Over the hill
Sunday April 20th 2008, 12:02 pm
Filed under: Family

Short people got…no reason to…He had never owned a sweater long enough in the arms to be able to fold the cuffs back, and that sounded to him like the most exotic luxury. Which was a little funny to his wife, whose arms are short for her size, who would like not to ever have to fold hers back again.

I was newly back at this knitting thing after a half dozen years’ break or so, and I wanted to knit him an aran–one that fit. I spent a lot of time going to various yarn stores (internet? What’s an internet? He used Darpa net, but the Dept of Defense didn’t stock knitting patterns) looking for anything big enough, and finally decided the only way to do it was just hash it out as I went along. I did find a pattern and follow the stitch counts for guidance, just, I used a heavier wool and substituted my own stitch patterns and…oh goodness, I didn’t know a thing about needing to swatch each stitch to get the gauge right. Eyeballing wasn’t good enough. Which means I ripped out the first eight inches three times before I got it right. But I got it right. It took six months, altogether, to knit.

It was supposed to be for Christmas. Then his birthday. He got it for Father’s Day, and there’s a picture somewhere of it in glorious motion as he pulled it out of the wrapping paper, lifting it up high in glee with the very biggest grin on his face. And look–the cuffs folded back just so. It fit perfectly! Success! Surprised? Honey, I saw you sneaking those needles away when I came home from work.

Richard’s aranEighty-six inch wingspan on that baby. Four and a half pounds of wool. He teases me, eighteen years later, that he’s only allowed to wear it by permission and where there isn’t going to be any food (but ain’t that the truth.) This picture was snapped fast as it collapsed downward on the chair.

Happy birthday, honey. Half a century. Maybe I’ll knit you another in your second half century, a little lighter weight (but that is SO not a promise). Dude–you sure you don’t want a shawl?


11 Comments so far
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Ok — I’m planning on knitting an aran for my hubbyright now, so let’s do it together and your hubby can have one he can wear, not on only the bestest of occasions! I always love to come and sit and knit with you. Doing it together will be more pleasant than sitting by yourself, don’t you think?

Comment by Nancy 04.20.08 @ 12:51 pm

Wow… that sweater is gorgeous!… and Happy Birthday to the Mister!
wow… see, Bobby doesn’t wear sweaters… which is why he got the afghan :^)
Four lbs of gorgeous sweater… I’m in awe.

Comment by marianne 04.20.08 @ 4:35 pm

er… 4.5 lbs of wool sweater!

Comment by marianne 04.20.08 @ 4:36 pm

Happy birthday indeed! Quick, hide that pic from my hubby, he wants one too….

Comment by Carol 04.20.08 @ 7:24 pm

Happy birthday, Richard! 🙂

Comment by Amy 04.20.08 @ 7:26 pm

Happy Birthday! Great sweater. You are better than me I have never made my husband one.

Comment by Vicki 04.21.08 @ 4:08 am

I have made exactlly 1 sweater and it was a cardi for a 6 yr old, LOL. I would like to make Brian on but I dont think he’d like one that weighs 4.5lbs 🙂 The Sweater is Lovely!

Comment by Danielle from SW MO 04.21.08 @ 5:27 am

Aww! Happy birthday to your hubby! Maybe you’ll let him wear it on his special day? 😉

Comment by Liz 04.21.08 @ 6:44 am

Happiest of birthdays, and wow, what a beautiful sweater! (And the yarns in the posts below.) Yarn dates. I’ll have to introduce my hubby to that notion…

Comment by Channon 04.21.08 @ 9:08 am

Happy Birthday, Richard. It turns out that you were born on Ralph’s parents’ fifteenth wedding anniversary–so we were celebrating yesterday too. It was obviously a Good Day.

Comment by Laura 04.21.08 @ 11:32 am

That is a wonderful sweater. If he ever needs to remind himself of how much he is loved, all he has to do is look at that amazing sweater.

Comment by Sonya 04.21.08 @ 11:52 am



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