Gauge swatch for consideration of the Montrouge Cardigan in Test Knitter Forum HERE. Due End of August.

Have 6.5 balls of a yarn which is not listed in the Ravelry database: 153 yards/50 gram ball. (Approx 995 yards total).

Using my new Knitter’s Pride Cubics Circular Knitting Needle - absolutely in love with the way this needle works with this yarn.

21-Jul-13: original skein weight 47 grams - used 39 for BACK (8 grams left).

22-Jul-13: original skein weight 47 grams - used 15 grams for RIGHT FRONT (32 grams left).

23-Jul-13: original skein weight 16 grams used for LEFT FRONT. After re-knitting the left front twice - I have come to the conclusion that the Front Left Band and the Right Front Band pattern rows must ALSO match and not just the lace pattern row. The left front has 1 less row for increases than the right front. To make the pattern match at the underarms, I ripped back to the rows before the increases and added more rows until I was at the right “stopping” pattern rows (both the front band pattern row and the lace pattern row) after completing the increases.

26-Jul-13: After finally getting ALL the pieces to be at the same pattern row for left front panel, back lace, and right front panel, the pieces were all connected. See second photo for the body under the armholes all connected. Another skein added 48 grams at approx. 3” below underarms.

29-Jul-13: finished the waist decreases - need another skein at 48 grams.

04-Aug-13: Finished the hip increases at exactly row 12 - since the designer’s sweater (size 36) shows 11 button holes and mine (size 38) only has 10 at this point, I will STOP here. When I begin the final bottom border I will work through one more pattern repeat on the front cables ending with 11 button holes. Using the remaining of 23 grams & the gauge swatch (10 grams) in order to keep 2 full skeins (48 grams each) for the sleeves.

05-Aug-13: Bound off the body tonight with 6 grams remaining from the partial skein and did NOT need to undo the gauge swatch. Bound off with size 8 needle loosely.

07-Aug-13: Added 2 new photos of the finished body. The yardstick in the back photo should show at 21.5” in length but the angle of the camera does not allow the viewer to see the markings. The hip measurement is off a little since the sweater needs blocking to open up the lace and widen the width. Tried on the sweater and I love that the armholes are deep enough - can’t wait to add sleeves.

10-Aug-13: very long week of work and very little energy for knitting afterwards so I am just starting the sleeves today. Designer clarified instructions for picking up stitches for sleeves as 1 out of 2 (every other stitch).

15-Aug-13: Worked the neck i-cord using yarn from the gauge swatch.

17-Aug-13: Clarified the wrap & turn row stitch count - Ran out of yarn on the first sleeve and needed a small amount from the gauge swatch.

18-Aug-13: Second sleeve ran out earlier than the first sleeve and I used up the small amount (6 grams) remainder from the body.

All I have left is a partial gauge swatch weighing: 5.5 grams. Total sweater weight 310 grams - approx. 950 yards.

Tried on the sweater and it fits quite snugly right now - needs a good blocking to open up the lace panels and give me just a little more ease. However; the increases and decreases appear to be generally in the right places.

18-Aug-13: Now to find 11 buttons that I like -- going to be difficult to match the yarn color. First trip to JoAnn’s has me finding fake wood colored buttons that I don’t actually care for. Will make another trip with the gauge swatch to try for something better …

19-Aug-13: Sweater soaked in Kukaburra wool wash and blocked to proper measurements - all except the sleeves. My sleeves - worked exactly as pattern was written - block to 14” in length. The extra 1” or so makes them just a bit longer than 3/4-sleeves. Not sure where I went wrong - will let designer know - since the pattern may need adjusting.

20-Aug-13: Returned the fake wood and purchased green plastic flat buttons which my husband doesn’t like.

21-Aug-13: Bronze/brass filigree buttons with shanks provided by my husband - a little on the heavy side for a knit sweater but damn they are pretty.

Posted

TIPS:

1. write down the row numbers for all the patterns not just the lace pattern.
2. Count the lace pattern “holes” to match the left front to the right front.
3. When working the decreases & increases, write down the pattern row for the first decrease and then count ahead in the cable band pattern and write down the rows where the additional decreases will be completed.

(Color of yarn is best shown in first gauge swatch photo.)