This weekend I was teased, and rightfully so, about the similarity between knitting and software design. There was, as Brian explained, a vast gulf of difference between something that was 'done' and something that was truly finished and out the door. In software design, 'done' means you've finished coding, and 'finished' means you've done everything that comes after: debugging and testing. In knitting, 'done' means you've finished the knitting, and 'finished' means you have completed all cleanup details, like weaving in your ends and attaching trim.

There's a weird sort of serendipity that seems to happen when knitters and Doctor Who fans coincide. Eventually the question is asked, "Why not make a Tom Baker scarf?" Jeff and I both grew up watching the Tom Baker incarnation of Doctor Who when we were kids, and it seemed rather obvious that, eventually, I should make him a Tom Baker scarf, because it'd be the perfect combination of our geekery and my knitting.

It should be noted that Jeff never asked for the scarf. He liked the idea of having one of his own, but the decision to make it was mine (and so shall all the grumbling be!). Originally, I toyed with the idea of making the scarf as a surprise Christmas present for him. Then I did a little bit of research and came to my senses. Not only was the scarf enormous, but I didn't know which season's scarf to knit.

"But how big is it?" you say?

"When Tom Baker was cast as the Doctor, costume designer James Acheson picked up a load of wool and asked a knitter called Begonia Pope to knit a scarf for Tom. She inadvertently used all the wool Acheson had given her, resulting in a scarf that was some twenty feet long."

from doctorwhoscarf.com

I confess: unstretched, his scarf is only thirteen feet long. It could be stretched and blocked to make it closer to perfect, but I'm not sure that's a good idea. Jeff is a good deal shorter than Tom Baker was, and a scarf that long would be truly unwieldy on him.

I've been working frantically on this scarf for the past month, amidst surgery and sickness and all the other fun stuff that transpired. The block of 20 brown in the pattern is the stripe I worked on while waiting to be taken to the operating room for my tubal ligation; obviously, I've been knitting at warp speed since then.

I woke up painfully early on Saturday morning, on a weekend in which we were supposed to be relaxing with friends; I decided to curl up in the living room, to see if I couldn't harness the early morning peace to make my scarf 'done.' I started at 5:30 in the morning with about six inches of scarf left to go; at 8:32 I put on the kettle to celebrate a newly-knitted BBC-tv-show scarf with a proper pot of tea.

That morning, I sat in the living room as we all talked, painstakingly weaving in the ends, one at a time. Later that afternoon, after some rest and some food, I attached the tassels and did the most pathetic, sneeze-filled chairdance you've ever seen.

A six-month project, done.

Two days later I'm already twitching and wondering what my next project should be.

Tonight I spotted something on knit.atypically.net that I think might have some of my friends happy: yes, the information I need to make any and all of the Hogwarts scarves (and they're incredibly easy). While I've enjoyed the Harry Potter series of books, I can't quite call myself a major fan. However, I know a few friends who are…

Buy the yarn and we'll talk. :)

But in the meantime: *wigglebouncesqueal* It's done! At last!