Auggiesaurus (or I Don't Own The Dogosaurus Rex Pattern)

I decided, for some crazy reason, to knit Auggie's Halloween costume this year. After much poking around, I decided on a dinosaur, because the Paton's Dogosaurus Rex pattern was supercute! Unfortunately it was also not-free and an older pattern, so I couldn't find the pattern book.
So I had to make it up as I went. I decided all I really needed was a sweater base, and then to knit some spikes... then put it all together, and voila!! DINOSAUR!

I started to use a free pattern for a dog sweater, but it was kind of frustrating. I also had been to the library in search of The Happy Hooker (I want to begin crocheting so I can make amigurumi, and I thought, hey, that book should help me!!) which was sadly checked out, and I went home with Stitch 'n Bitch Nation instead, because I was thinking of making the cable newsboy cap out of it. But oh! Look! Inside of Stitch 'n Bitch Nation, there is a dog sweater pattern!!


I still had to sort of make it up as I went. Auggie is a bizarre size, and even after I knitted the sweater something between a medium and a large (which, seriously, Auggie is 13.5 inches at the shoulder and weighs 15 pounds - he's not large, and to call him medium is even pushing it!) it doesn't exactly fit him right. It seems too tight around his chest, even though I made it long in the chest and knitted the arm holes to the biggest pattern size to make sure he had room to move. I'm not sure if I can fix that now or not... I still have some (a fistful, really) of the green yarn left over. I could knit up a belly piece to put in the middle, I guess? Hm.

Well, anyway, without further ado...











I took this to work with me today so I could finish it. The sweater base was done and I'd started the spikes - I just needed to do a few more and stitch the two sides together on most of them. I therefore planned to complete the last couple of spikes at work, and MAYBE work sleeves off the armholes if I had time. Well, I had plenty of time... so I decided to go ahead and work the sleeves, because the more I looked at the sweater the more the gaping armholes looked bad.
So, knowing that I MIGHT have done the sleeves, I had brought with me my little plastic bag that holds my one, lone circular needle, and initially I wanted to do the sleeves in magic loop on the circ. This bag also holds my set of DPNs, because I don't have anywhere else to put them. My Knitpicks needle case doesn't really have a spot small enough to slide in DPNs and hold them without having them rattle around and clatter out of their sleeve - so they reside in the bag with my circ.
I have to confess to you, my dearest crafting blog... I got so frustrated with my circular needles and working in magic loop that I actuallly (oh, my sock-knitting friends will probably be so proud) decided it would be MUCH LESS ANNOYING to use the DPNs.
Did you hear that, crafting blog? That's right... I said that I found my DPNs the LESS ANNOYING solution.

Maybe our love-hate relationship is improving. I did, after all, buy two more sets of DPNs in two different sizes because they were on clearance at Hobby Lobby. Less than $2 for a set of DPNs? Even if I hate them, how can I say no?? I even considered buying two sets so I could have five needles, but decided that was a little overkill when I still pretty much hate DPNs.