V for Victory

When the sun and heat have just about scorched the grass and flowers to a crisp, straw-like hay in August, and the still-green trees have started to droop their limbs under the weight of their baked leaves, I start to get excited for football season. College football (especially our alma mater's) is a mammoth family tradition.

My family has been attending these football games since I was a little child. Before the game even starts there's the necessary tailgate rife with extended tailgate family, beer, and the savory smell of hot dogs and sausages roasting on multiple grills. There are always the tailgate aficionados who have perfected tailgating to an art form: It's not uncommon to see exotic meats or elaborate table displays showcasing their food, which, by the way, is almost always shared with everyone else. I love the give and take of this little tailgate community. What is it about drinking and eating out of the back of your trunk that is so appealing?  I don't know. IT JUST IS!

After a couple hours, with a cold beer in hand and a belly full of hot dogs or kielbasa, your ears pick up a sound over the din of laughter and chatter.

It's the sound of quads (drums) in the distance. First it's faint and faraway, and then it becomes louder and louder. You start to feel the beat of the bass drum in your chest. Your heart actually starts keeping time with the rhythm. Eventually you can feel the drum beat in your head, behind your eyeballs. It literally becomes a part of you. And then you begin to see the college band and cheerleaders come into view, the sun gleaming off their brass instruments and metallic pom poms.  They ready themselves to march through the tailgate area and play a few songs before entering the stadium. This is the signal to pack up ship, down the beer in your hand and head in for the big game.

What better way for Little C. to participate in this awesome tradition than to sport his very own varsity sweater and hat?

I used this pattern again for the sweater. The V on the front is a type of knitting called "intarsia." Intarsia is when you have a large area of color change in your work. I wound up drawing out the V on graph paper and followed that as a guide. The knitted ear flap hat is from this pattern. I used more acrylic yarn from my stash. This is more that was leftover from the crocheted throw I made my nephew a couple years ago. (I bought way too much for that blanket! I still have more left.) But it's certainly coming in handy now.

Although I don't want to rush summer away just yet, I'm so excited for football season to start!  I can't wait for Little C to show his team allegiance by wearing this to the first cold weather game. Go V!