Curse, schmurse: I started knitting a sweater for my boyfriend (how husband!) on our third date.

Okay, fine…in the interest of full disclosure, this third date? Actually lasted over two weeks, courtesy of one conveniently-timed snowstorm.

Eight hundred square feet.
Two people.
One cat allergy.
Two cats.

If we could survive cabin fever, then we could survive anything. Especially a sweater curse.

Knit in Elann’s Den-M-Knit, which - per the label - has a shrinkage rate of about 10-15%. The pattern was your classic top-down raglan. I cast on 88 stitches, knit in 2x2 rib for an inch, increased for about 12” (measured along increase line) then slid the armhole stitches onto scrap yarn. Pre-shrinkage, the body length was 28” (plus 1-1/2” 2x2 rib along the hem) and the sleeve length was 29” (plus 2” worth of 2x2 rib for the cuff). Post-shrinkage, the body measures 24” (plus 1” worth of hem-rib) and the sleeves are 26” (plus slightly under 2” worth of cuff rib).