11.23.2009 The sweater is for my son, coincidentally in his school colors, as pictured in the black/red/natural colorway.

4.11.2010 The colorwork was so much fun, that now I’m considering making a DON sweater with more colorwork patterning in it. Only the black stockinette (or stocking) stitch on size US 2 needles was boring.

Thanks to the knitters in the Dale of Norway Knits Group on Ravelry for talking me through this one. It definitely helps to have experienced knitters to answer questions when making one of these sweaters for the first time. Some knowlege is assumed by the pattern writer that I do not have.

4.17.2010, Woo hoo, it’s finished! (Or at least I thought it was finished.)

4.20.2010 Blocking. The overall sleeve length from the center back to the wrist is less than I anticipated. Unfortunately the quality of the photo for sleeve seams in the Vancouver book is unclear. After setting in the sleeves I saw a clearer photo and explanation on DON’s recommended sleeve seaming in an older DON pattern book.

5.15.2010 fitting results: The sweater fits except that the lower sleeves from the wrist to the elbow are too snug, and could benefit from being slightly longer. This is most likely because the wearer is tall, and I used a size to fit closely through the body. It is also possible that my gauge is tighter on double pointed needles than on circular needles.

Sleeve fitting tip: If your wearer is slim and tall, you may wish to use one size for the body, and a larger size of pattern instructions for the sleeve length.

5.18.2010 I have cut and removed the lower section of sleeve below the colorwork. After picking up the live stitches immediately below the color work, I am knitting down the lower sleeves to the cuff. I am using slightly larger dpns, 3.25mm, and one size larger cuff (with larger dpns, size 2.75mm, for the ribbed cuff) from the pattern instructions. I have calculated the number and placement of sleeve decreases using the “more or less right” formula from the book Sweater 101 by Cheryl Brunette.

5.29.2010 I am blocking the sweater for the second time. The lower sleeves do appear longer and larger around. Hopefully this will be the correct fit.

5.31.2010 It fits!