Seaming, nothing more than seaming.

So, there's a possibility of a fire. Your husband is considered essential personnel. [Bet you didn't know that. Airplane maintenance and the pilots flying are the real last ones out in an evacuation. Emergency personnel and the police are on the next to last flight out. Then it turns around and goes to pick up the people who have kept the planes flying.] You have to pack up a bag (or six) in order to ease the paranoia and feel like you are doing something. If I have to drive out (the trunk will be full), I'll be going alone with the children (One parent works a half hour drive down a bush highway from us it's possible for her to get cut off. Her husband might get to us, but just in case.) and waiting for the Mr. to show up later. I'm worried that it will come to that, but not about the actual doing since most evacuations are for smoke and the fire doesn't usually get near until long after everyone is gone if it gets there at all. Yesterday a small community just northwest of us had a brush fire. With the high winds and dry bush it took all day for the water bombers put it out. Fortunately the community wasn't touched, but the elders and anyone else who wanted out got evacuated for the day due to smoke and potential danger. All the boys (let's face it, there aren't any women loggers around here) in the bush got pulled out this week since it isn't safe for them to be using their equipment right now and because if anything happened, it's really hard to round them all up and get them out fast without losing someone or two.

In the midst of the packing of essential stuff and memorabilia (What to take, what to leave?), I got to the yarn. If I take my whole stash, there won't be much room left in the trunk for other stuff. What about those unfinished things? The things that I thought important enough to knit, but for some reason or another, haven't finished. Is there one that is important enough not to be left behind? Yup, the first garment I have ever knit for myself. So I bit the bullet and started seaming. I can't say the seams are pretty, or even good, but the yarn is the kind that makes it hard to see how bad or good a seam you've done. It hasn't fallen apart yet either so I must have done alright.

Imaginary conversation:

Police: "Ma'am, you're being evacuated. You and the children have an hour to get out."

Me: "Crap, good thing I packed half the house into the car. I just have to get the children, cats, dog and my vest then I'm ready to go."

Police: "You're being evacuated to California (as if) ma'am, it's really hot right now you won't need a vest."

Me: "Good thing it's wool so it will hide all the sweat. Let's go."

Police: [Sigh] "Why do we get all the weirdos?"

Invested is seamed. The collar and zipper are the only things left.

I really liked knitting this. (Gut sucked in, chest out.)

It's a quick and easy to memorize pattern.

I like how it all came together even with my little modifications.

Pattern: Invested by Suaniell N. Connelly found on Magknits.
Modifications: I made the wrong size back and sides so I had to add little inserts under the arms to make up the difference in sizes. Other than that, none. I had thought to put buttons on instead of a zipper, but I can't figure out how to add a button band that won't obscure the pattern on the front so a zipper it will be.
Yarn: Suan used Lion Brand Wool-Ease, but I wanted wool since I like it better and it's colder here than in North Carolina so I substituted Bulky Lopi 100% Wool. 5 skeins total. It's a fast, very inexpensive knit and wearable for most of the year. Inside to keep the drafts away in the winter, outside in spring and fall and sometimes after a rain in the summer. I am already planning to knit another vest in a different design with a wool of the same weight.