Modifications

• Because the yarn I used was less bulky than the suggested yarn (around 17 stitches x 26 rows per 4 inches), I used size 5 to get the size 1 bust. But I started with more number of stitches than the number specified for size 5 to get a bigger waist & hip size as follows:

Cast on 128 stitches
Decreased 4 stitches evenly after finishing ribbing -> 124 stitches
Decreased 16 stitches for back waist decreases -> 108 stitches
Increased 16 stitches for back waist increases -> 124 stitches
Increased 8 stitches for side increases -> 132 stitches (thus reached the number of stitches for size 5)

• I made the body length about an inch longer, by adding several rounds before starting waist decreases.

• I wrote above that I had increased 16 stitches for back waist increases, but to say the truth, I increased 12 stitches for back waist increases and shifted the remaining 4 stitches to the sides -- I increased 1 stitch at each side twice (every 3 rows). (I did back wait decreases every 5 rows, knit 4 rows, and then did back wait increases every 6 rows.)

• The reason I shifted 4 stitch increases to the sides is that I feared the puffiness some people were complaining of. But I’m not sure it was really necessary. The puffiness in the back may be prevented just by making a sweater with an inch or more negative ease as suggested in the pattern instruction or omitting one decrease/increase set for waist shaping. (I also considered if I should shift all decreases/increases to the sides, as many people are doing, but I wanted to follow the back waist decreases/increases, which I think is an important feature of this pattern)

• I changed the owl pattern and purled the first and last stitches instead of purling the first 2 stitches, so that the owls are located symmetrically (Size 5 has 20 owls, so just doing this allocates the owls to their right positions)

• I added several rounds before starting the owl pattern. I also changed the instructions for yoke decreases and short rows for the neckline; I didn’t follow the instruction for size 5 for yoke decreases (“k3, k2tog, 18 times. K one more round”), but proceeded to short rows (90 stitches at this point) and done 3 sets of short rows instead of 2. After that I decreased 6 stitches evenly (-> 84 stitches).

• For owl eyes, I added only 1 set of eyes, but used buttons of a bigger size (1cm shell buttons and 4mm black plastic buttons for pupils)

• I’m quite happy with the result. I feared that the sweater would be too tight, but wearing it, I’ve found it’s not so tight as to be uncomfortable. It just fits snugly!

(I hope my English is not so terrible…^^;)