The good news is that you can make four child-size sweater backs in one morning on a knitting machine.  The bad news is that, due to 1) the machine and 2) my utter lack of skill, I’ve made the same sweater back four times this morning.

It’s now done.  Now the machine has decided its worked too hard already today and refuses to knit the front of the sweater.  I’m eating popcorn and posting in my blog rather than continue the fight.  Perhaps after a bit of chocolate I’ll be willing to square off with the beast again.

Wow!  I just completed seven straight days at work and I have my first "day" off–I’m going in to work tonight from 5:30-9:30 to run knitting group.  The big boss and the manager have been at TNNA (great big yarn show) in San Diego.  When they returned the big boss then headed to Mass. for a clothing/gift show.  That means I’m filling in for her tonight at knitting circle.

That said, it’s my first morning all to myself.  The kids are at school.  There’s snow on the ground, it’s 3 degrees outside and 58 in my kitchen.  Instead of curling up on the couch with my knitting, I’m hiding in the basement (where it’s warmer) with the knitting machine.  My goal is to make a sweater for T3 (the youngest, smallest of the Ts) on the machine.  So far my only successess with "that thing" have been hats and scarves (and the hat is questionable IMO).

I’m using the Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns because each piece is knit flat.  For the record I’ve knitted a swatch, but I don’t see much difference in the tension between 5 and 8.  I’m using leftover Takhi Donegal Tweed, in red.  I made The Sarum Tunic out of it for me, but I bought wayyyyyy too much and I’ve got five whole skeins plus bits and pieces left.

Wish me luck–and leave me some comments, so I know you’re out there!  If I get the sweater done I’ll put up pictures.