03-29-2017

Firstly, on the pattern page it says 10mm hook (N/P), on the pattern PDF it says 9mm hook (N). The large hook is for the lower torso and sleeve cuff slip stitch ribbing. I first used the 9mm hook (N) and my gauge was 15sts in 4in. On the pattern gauge is 13sts in 4in. with an ‘N’ hook. With the 10mm hook (N/P), my stitch gauge is 12sts. I don’t remember what my row gauge was for the 9mm, but I know that it wasn’t working out right. My row gauge for the 10mm is 10 rows in 4in. On the pattern, row gauge is 10 rows in 4in with an ‘N’ hook. All gauge measurements for the slip stitch ribbing is measured unstretched. I will continue with the 10mm hook since it is closest to the pattern gauge and the row gauge is most important for the width/fit of the lower torso ribbing. My gauge for the stitches made the piece longer, which is ok.

Also, in row 1 of the upper torso, the ending stitch count is supposed to be 106 for the sm/med size, but the shell stitch pattern is a repeat of 6 stitches, so the stitch count should be 108 using a 6.50mm hook (K).

03-30-2017

I got 102 rows to get the 22in. unstretched needed for the sm/med size for the width of the lower torso. Since that is a multiple of 6, I will use that count for row 1 of the upper torso too. I am very small busted anyway, less than the 32 bust size in the 32-34 bust for the sm/med size in the pattern, so I’ll see how that works out for me.

03-31-2017

I am kinda disappointed with the way the seam on the lower torso turned out. I followed the pattern directions of slip stitching the back loop only (BLO) of the last and 1st rows together to make a tube and it makes a weird seam lump and a “flat” area that breaks up the ribbing, and if I turn it inside-out it looks like about an inch worth of purls surrounded by ribbing as if it were knit instead of crocheted. I tried the slip stitch seaming a few different ways, short of actually cutting the yarn and sewing it together which I did not want to do, before going back to the way it was written. I am going to assume and hope that the seam will end up on the side under an arm, or at least center back.

Now on to the upper torso.

The 102 count worked out for my upper torso, except I had to add shoulders to the back to make the armhole a little bigger. I pinned the shoulder seams to try it on before seaming together and found the armholes were a bit too tight. The seam in the ribbing is a bit off though, it turned out to be just behind the left underarm. I wish I would have thought to just join at the top corners and continue row 1 of the upper torso, then just sew together later. I thought of it while working on the sleeve cuff ribbing.

For the sleeve cuff, I used the 10mm hook same as the lower torso, and only did 30 rows because I have small arms. I then crocheted evenly 42 sc for row 1 of the upper sleeve instead of the written 45 sc, because 42 is a multiple of 6 for the shell pattern.

One more sleeve to go. I’ve been trying it on as I go and it seems to fit fine, except the seam under the right arm seems a bit uncomfortable, but that could be my fault for poor sewing.

I’m not really sure how I feel about this sweater yet. I can see things in it that I wish I could have done better or even different, and I’m hoping that the yarn will relax some after the first washing to get rid of some of the “lumps” where the lower and upper torso meets. I know that Caron One Pound gets much softer after washing.