04-14-2025

Directions a bit confusing… are there 2 rows of squares before starting the neck or 3? The pictures (both sketch AND the finished sweater) looks like 3! And… why does it say to add additional rows in pairs? Just rotate the circle …. I suppose the bottom points would be “off” - but WHO would know! I think I would prefer to NOT have an arrow pointing to my crotch, to be honest! LOL

04-27-2025

Used next smaller sized needle for upper rows of diamonds (per notes from another knitter - Ravelry!) and so pleased to combat saggy shoulders/neckline syndrome! Looks like I could have added another row of Diamond before starting neck/ shoulder rows - but I was worried about running out of yarn… probably could make 6 more and attach to the bottom when I get neck and sleeves finished… ( making note to search through other projects to see if someone else tried this? ). This has been a good ADHD friendly project the right balance of “Carrot and Stick”! I am already planning to do another one for my Daughter(s)….

05-05-2025

I DID add just one extra row to lengthen it…

Also - Figured out how to do the ‘closing’ triangles of the outside shoulder strap by picking up both sides of the two adjoining squares and then knitting halfway across (the front one) minus 1 stitch and then knit two together at the beginning of the right side row after turning to join one stitch each row… it’s not perfect - but it was a whole lot nicer looking than when I tried to ‘seam them together’ like the directions stated.

05-09-2025

Decided to do back triangle “as written” (which was confusing, imho). Neck ribbing is 12 rows instead of ..

05-10-2025

Realized when I started casting on the back that I didn’t mirror the connecting triangles, so it didn’t have an obvious front/back. Wasn’t worth redoing. In actuality, I think the neck ribbing could’ve been done 1st - but maybe a little more complicated, but would make it easier to do a full square at that junction - perhaps facing down to the hands or up towards the shoulders instead of front/back orientation? NOTE to self for next time!

Still pretty short, but would probably be facing ‘yarn chicken’ if I had added another row of squares. I have about 1-1/2 balls left at this point (started out with 8/1,300 yards). I used approximately 1 ball/164 yds +/- for each 6 square row for 42” diameter.

Used size 2 (next smaller) for ribbing.

Looked over sleeve ‘options’ of other finishers. Some of the shoulders appear to be wider than mine and draper over the shoulder - but mine are pretty narrow, so I want to expand on basic ‘cap sleeve’… although I would love to continue mitred square pattern - the 1/2 triangle closure

05-11-2025

I got initial short-row top of sleeve done this morning… continued increasing a little on either side - but the resulting inset sleeve doesn’t look like it’s narrow enough. looking at other top-down/set-in sleeve reduction ratios and it seeeeeems like I’m on the right path. Thinking of what a sewing pattern sleeve looks like - with the bell-shaped top - and thinking that knitted fabric is more forgiving than woven fabric. I think I’m over-thinking this. I just want it to look ‘OK’.

05-25-2025

Sleeve construction/mod notes (AKA I have mature (flappy) upper-arms!)

Approx sleeve circumference: 18 inches… gauge 6 sts/inch (x 18 inches) = 108 stitches
Picked up 84 sts then Knit/Increase for 2 sts every 7 sts.
(k2, incr, k3, incr = 9 sts/6 sts)
Short row:
As written: from center marker: +/- 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 21…

then continue (in k 5 rows/p 1 row ridge)

25, 29, 34, 40, 47, 54 - which meets at the underarm marker.

Continued in 5/1 ridge pattern - with k1, ssk, k to 3rd from underarm marker, k2 tog, k1…
On rows 1, 3, and 5 until there are 88 total then without decreases until ‘long enough’ (I had 11 + 2 ridges from shoulder to bottom of sleeve - about 8 inches?) and then add an additional k row and p row… then bound off in stretchy bind-off k row (the one with the additional reverse yo added to each bound off stitch)..

Might need to lightly steam block this because it’s still a little puffy after wet-blocking due to the acrylic component of the yarn - making the ‘acrylic’ fibers a little less springy to match the cotton fibers.

But REALLY thrilled with the whole project!!!!