OMG! I love this soo much! It turned out exactly as I hoped. Modified pattern for DK and negative ease.

Yarn for pocket is Cephalopod Yarn’s Bird In Hand, PA donated by a fellow Traveller lover.

Final Gauge/Needles: 4.5 sti #8 Knit Picks Wood Circs

Pattern Gauge: 3.75 sti & 5 ri
Yarn recommended Gauge: 5.5 sti on #5
Swatch on #6 metal: 5 sti & 6.5 rows
Swatch on #7 metal: 4.5 sti & 5.75 rows

size 43.25 = 162 st / 4.5 sti = 36
my bust = 37 to 38 so this is up to 2” -ease

CO 136 for 30” cowl
knit until piece measured 12”

6/3/13: 15” below split for arms, put on waste yarn to check length and ease around my large hips. Did one extra increase.

5/21/13: Approaching hip increases, winding 4th skein. Starting hip increases at 10” below arms because my arms are higher than pattern recommends (based the 10” on my actual body measurement) due to a negative-ease fit as opposed to the positive-ease in the original pattern.

5/8/13: Slow going, just because I’ve been busy. Have been trying it on as I go, first checking to see if I would need to do bust adjustment, didn’t need to. Pattern says start decrease 2” below split for arms which I changed to about 4” (I have big bewbs and my version is more fitted, ie armpit hits just under natural armpit)

3/1/13: yoke adjustments for dk: Decrease round: k1 k2tog 144 stitches = 96 st. Next row k7 k2 tog* = 84
Place markers as follows: k 35, pm, k7, pm, k 35, pm, k7 p bor. follow pattern until 244 stitches and yoke meausres 7 3/4”

2/25/13: Switched to #8 square, wanted a looser gauge and thought the cowl needed to be drappy-er. The .25 sti change in gauge = 2 extra inches which brings me up to pattern circumference of 34” (cast on with 32” in mind), feel good about the swap on the run. Did alternate needles for several rows and the change isn’t visible to the eye.

2/19/13: Midnight Maths - ouch. So was hoping to just follow the pattern for a large size, but the cowl is all one size so I do have to adjust for CO, cowl decrease and then adjust my yoke increases. Debating + ease or - ease, pattern is written for neg but designer does not have the curves I do. I think negative ease is risky on a curvy women: negative ease it is. Next concern is will the cowl have enough structure in a dk? I think she’s using a larger needle to give it more drape and body, but whole garment is going to be drappy-er so I’m going to stick with #7.

2/14/13: Just got my yarn today and I am so excited, and so nervous. This pattern calls for aran weight, but I really want a light-weight version. I’m going to attempt knitting it with a DK weight knit up in a worsted gauge. Aran to DK is a big jump, I’ll have to plan and measure and math carefully. Wish me luck …

she used Traveller as well, 4.25 on #8 and looks fine.
And this one using a #10 for cowl #9 body (cowl is too loose)