Debbie Bliss Billy Jackets

Ugh, so this isn't the first time I've ordered a kit from Webs that despite knitting a gauge swatch first, the pattern still ended up being WAAAYYY too big.  

Anyway, it isn't really the end of the world but even after knitting the Debbie Bliss Billy Jacket for Xena first in size 5-6 (which I knew would be big, but not nearly THAT big) and 3-4, even the 3-4 is humongous on her.

As usual, I've been knitting these sweaters all over the past during the past few months.

I generally post my UFO action shots in my IG stories.

I knit the size 5-6 sweater with the Debbie Bliss Rialto yarn included in the kit.

 

I still to knit the bear stuffies with matching cardis.  I actually hate teddy bears so I haven't been very eager to start them.

 

I haven't blocked the sweater yet so it's going to grow even more!

For the size 3-4 cardigan, I used Kindred Red Rad DK (100% SWM) in the Teal OOAK, Larimar and Clementine colorways.  

 

I have raved on about this yarn plenty of times before.  It's one of my favorite yarns to knit or crochet with.  The colors are so vibrant, you really just need to see them IRL to best appreciate them.

I've been really busy lately and I barely even finished seaming and finishing this cardi before Xena's first day of public Pre-K, today!

Because our ironing board is in the bedroom, I literally woke up at 3:30AM, laid in bed until 4:30AM with anxiety about whether or not I forgot to do/pack anything for school, got up and steam blocked the cardi on the kitchen table while Matt and Xena were still sleeping.  So you're supposed to use snaps on the sweater.  I bought a whole Dritz kit.  I applied one snap and it was so hard for me to remove as an adult, there's not way in Hell Xena could do it.  It also looked dumb.  The shiny black wasn't a good match.  So in removing the snap, I nearly destroyed the top of the sweater but eventually managed to get it out without causing any damage in the end.  

 

Even though Xena didn't wear it to school, I still took some photos because I am proud of it, but just pissed that now I have to knit a third F-ing sweater??!!

I wonder if it will even fit her by the end of the year.

 

Anyway, drop off went OK.  The school yard kind of reminds me of a prison yard but my mind is still completely blown by the fact that Xena is going to school with so many kids from different races and cultures.  I almost broke down crying in public (something I was idiotically taught never to do) thinking about how horrific my first day of kindergarden at an all white school in WNY was in comparison but let's not go there today.

I am so proud to be raising my kid in the Bay Area!