GAUGE
19 st | 4” on 4.5 mm

BODY with hemmed band

28” around = 133 st
(next time: even number to evenly divide front/back)

Band is 90% of initial stitches, so cast on 120 st in grey.
Knit 9 rows in stocking stitch.
Row 10: (K9M1) x 13. K3. Now 133 stitches.
Knit 1 row.
Purl 1 row.

Colour change to blue.
Knit 11 rows in stocking stitch.
Fold hem along purl row.
Knit into FRONT of every stitch of grey first row.
Then stocking stitch in blue until underarm (13.75”).

SLEEVES with ribbed cuffs

I prefer a longer sleeve length, with ribbed cuffs and the option to fold them. Sleeve length 18.5” = 115 st.

EZ recommends casting on for the sleeve 1/5 the number of stitches for body, but I prefer sleeves a little looser, so went with 1/4 of body = 33 st. I made that 36 st as must be multiple of 4 due to ribbing.

K2P2 x 23 rows.

Incr by 2 stitches every 5 rounds until at 1/3 the number of stitches for body (1/3 x 133 = 44).

So -
Row 1 - 4 have 36 st.
Row 5 increase to 38 st.
Row 10 increase to 40 st.
Row 15 increase to 42 st.
Row 20 increase to 44 st.

Continue knitting until sleeve measures 18.5” = 115 st.

UNDERARMS

8% of 133 body stitches = 10.64 st; round up (b/c sleeve wider than EZ’s) to even number = 12 st for ea underarm

Set aside underarm st for sleeves and body, and join sleeves to body as per EZ’s instructions.

Work plain x 1”. Decrease as per EZ instructions to get shoulder width of 12.5”. Knit saddle shoulders.

COLLAR

Tried 2x2 rib w regular castoff, but too loose and unfinished looking. Leif’s head did fit, though (barely).

Tried a 1x1 rib w tubular castoff, a la Jared Flood. Too loose and flimsy (but better looking than 2x2). Even tighter squeeze for Leif’s head.

Settled for a hemmed collar, inside grey, similar to the body hem.

Overall, a very satisfying project. The Shelter yarn is simply gorgeous. Elizabeth Zimmerman’s ‘pattern’ made it easy to customize this for my (very slender) son and my twenty-first century sweater styling tastes :)

More here: http://www.freshmd.com/2013/10/neptune-blue.html