On Tumblr, there was a post about what knitters call the sweater curse. For those who don't know, the sweater curse is a term used by knitters, much like myself that if you knit a sweater for your significant other you will break up either before it's finished or soon after giving it to them. Some say it's legend, but some say it's fact.

PS, first bit of writing I've been able to do since earlier this year. Please forgive any mis-spellings and grammical errors.

John Bates whistled as he walked up the stairs to his and Anna's flat. Today was his and Anna's 5th year anniversary, he was planning on proposing. Truth be told, he would have proposed to Anna on their first anniversary, but due to circumstances beyond his and Anna's control they'd had a rough few years. First his (thankfully now ex) wife had popped up, after 15 years of being gone and he'd gladly divorced her, then one of Anna's former co-workers had assaulted her, and Anna had (understandably) needed some time to heal.

John hadn't pushed her for anything she wasn't ready and willing to give to him. A few weeks back, Anna had mentioned in passing that she could see them still together in 10 years. He figured it was now time to propose.

He walked in to find Anna knitting in her rocking chair. She was just finishing what looked like a scarf and John put his hat and jacket on the hooks by the door. "Is that scarf for me?" he teased. He didn't recognize the yarn, and wondered how quickly she'd been able to knit the long scarf. He put his own long scarf over his jacket and turned to Anna when he realized that she hadn't answered.

Anna was cutting the yarn after tying a knot off and she then stared intently at the scarf, fingering it, as she concentrated at looking at the finished project.

"You all right?" John asked. Anna started, and John thought he saw tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Anna shook her head a little, and John decided to change the subject. "I don't recognize this project, how quickly did you knit this?"

"I actually started it right after the divorce was final."Anna's voice was thin.

"I'm surprised you took this long to finish it." John commented. Anna had once said that she'd been knitting for as long as she could remember. And John knew how quickly she could turn skeins of yarn into baby sweaters, a scarf, or a hat. Once she had bought 6 skeins of yarn from the yarn store and they had been turned into a sweater, 2 pairs of booties, 2 hats and part of a baby blanket in under a week when Edith Crawley had announced she was having a little girl. Had Anna lost this project? That wasn't like her either, she was very organized.

Anna brushed a tear away and John knelt in front of her ignoring his knee's protest. "Anna, my darling, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just-"Anna paused. "After Green, I put my knitting projects away, some of them at least. And my therapist suggested that I finish those projects, and it's a bit emotional. I put this away after I got home from hospital when he..."

John nodded, "Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?" Anna nodded.

"Yes." Anna folded the scarf up and put it in the basket by her feet. "I've got Chinese on the way, and there's a pie thawing in the refrigerator."

"I'll put the pie in later, we'll just have a low key night." John promised. He watched as Anna picked up another project, he faintly remembered hearing her say it was going to be a blanket for Sybbie, Sybil and Tom Branson's toddler.

25 months later:

John fiddled with his tie and finally gave up when his Best Man, Robert stepped up and fixed the tie for him.

"Uncle Bates?" Mary knocked on the door and stuck her head in. She and Gwen Dawson (soon to be Gwen Harding) were co maid-of-honors in the wedding and John wondered if anything was wrong in the bridal suite.

"Yes?" John sucked in a breath nervously.

"Anna wanted me to give you this." Mary held up a bag. "And she also wanted me to tell you not to brood about not getting her a present. Marrying you is present enough." John reached out to take the bag and Mary continued to speak. "Her only request is that you open this in private, and read the letter."

John nodded "I will."

Mary turned to the men in the Groom's dressing room. "We need your help in the church, let's go."

They filed out and finally John was alone with the bag. He could see a letter poking out of it and he withdrew the envelope.

John,

I'm writing this as you sleep, I can hear you snoring in the bedroom and I am typing madly to finish this letter so I can go to bed with you. Our wedding day is in less then a week, 3 days to be exact. I know you said you didn't want to exchange gifts but I needed to give this to you. I don't believe I've ever mentioned the sweater curse to you. The sweater curse is a superstition that if a knitter were to knit their significant other a sweater, that they would either break up while the sweater was being knitted or shortly there after.

You've teased me somewhat about not knitting you anything. I never really explained why I hadn't. When we first got together I wasn't sure if you'd like something hand-knitted, if you'd appreciate the work that went into it or if you'd claim it "too nice to wear" either way, it would collect dust and if I knit something for someone then I want it to be used. When you started teasing me about knitting you a scarf I finally decided to knit you one, I searched for just the right pattern and scoured the yarn shops for the right color and type of yarn for you.

I finally found a yarn and pattern that matched and prepared to cast on, only to have Vera show up and drag the divorce out nearly 2 years. I set the pattern and yarn aside and vowed to cast on the day the divorce was final. That day finally came and I cast on, I was nearly done with it when Green attacked me. I felt I wasn't worthy of your love. I felt that I wasn't good enough to be married to you and that you wouldn't want anything to do with me. I put this project away and didn't touch it for quite some time. I finally pulled it out when my therapist suggested it. Ironically enough, I finished this scarf the night you proposed.

John paused in reading the letter and pulled the scarf out of the bag. There was the scarf Anna had finished the night he'd proposed. He hadn't seen it after that night and had assumed she'd donated it to charity, something she did occasionally if she'd made a project she couldn't use or give as a gift. He fingered the scarf and smiled faintly. He turned back to the letter.

First your now ex wife shows up, then I'm assaulted, so considering the history of this scarf I am a little hesitant to give it to you. But I refuse to let a superstition win. This scarf was meant to be a present for our 1st anniversary. Now, finally 6 years later, I'm giving it to you and thumbing my knitting needles at the sweater curse. Even if this superstition is true, no matter what happens, I know we'll get through it.

Happy Wedding day, John. I can't wait to marry you.

Love, Anna.

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