@#%&!* It!

Let's recap:

1. Knitting a double knitted scarf for T for Christmas. (Which, it looks like, I will definitely not have finished.)
2. Not knitting the words on the scarf because the words will be backward on one side. (In other words, one side will say Winter Is Coming and the other side will say gnimoC sI retniW.) I don't want that.
3. The plan was to duplicate stitch the words on one side only.

The only problem is, I suck at duplicate stitch. Look at my horrible attempts:

Duplicate stitch using one strand of yarn left so much silver exposed it looked awful.

Duplicate stitch using two strands of yarn made a big, bunchy, knotty mess.

So I've ripped it all out. The duplicate stitch. So far. I'm getting very frustrated with my lack of skill. And lack of patience. And lack of time. And lack of holiday cheer, for that matter.