This Christmas season, my children would like to share with you this little dance. Just follow this link and watch them dance to a holiday song. :) They don't get their rhythm from me as I have none.

In the knitting world, the month of November has become known as "National Knit a Sweater Month" or NaKniSweMo. I pronounce that as nanny-sway-mo. I suppose this tradition stemmed from the ever popular NaNoWriMo in which one can write a novel in a month. I have always thought it was an awful month for writing a novel because of the holidays, but then I thought maybe with the holiday depression just beginning to rise, sitting at home writing a novel might just be the thing one needs to survive.

So during the month of November I set out to knit my second adult sized sweater, this one for Jer. He always teases me that he wants the second item I knit. So I knit socks for myself, then for him. I knit a hat for myself, then one for him. I knit a sweater for myself, and now one for him.

Pattern: Cobblestone Pullover
Source: Interweave Knits, Fall 2007
Yarn: Peace Fleece DK Sport
Needles: US 7 Knit Picks Options
Ravelry Users Queue it up here

I started this project on November 3rd and finished it on December 2nd. I think that qualifies as a "sweater in a month" even though I didn't finish it by the 30th at midnight - but not for a lack of trying. Technically I would have finished it within the time frame if I hadn't ripped an entire sleeve and reknit it. Score one for gauge.

The pattern is great and I will agree with the few people who said that the neck needed a little more work. It came out pretty wide, but with a collared shirt under it, we think it will be great so the perfectionist in me has decided to rip back a few rows and reknit it with extra decreases. It's a stylish sweater that he can wear casually with jeans or to dress up a bit with a collared shirt underneath.

I didn't make very many changes to this pattern at all. (I know, totally unlike me!) I added an extra 1.5 inches to the body so that it wouldn't ride up when he sits down (a suggestion by -Zarah). I left out one short row on the neck (the last one) because when he tried it on it was already climbing the back of his neck. I also used a stretchy bind off for the neck to prevent any tightness when pulling the sweater on and off. Worked great!!

The yarn I used, Peace Fleece DK, is a little scratchy though very spongy and light weight. It's great that this sweater doesn't weigh a thousand pounds! After reading a lengthy forum post in Ravelry, I think I'll throw it in the washing machine with a bit of hair conditioner to see how soft we can get it.

I think that Jer is really happy with this sweater and he might even consider wearing it in public! :)