Initial Thoughts:

• While I’m not impressed by the lack of schematic (this is the case for every Danish pattern I’ve used thus far and is the reason why I so infrequently knit Danish patterns), the instructions are very clear (if brief). I’m particularly impressed by how the short rows shaping is explained (and by how the BOR marker is set at the centre back body which makes the short row shaping easier in magic loop).

• I’m surprised by how few finished objects there are on Ravelry given the pedigree of the designer and the chic wearability of the design. I suppose that knitting in 2x2 rib on tiny needles is a deterrent. Mind you, if you want to be able to knit seemingly endlessly, without having a zillion projects you don’t need at the end of the year, this is a good way to start.

About The Knitting:

• I opted to go down to a 2.75mm needle to create a firmer fabric (swatching details below). If I feel I need more ease at some point, I can inc the needle size or add another raglan increase. I did swatch quite a while ago, and then didn’t start the project till now, so I hope my gauge has stayed stable.

• I’m making the size 3 and my row gauge is smaller than instructed (butI like the fabric I’ve got on the smaller needles). Pattern instructed gauge: 7.5 st and 10R in 1”. KM gauge: 8R and 10.75R in 1”. I might need to make mods re: vertical dimensions as I’m working with a smaller needle that has a slightly shorter gauge. And, if I sense I need more circumference for the bust, I’ll segue to size 4 or increase needle size…

• As of depth at which the instructions indicate sleeve stitches should stop (384st in size 3): My pre-blocked gauge appears to be 38st and 42R in 4”, unblocked and unstretched. Can still stretch to instructed dimensions without being too tight.

• After doing the next 8R of incs on Fr and B only, you’ll be at 6.4” of depth. You’ll want to do another 4-8R before splitting for sleeves, without decreases to - get to approx 7.25” armscye depth. Update: I worked 4 more rounds plain and then split for sleeves.

400st - 88st (Sl A) - 88st (Sl B) + 8st + 8st (pickup at each underarm) = 240st at start of body after splitting for sleeves.

Note: I’m going to knit the sleeves first and then block the entire jumper to see how it relaxes. After that, I’ll determine how many front body increases to make between start of split for sleeves and full bust… As of this point, I’ve knitted the size 3 without any alterations and I don’t intend to alter the sleeves…

Sleeves: Start out with 96st = 88st + 8st cast on when joining the sleeve.

• Hilariously - and I never do this - I put this project down for about a month, thinking that I’d remember what to do (and having written notes in a notebook that I then forgot to bring on vacation with me). So I had to go back and read my work. That took a while…

• I’ve effectively determined that, at my row gauge, I should repeat the decreases every 9th round to get to ~17.5” - 18” at 56st circumference (wrist circ), which is shorter than instructed. In light of this, I’ve been decreasing at even intervals that are diff than those rec in pattern That means, (Dec R, K8) repeated should get me to 56st before the sleeve has reached the desired length for me. See new notes scrawled on the pattern itself… I’ll knit ~17.5” and then put yarn on hold till after blocking. (At that point, I’ll bind off, having made sure first that the sleeves wouldn’t be a smidge too long or short.) I also don’t think I’ll be playing yarn chicken on the body of the sweater - now on hold - but it’s hard to know. Wait a sec: as this is ribbing with lots of stretch, I want to ensure that things won’t shrink more vertically (as the fabric stretches around the circ of my arm). I think I prob want to knit to 18.5” before putting the st on hold… Note: Tried this on (pre-blocking) and the length looks good…

• At my gauge, getting to 18.5” depth of sleeve took 183R (before blocking)…

About the ChiaoGoo Spin / swivel cords: I was so excited to try these because I do love a swivel cord but these are sadly horrible - at least in the smaller sizes of the small cable needle group - because the cable is too unsubstantive and the stitches catch when the cable hits the swivel join. When I casted on the underarm stitches I could barely work the row because the new (backwards loop) stitches just wouldn’t slide from the exceedingly thin cord (way thinner than the red cords and NO memory) onto the swivel join - to say nothing of them sliding over the join between the swivel and the needle. It took me an hour to fix with serious frustration. I may try these cords with my larger small cable needles (like US5 and US6) but I sense the distinction between the cord gauge and the joins may still be a problem. Live and learn.

Gauge Swatching:

Preblocked - 2.75mm: I was able to stretch this to 30st x 40R but I wouldn’t want to go any smaller in needles than this, and I like this fabric a lot. May alter size, as necessary, to stick with this gauge of fabric.

Postblocked - 2.75mm: 32st and 43R in 4” (this is when the yarn bounced back after unpinning/blocking) While I like this fabric, I may swatch with rec needle size (3mm) to see if I get gauge and like that fabric…

Update - when knitting sweater my (pre-blocked) gauge changed to 39R in 4”. Based on my other swatches, this will shrink a little bit but not much…

Post-blocked - 3mm: 32st and 42R in 4” with less need to stretch the swatch. Didn’t measure pre-blocking because I knew it would stretch to the desired dimensions.

The 3mm swatch stretches to 6” at tightest pull and the 2.75mm swatch stretches to 5.5” at tightest pull…