Handwork

If you do handwork of any sort, you know very well that the value of the work is not usually monetary; the value is the work -- the creation of something with your own hands.

For some of the hardest days of my life, I let knitting keep my hands and mind occupied. I started this vest for Alyssa while staying in her apartment when Evan was recovering from his first stem cell transplant. That was two and half years ago. For some reason I just couldn't get going on it again. Even during the second transplant -- the successful one -- I just couldn't return to this. In the last couple of weeks, however, I realized that the successful transplant was nearly two years ago. Evan is doing just fine. It's time to finish the sweater.
The knitting was finished nearly to the neckline in front. The rest of the front went very quickly. At 5:30 this morning I put the stitches for the back on my needles and counted and counted and counted and realized that I had made the wrong size right from the start. After a quick and unsuccessful mental review of every female I know who might possibly be a perfect fit for the vest, reality quickly settled in.

Here's the sweater now. All set to be made all over again using the same pattern (from Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel) in the right size.
If I start again tonight, it will be finished in plenty of time for Alyssa to spend some good fall days in it. Maybe she'll even wear it on the second anniversary of her brother's successful stem cell transplant.