Highly successful attempt to destash. Almost too much so as I had to go digging for several more yards of a comparable black for the inside button band. Love love love how this sweater turned out!

Changes to the sweater: described below

• Garter hem, collar, cuffs.
• Ignored seed stitch button band counts, but added 1 stitch per side for selvage.
• Did not knit sleeves before knitting yoke.
• Knit sleeves from the armpit down.
• Added decreases in the sleeves.
• Knit sideways garter button bands.
• Decreased the number of rows between yoke decreases.

6 rows garter = 3 garter ridges = same height as 4 rows stockinette. Awesome!

Since I knew I would be knitting the button band separately I reduced the total stitch count per row by 10 (5 for each seed stitch band) but also added two (1 selvage stitch per side).

In an attempt to not waste yarn, or cut it unnecessarily, I decided not to cut the yarn once the body was done or move directly to knitting the sleeves. Instead I made two provisional cast-on chains for the sleeve count, minus 4 stitches for the underarms. I then added these to my needles on the same row that I placed 4 stitches onto hold-waste-yarn for the underarms. After that I simply proceeded up the yoke. Once I was done with the yoke I pulled out one of the provisional chains, picked up stitches for the armholes, and knit from there down to the cuff.

I opted to place 5 rows between the yoke decreases, which worked perfectly with my 4-yellow/2-black stripes. I did this to make the neckline slightly shallower and a little wider.

For the decreases on the sleeves I worked the following: Knit 12 rows, Decrease row (K1, K2tog, K to last 3 sts, SSK, K), Knit 5 rows, Decrease row, repeat 5 row/Dec row 3x (4 decrease rows total), Knit 3 garter ridges, BO.

For the button band I picked up 48 stitches as follows:
3 garter ridges = 3 sts PU.
Each yellow stripe is 4 rows = 3 sts PU.
Each black stripe is 2 rows = 1 st PU.
Neckline is 1 row knit, then 3 garter ridges = 4 sts.

Button holes and buttons placed at every-other black stripe via YO, K2tog. 4 garter ridges knit, with button holes placed between 2nd and 3rd ridges.

Buttons - La Mode #2065