I used to feel the same way about seaming that you do. It's really quite easy when you understand how to do it. My first few garments didn't turn out so good but now I'm confident in them. I found a great book in the library called "All stitched Up". It gave me a greater understanding for seams. My only problem still is picking up stitches for the neckband. LOL I recently made a dress for a baby girl in the family and the neckband was so tight it would fit over her head! Oh well, I got the dress back and intend on fixing the problem by creating an opening on the shoulder. Local Yarn Shops are a great resource from what I hear.

sam00, The Baby Surprise Jacket is available in The Opinionated Knitter and Knitting Workshop, both by Elizabeth Zimmerman, apparently also in a couple of back issues of KnitterÂs magazine (I don't know which ones, and from Schoolhouse Press in a 12 pg booklet with the pattern in adult, baby, and child sizes for $10. http://www.schoolhousepress.com/patterns.htm In the Spring/Summer 2007 issue of Vogue Knitting International, EZ's daughter, Meg Swanson shares EZ's Surplice Baby Jacket, which appears to use the same basic construction as the BSJ, but crosses over in the front instead of buttoning down the center. I hope you find a copy of the pattern soon. It looks like a fun project.

Wow -- thanks, everyone, for responding! It's fun reading about what you're working on. Mscsippy -- I don't have photos of any of the stuff I've made; and none of the stuff that's currently in progress is at a point where a photo would make much sense, because my camera just doesn't seem to take decent closeups (they always manage to end up out of focus or blurred in some way - I guess I need a tripod!). But, I'll try to get photos of all of these things as I finish them. Taigen -- my paternal grandmother tatted. I have many beautiful things that she tatted. I tried, but failed, to learn to crochet, so I don't think I'd be able to master tatting, either. Cherbo -- you're much more sane than I am! Moni -- your secrets are safe with me. ;-) Donna37 -- I haven't done any embroidery in sooo long! I'd like to start up again with embroidery and also counted cross stitch. I've got a counted cross stitch Christmas sampler that I started soooooo many years ago! The horrid thing, too, is that there's not that much more to do to finish it. I have completed many, many counted cross stitch projects, I just don't know why I've never gotten around to finishing this one. One of these days... Dances -- my sister wants some fingerless gloves/mitts, so that's a project that is on my "to do" list. I'm sure this Winter will be long gone by the time she gets them. LOL! But I, too, have vastly different yarns on each of my projects-in-progress, and I'm certain that must be why I have so many going at once. Eliza Ann -- knitting is supposed to be very good for relaxation and stress relief. Maybe you should spend 15 or 20 minutes knitting each evening to help relieve the stress of getting your house ready for sale. :-) Linda -- that is a really cute poncho, and I love the color! I also think it would make a cute skirt (not without a slip/petticoat of some sort, though!). But, as I've said, I can't crochet at all, not even one stitch or chain or whatever it's called... :-( Donna Loomis -- you're my hero! Keep adding to your list of projects so I won't feel so bad, ok? :-) Zipper -- I'll be sure to pay attention to what I'm doing when I finally get around to the Baby Surprise Jacket. My niece isn't due until mid-July, and since it's her first, it could easily be late July or early August by the time she delivers, so I'm counting on having enough time to finish the two baby blankets that I'm working on (I've already given her one, and all three are totally different from each other); and I also want to get some booties and caps done, too. Janie -- I haven't experienced the "knot on the wrist," but I HAVE suffered from cramps in my left thumb from gripping the left needle too tightly when it's a small size needle and lace weight yarn. Another reason why I like to have a bunch of projects going with different yarns -- so I can relieve that stress on my thumb. Socks -- I keep each project in a separate bag, and I always have paper and a pencil (mechanical pencil, so I can retract the lead) with each project so that I can make notes as to where I am when I stop. And I try to always stop after I've finished an odd-numbered row, which somehow helps (like a placebo, I'm sure!). Susanjf -- yarn outlet??? WHERE??? Ivamae -- what color poncho are you going to make? Jannie -- your project will turn up when you least expect it! What size bamboo needles were you using? I use bamboo needles for everything that I knit that is knitted on straight needles. I also have the Bamboo Sister interchangeable circular needles set from Plymouth Yarn Company, and some fixed circular bamboo needles. One of the baby blankets is being done with the Plymouth interchangeable bamboo circulars, but for the other I'm using the Options Harmony Wood Interchangeable Needles from Knit Picks. I love those needles because the points are much "pointier" than on the bamboos, so it makes it easier to knit lace weight and fingering weight yarns. I've also got an afghan going on another size of the Harmony needles and the varigated-color yarn is nearly the exact same colors as the needles, so it's a challenge! Sheila Joyce -- what a great thing you're doing! I'm a tight knitter, so I certainly hope that no one ever has to attempt to finish anything I've started... Would using a smaller hook (than the one called for in the pattern) help at all? Have you tried taking the partial cloth into a yarn store to see what they can recommend to match the thread?

Thanks everyone! Yes, I think a shrug is what I'm looking for, although I haven't yet spotted one like the one at the craft show. When it wasn't being worn, it looked just like a scarf. The scarf would have been crocheted as a long rectangle - the length would be equal to the length of a person's arms, if they were standing with arms stretched out to each side and then a measurement taken from left wrist to right wrist (including the width of the back). Then the rectangle would have been folded and joined together lengthwise, except for the section across the shoulders, which would have been left open.