The Curse

My co-blogger and I agree on many things, but when it comes to knitting we are experiencing a disagreement of the most interesting sort. I am knitting a sweater for my boyfriend. It was originally going to be his Christmas gift, but it has since turned into a 1 year anniversary gift. Whenever the thing comes up my dear partner in blogging purses her lips and mentally sends the "don't say I didn't warn you" with a mere look. You see she believes in the curse that is supposedly tied to knitting a sweater for your significant other, especially if you are not married or unionized. I will not pretend that I did not consider this factor when I started thinking about making this sweater. After all there is a reason that such legends occur, and I am perfectly aware that there is an uncanny number of stories of people knitting a sweater for their partner and having the relationship go up in smoke. Am I so arrogant that I think I can make this work and not be affected by this insidious threat? The answer is that it has nothing to do with arrogance. I believe that such a curse is not the sweater itself, but in the energy one invests in it. I know full and well I could be knitting for a man who might leave me, but that is a fact that will exist whether I make the sweater or not. Secondly I believe that God is stronger than curses. I pray fervently when I knit and this sweater is so thickly covered in them that I believe it is quite saturated. Thirdly, I chose a pattern type that has a history of being knit for lovers and important men in the lives of knitters. I chose a gansey pattern, and they were originally created by women who knit for the fishermen in their lives. I would be very surprised to discover that some women did not make such things for their sweethearts whether married or not. Granted my man is not going out on the stormy seas any time soon, but the desire to give him something beautiful and special is the same. The bottom line is that even if he and I break up the day after I give him this sweater (highly unlikely, I would give it at least two :), I would not regret a single stitch I spent on him. He will always be special in my heart no matter what the future dictates. This is how I have chosen to express my feelings for him and I will say that it is the curse that is arrogant to think that it can harm something created in love.