St st swatch (4 mm needles)
Unblocked Gauge: 17.5 sts & 26 rows = 10cm
Blocked Gauge: 18 sts & 26 rows = 10cm

I’m uncertain how I feel about this piece. I really love the yarn (Ultra Alpaca really is my go-to worsted weight yarn), but admittedly the twist feels somewhat constricting and I am often re-adjusting the piece. My uncertainity is by no means a reflection on the pattern or the designer - I bought the pattern on sight without realizing that the ‘twist’ was part of the shell and not just an artifact of the model’s stance in the photos. Had I realized this I likely would not have purchased the pattern for myself as it’s not really ‘me’.
Additionally the finishing for this piece is intense - I spent two nights seaming and sewing in ribbon.
I would recommend to others intending to knit this piece to take the time to adjust the pattern so that it is knit in the round to the armholes and/or pick-up sts along the bottom edge of the shell for the herringbone waist band, rather then knitting all of the pieces separately and seaming.

That said the pattern is a very simple, quick knit and is well written and error-free. I really like the ‘funnel neck’ and herringbone waist band.

09/29/2011 - Completed the front…now onto the back. Very clear, well written instructions. At the rate this piece is coming along I expect it should be finished next week sometime.

10/10/2011 - Progress was slowed slightly due to my focus on Midnight sky. All the pieces have been knit and are now being blocked. I’ll stop by Mokuba tomorrow to buy the ribbon for the armholefacings and to stabilize the bottom edge of the herringbone band (it seems to be curling… hmmmm).