Mar 27: I finished this sweater a few weeks ago and have even worn it a few times since then, but just now getting around to taking proper pictures of it.

This was my first ‘real’ sweater and my first time following a chart. After it’s all been said and done, I have to say that it was a HUGE challenge for me, but I learned SO much doing it. When I first started the yoke, I didn’t realize charts were written to be followed from the bottom to the top. I had read about following them from right to left, then left to right, etc., but I somehow skipped over the part that talks about beginning a chart from the bottow, up. Doh! This caused me such a headache and I frogged and reknit 5 rows of 200+ more than 15 times.

After giving my mind a rest and putting the needles down on this project for an entire week, I finally came back to the sweater with fresh eyes and that’s when I realized my mistake in following the chart (Google saves the day again!).

Once I figured all of this out, it went off like a breeze. Like others, I traded the middle pattern of the yoke for seed stitch only because I think this adapted pattern looks so much nicer in the yoke.

After blocking, I think this sweater is much more suitable for a worsted weight than an aran weight yarn, and I’m thinking of doing it again in Cascade 220. It’s such a lovely sweater!! I really like the mix of the tweedy rustic feel of the yarn and the simple elegance of the pattern.

So, in the end, a great beginning to a hopefully long life of sweater knitting! :)

Feb 4: Just saw this pattern and HAD to start it immediately. I really want to knit it in a fun color, but I don’t want to wait for the yarn to ship. Anyway, I’m almost certain I’ll make another one.