Little Man Baby Sweater

OK, so I am a little late here... I just finished up my last Christmas gift, a sweater for my 4 month old nephew.  It is from the L'illo pattern on Knitty, and as the author says, it really looks like a sweater for a little man.  It almost seems like it should have elbow patches or something.  I love the way the slip-stitch patterns give it an almost woven/tweedy texture.  I used Knitpicks' Comfy Sport yarn, and was pleased that I was able to make a 12 month size (so he doesn't outgrow it instantly) with only two and a half skeins.  Also I realized this is first saddle-shoulder sweater I have made (well... if it counts - it is kind of a raglan/saddle shoulder hybrid).

I thought this sweater would be pretty quick to knit but it was a pretty complicated pattern for such a little item, in between the two stitch patterns, the complicated construction, and the seaming... oh, the seaming.  This is what it looked like after I had seamed the front shoulder raglan seams:

It's a good thing this was time-sensitive both in that it is a Christmas present and in that the recipient is growing rapidly, because if this were just for me I am sure this amount of seaming would have caused me to take one look and stick it in a drawer somewhere for several months (or seasons).  I have gotten in the habit of knitting in the round as much as possible, so that when I cast off a sweater I am pretty much done.  I do have a great reference book, the knitter's book of finishing techniques, which helps to reduce my seaming-angst, since it clearly lays out how to do all different kinds of seams (not to mention other helpful things like the kitchener stich, which I can never remember how to do or how to spell).  Armed with said book, I sat down and seamed away and remembered... seaming is actually strangely satisfying.  It is amazing how neatly everything lines up and goes from being a bunch of discombobulated parts to become a real garment.  Maybe I should be less seam-averse in future projects!