This sweater is completely wonderful! I love everything about it! Love, love love!!! Everyone should knit this right away.

The pattern is crystal clear, which made it easy to modify to meet my yarn (from stash!) and fit requirements. It knits up fast at this enormous gauge, and the owls are pure delight! I’m really going to miss knitting on this one. I’ve never worked with such large needles or such substantial yarn, and although my hands and wrists found it challenging, it went so incredibly fast that I didn’t have a chance to do myself damage :) I want to sit right down and knit another one.

We are having the perfect weather for a sweater like this, and I don’t want to take it off to block it. But block it I must, and then to sew on the 500 buttons… Photos to follow when it’s dry!

Modifications:

Gauge/Yarn: Because I am using worsted weight yarn held double, my gauge is considerably smaller than called for (11 sts per 4 inches). Therefore I am knitting two sizes larger than needed. The stitch math worked out, and I compared with a favorite cardigan just to be sure. I am overwhelmingly pleased to report that it fits perfectly!!

Body: CO 162 stitches (instead of 150) with larger needles, because I wanted a more flared silhouette. Decreased to 142 sts starting about 6” before separating for arms. Knitted body 19” to to underarm. Added an extra decrease row after the owls to bring the stitch count down to the smallest size, which meant starting the collar ribbing on the WS. Worked two extra ribbed rows to compensate. I am short with big shoulders and chest, so I needed the extra to bring it back up around my neck.

Sleeves: CO for largest size. Adjusted stitch count at underarm by removing two extra sts to waste yarn on each side. Took up the extra sts when grafting. Knitted sleeve to 16” from beginning of stockinette to underarm. (Would have been better with another 1.5”.) Knitted a total of 13 rounds in rib for cuffs.

Button bands: Picked up 94 sts on each side. Skipped a stitch after every 6th stitch, which gave perfect spacing. Worked 12 buttonholes, with the last one being 2 sts closer to the previous one than the given 8-st spacing. I couldn’t just leave a long buttonless section on the bottom!

Gauge Musings

swatches (yarn held double)
US10: 12 1/3 sts per 4 inches blocked

US11: 11 sts per 4 inches blocked

pattern gauge: 10 stitches and 14 rows = 4 inches

I wouldn’t mind a slightly denser fabric, but don’t want to knit with thicker yarn on these needles…nor do I want to use bigger needles! My hands ache just thinking about it.

So I’m going to go up to the largest size and give this a try on the US11 needles. I think it will be fine, and even better when the fabric gets a little felted from wear.