimes withhold our true opinions until we know the other can take it.  You know how sister's can get a little sensitive.  Anyway, here is how our conversation went...

Me: It is so long.  I am probably going to have to frog it.

Kara: Aw...is it not funny anymore?

Me: Um, yes (laugh) it is.

Kara: (she giggles) Good.  Muahahahahahahahahahaha. 

This is when I smile and go to brush my teeth.  Then I hear...

Kara: Yeah, too bad your vest didn't turn out. 

Ah Ha!  The truth.  She thought it was hopeless.  Well, I went to sleep feeling that way too.  It took a night's rest and a day's work to come back to the vest and realize that while yes, it is long, it is not THAT long.  I made the decision to accelerate the end (making the neck decreases more frequent and starting the back shaping immediately) and by doing that I cut about 10 rows.  It might only save an inch and a half but it is something.  Tonight I finished the body of the vest:

I am now working on the crochet steeks.  I haven't cut anything yet (yikes) but I will be cutting this weekend.  Honestly, messing up in other areas makes me feel better about the steeks.  Bring it on I say.  If I mess up on the steeks then...sucka...the vest was already too long so who cares?

Secretly (between me and you) I want it to turn out.  I have visions of putting it on and discovering that the length is, in fact, hip and elegant and that it is the best fit piece I have knit.  Perhaps this is the same optimistic yet faulty thinking that led me to believe Ben Affleck and JLo were going to go the distance.  And I really did too.  Hopefully the vest has a better fate.