S is for Sweater

S is for Sweater

I grieve over this gansey
Originally uploaded by littlekidd.

S is also for sucks. As in... This Sweater Sucks.

That is, unless you have a chest shaped like Montana, arms like a baboon, and a head like Herman Munster (am I dating myself here? Anybody remember the Munsters?)

Actually, I can wear this floppy sweater... and I probably will just because it took so bloody long to make. I made it for Jim for Christmas. It's "fulled" or lightly felted, so it's really soft. But the fulling process turned it from a huge, proportional sweater to a less huge (but still fairly giant) too-short-with-long-arms-and- a-big-neckhole sweater. Ok, I confess, the neckhole was big to begin with. But Jim has a big head, so I thought it would be okay.

The issue is not really this sweater. Emotionally, I can throw the sweater in the (ever-growing) pile of odd-shaped learning experiences. The issue is that Jim doesn't wear sweaters. You would think I would know that by now. We've been married almost 14 years. I've made him one other sweater which does fit, and which he wears once or twice a year, I think out of pity. It's a nice sweater. Jim just doesn't like sweaters. I need to concede that.

So, I'm asking for help. I want to make things for Jim. Socks are good, but what else? Here in Portland the temps rarely dip below 40F for more than a few hours. Some people wear Birkenstocks all year. Jim is a fairly conservative dresser. He's a tech-head, but I think a lime green laptop cover would probably not go over well.

His birthday is in June, so we have a reasonable head start. Ideas?