Day 18: When you reach 28, it's time to put some clothes on

Given I am in the final throes of thesis-writing (cultural reference intended), I am opting for smaller knitting projects in an attempt to minimize distractions. Socks are a good diversion in this respect, but I have grown a little weary of them, and I am running out of the sock-related puns (amusing only to me) that I use as project titles on ravelry. The secret item I am making for Faith should have been fast, but the number of times it has needed do-overs laid waste to that ambition. Luckily, Faith isn't showing yet, so I might leave that project until I am done with my dissertation. After all, knitting is meant to be a respite from stress, not a buttress for it.
However, I have absolutely no imagination to speak of where coming up with ideas for knitting projects is concerned. I got the sock-bug from Carly and Faith. Prior to that, I was making sweaters, a la some inspiration from Jessica. And before that, I was obediently making whatever Berroco told me to.
Fortunately, my ingenuity problem has been solved, or at least deferred. No, I haven't convinced my right lobe neurons to fire. Better! My friend, Tonya, has joined our knitting circle, and she was making a sweater for her teddy bear. I can't believe that had never occurred to me. Not only have I had Horatio for as long as I have been alive, but he was the reason I learned how to knit. When I was about 7 years old, my grandmother was annoyed by the fact that he had two holes, from which most of his stuffing was protruding. She taught me how to knit and so he was repaired with 2 knitted patches; one I made and one my grandmother made. My grandmother has since passed, and I love that I have this little piece of her. Making a little sweater for him is only logical, and pays tribute to my grandmother being my inspiration to knit.
I have started making him a cabled sweater out of yarn from a failed human sweater. Knitting bulky yarn on size 5 needles wasn't one of my finer ideas, nor was going to the trouble of following a cabled pattern using multi-colored yarn. Nonetheless, I am happy with how it is coming out. And after 28 years, Horatio will finally be safe from indecent exposure charges!