For the past few months I've been working on a baby cardigan for Tyler's sister, Amanda. I rarely follow patterns but I decided it would be best to have one for this project if I wanted it to be really nice for the new baby. When I picked the pattern I would be using, I chose it based on its very high cute-ness level (just look at it!!), and the fact that it seemed pretty straightforward.

Little did I know at the time, the pattern would contain countless techniques I'd never encountered. This coupled with the time consuming task of riding a bicycle around the world has turned what I thought would be a fun side project into a months-long crusade.

Luckily for a future adorable little baby, I am no longer an excitably disorganized person that starts lots of projects with gusto and good intentions and then lets them fizzle in order to move on to the next new thing. Thanks largely to this trip, and to the example of Tyler's obscenely laser-like focus, I am now "The Finisher".

And so, with one tiny (sometimes very confusing) step at a time, I've slowly been approaching the completion of this cardigan.

Today was the day for blocking—a process I'd always been too scared of and too lazy to do on previous projects. Somehow I managed to find cheap pins at the only store open on a Sunday. Then, I got to work dribbling water on my pieces and pinning them neatly to our room's thick wool blanket, measuring to make sure the pieces were relatively uniform.

I've never been one for neatness, exactness, or measuring, so this was a big deal for me. To my pleasure, it wasn't too difficult. My hands were all pruney from the water by the time I was done, but I had all my cardigan sections nicely pinned down and drying in place!

(Note the cable ties Tyler inventively provided for stitch holders!)

Now I just need to finish the hood, block it, finish the neck band, knit the pocket edges, sew on the buttons, weave in the loose ends, sew it all together…

One step at a time.