Unfinished knitting

I worked feverishly knitting my sister a scarf, and a few days before Christmas I realized I would not finish it in time for it. So I decided to present it to her on the needle, partly finished, and to tell her that she gets to choose the length.

Then I found in a book of knitting essays the same occurrence, from Michael Collier: I unwrapped the sweater but I was taken aback to find the present unfinished, bright knitting needles hanging from it.