12-12-2018

Ok. So. I fully blocked the yoke right before splitting for the sleeves. My gauge swatch lied to me! And not a little lie, but a big lie! But not so big that I have to start over. (although I would have preferred the fabric from a smaller needle…but alas.) My initial gauge was 26 rows per 4” and now I’m getting 23/23.5 per 4”. So not drastic, but a major change in fit and, ultimately, the game plan.

I shall explain…

I cast on the 22 sts for the underarm as required by the 3X size. (Reminder. I am not making a finished 3X size. I am using my swatch and compensating for the variant in my gauge by using the numbers for the 3X size in order to achieve what would be a size L.) And after knitting just two rows it was…ginormous. Like…60” in diameter. Just too big. I love oversized, but this was too much for this particular garment. And with the sizing/gauge math weirdness, I was worrying about yardage.

SO

I have a plan!

I have frogged back to the row where I split for the sleeves, and I am frogging two more rows of the plain MC stockinette because I thought it was too much between the color work sections. It didn’t look proportionate to my eye. I will simply now cast on fewer stitches in the under arm!

After the little decrease round, (with one teensy weensy k2tog at the beginning of the row) I will have 260 sts. The body colorwork chart is a multiple of 16. The next multiple of 16 higher than 260 is 272. So with that difference of 12, I will simply cast on 6 sts for each under arm! A very easy solution! And the sleeves won’t be massive, nor the body! I’m quite chuffed at my clever problem solving this time! (Cause it doesn’t always happen so easily, let’s be honest!)

All of this extra work is so worth it for what is, at this moment, one of my dream sweaters. The yarns are both decadent and a pleasure in the hand. The shifts of high contrast and low contrast, as the yarn just relentlessly pushes forward, create such a striking effect that I find my self stopping at least once per row just to admire it all.

07-02-2019

Ok now that I have finished some obligation knits, this is back in rotation.

Today I am dividing for the sleeves. If I were to add all the under arm sts, this would be waaaay too big.

Without the under arm sts, I have 261 sts. To make it divisible by 16 (the color chart stitch count) I will add 12 sts to make it 272. 5 under one arm, 6 under the other.

07-25-2019

I am exactly half way through the body chart if I am going to make the cropped version. I am so besotted with this project. I am both savoring the process of knitting it as well as wanting it to be finished asap so I can enjoy the final product. This is a truly special piece.

The sleeves are a little bit bigger than planned because I had to make the mods for the body, but I think it’s going to look beautiful with puffier sleeves. I will have the cuffs be tighter to accentuate the silhouette.

I doubt the sleeve colorwork will match, and it certainly wont match the body, and I am absolutely fine with that!

07-27-2019

Finished the body colorwork! Now just the cabled cuff and then on to sleeve island!

A Note on Gauge and Textile Characteristics

Ok so my gauge swatch was a liar who lies. It said that, with 4mm (US 6) needles, I would get 26 sts and 26 rows per 4”. That would make my sweater, even using the largest size numbers, barely big enough for neutral ease. I much preferred the swatches with smaller needles, but I had to trust my gauge swatch.

When I divided for the sleeves, and cast on the under arm stitches, I knew it would have ultimately resulted in significantly more positive ease than I wanted for this particular garment, also subsequently resulting in needing more yarn. (This is all pricey yarn. Worth it! But it was an investment.) So, I decided to simply cast on just enough stitches to get the multiple needed for the color chart.

Earlier today I finished the body and blocked it out. It is just about dry and my gauge (Taken from mid-torso) is 22.5 stitches and 26 rows over 4 “. Then in other parts, my stitch gauge is 24 sts or 25 sts. It just depends on what part of the colorwork I measure.

Some variables that affect this are the fact that these two yarns (the exact make and color of the original design) have very different fiber content, noticeably different diameter, and have two kind of opposing sets of resultant textile characteristics. Both are GORGEOUS YARNS that I love, they’re just different from eachother.

The Leizu DK is a merino/silk blend that is a little plump and a very solid DK weight. The silk content, even being just 10%, adds a drape quality to the fabric created when it is knit up, especially at a looser gauge.

The Spincycle is again noticeably thinner, and has the profile and hand of a woolen spun yarn. (though I don’t know that to be true) It has more loft and squish and, though not “rustic”, wants to grab at itself while the Leizu DK doesn’t exactly repel itself, but has more slink.

I think those are the variables that affect the gauge differentiation so much.

ANYWAY

The sweater is definitely not too small. I don’t think it’s exactly flattering on my body, but holy smokes is it beautiful. Perhaps one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever had the pleasure to see come off of my needles. I will still wear it with joy and pride, though I wish the whole thing were just a tighter gauge; that I had simply knit the whole thing on a 5 or four. But it’s ok! It is what it is!

Now on to sleeve island!

08-11-2019

I ended up having 88 sts for the sleeves.

I did the decrease row as written for that sleeve size, but decided I wanted a more dramatically tighter cuff, creating more of a billowy sleeve shape, so I did a further decrease row down to 44 sts and did 9 repeats of the cabled ribbing chart to have a slightly elongated cuff. Love the dash of drama!