The Little Sweater That Almost Wasn't

This sweater was Trouble from the very beginning.
(Even if you don't knit you might find this story amusing)
(

When I bought the yarn I knew I wanted to knit The February Lady Sweater, but I didn't know that I had made a really poor yarn choice for this pattern (single ply merino= super pilly). So the yarn and the pattern sat in my closet for nearly a year before I finally made a decision to make a vest instead.

I figured that a sleeveless garment would pill less.

I don't know if I'm right or wrong about this assumption, but I loved this color of this yarn and I really wanted a nice work piece to layer for spring, so I chose a vest pattern called Juilet. I knit the top section and got started on the bottom lace portion only to realize that there was NO WAY I would be able to memorize and implement that stitch pattern.

The repeat is just too long and there are too many interruptions in my life. So I had a flash of genius and pulled out my February Lady pattern. Upon further inspection I realized that Juliet was very similar and I also realized that I could knit the Gull Lace pattern from the February Lady with much less memorization. Or so I thought. That's when the real frustration set in for this project.

I ripped this lace section back no less than 6 times before I finally figured out that I had missed a stitch on my life line row (which I thought was correct...hence the life line) and it was throwing off my pattern repeat no matter how careful I was. Blah, blah, blah. Still reading?
So, I finally arrive at the finish line. I've carefully measured every little bit of this sweater to make sure it will fit and I cast off with great joy and head to the sink for blocking. As soon as I start to wash this baby I can tell it is going to GROW LIKE A PREGNANT MOTHER.

Enter SINKING feeling.
(See that loving look I'm giving her? It's FAKE)

I swear. I cry without making any noise because I don't want my family to know that I'm crying about my knitting. The knitting they have watched me rip and re-knit 10 times. The knitting that is supposed to be my fun hobby. I'm defeated by yarn, but I lay the thing out to block and dry anyway. I go upstairs with a ridiculous notion that it might shrink as it dries and I forget about it for the day. The next day it's still pretty wet, but I decide to try it on anyway just to see. It's huge.
Really huge.
Stupid HUGE.
So then I do what any pissed off hobbyist would have done and
I THROW THE DAMN THING IN THE DRYER.
UH HUH.
The Dryer.
I figure if I stand there and watch it closely I might just shrink it to my perfect size, and if I screw up and leave it too long I'll give it to Hadley. Or Amelia. Or one of their dolls. Because WTH, it's ruined anyway.
But it worked. I felted that $&@&# sweater to fit me like a dream.
And then I wore it and loved it even though it almost caused me to quit knitting all together.
I'm calling it the February Juliet. It's a crossover hybrid.