Test for Jennifer Weissman, this time a sweater with a beautiful lace motif in front and back. The pattern was clear and easy to follow. I’m very happy with the final result.

Deadline: August 5, 2025

Size and gauge:
Size M (size 3, 113 cm), upgraded to size 4 (L) during the yoke but with a tighter gauge: 19 sts/ 30 rows/rounds. Final gauge measured on the body is even tighter than the yoke: 20 sts/ 29 rows/rounds. The reason was my tighter knitting and that the yarn did shrink during washing.
So, my body and sleeves are tighter than in pattern, but the length measurements are similar.

Needles:
Main needle: 4.0 mm.
Smaller needle: 3.5 mm

Needles and gauge:
I started with needle 4.0 mm working flat, and planned to change to a 4.5 mm needle for working in the round. I thought I was working in the round with 4.5 mm needles, but I had measured my needles wrong, so I actually worked with 4.0 mm needles, and my stitch gauge got tighter than intended.
My body gauge washed and dry is 19 sts and 30 rows/ rounds.
The back length did shrink back to from 23 to 20 cm (likely 30 sts in round count), so I needed to work 12 extra rnds before separating body and sleeves after having worked the chart repeats as in pattern. I continued with needle 4.0 mm though it’s tighter, and went up one size in stitch count to get my size, by working 3 more increase rnds and then 4 rnds straight (ending with chart rnd 6). This gave 3 chart repeats + 6 rnds total before separating.

Calculations and measurements:
Calculations for the length measurements:
30 rows/ rnds = 10 cm
3 rows/ rnds = 1 cm
1 row/ rnd = 0.33 cm
1 chart repeat = 8 rnds = 2.66 cm

Body length washed before working the hem: 50 cm.

Progress notes and ribbing:
I started the neck before the sleeves, and after some decreases, I had a total stitch amount of 110 sts around.
I used a standard Bind-off for the neck since my yarn is quite stiff, I was afraid it might flare otherwise. The hem was worked as written, it’s on the looser side, but stretches out together with the ribbing when worn.
Sleeve ribbing was lengthened by 1.5 cm, see below.

• Hem ribbing: 14 rnds.
• Sleeve rnds after last decrease, before the ribbing: 8 rnds.
• Sleeve ribbing: 20 rnds (9 cm) because the sleeves needed extra length.

Techniques:
The bind-off described in pattern is the decrease bind-off. Here is a video for a 1x1 rib:
https://youtu.be/NBMe3NTMYWs?si=w209XTCEpbG_3tvr

Test thread

Yarn:
ROMEO BABY ALPAKKA BOMULL
Start weight: 819 g incl. cone (after swatching for Rising Lotus sweater). Cone weight is probably 50 g, so real start weight is 769 g (excl. cone) = 1 768,7 m.
Note: This yarn is shrinking after washing, especially lengthwise.

Used amounts:
274 g used for body and neck (495 g left incl. cone).
67 g used for 1st sleeve (428 g left incl. cone).
67 g used for 2nd sleeve (360 g left incl. cone.

459 g used total = 1056 m
(Stash left afterwards: 360 g incl. cone; 310 g excl cone = about 713 m left)

Test needs:

Please create a project page for your sweater that includes:

• Size and gauge: Size M (size 3, 113 cm), upgraded to size 4 (L) during the yoke but with a tighter gauge: 19 sts/ 30 rows/rounds. Final gauge measured on the body is even tighter than the yoke: 20 sts/ 29 rows/rounds.

• Yarn used and quantity: ROMEO BABY ALPAKKA BOMULL (not on Ravelry). 42% baby alpakka, 47% bomull, 4% extrafine merino, 7% polyamid. 50 GRAM = ca. 115 m. Used total: 1056.0 meters (1154.9 yards), 459 grams.

• Needle sizes: US 4 - 3.5 mm; US 6 - 4.0 mm (main needle).

• Sweater measurements: 1: Bust Circumference: 102 cm (due to tighter gauge, 11 cm narrower than planned size). / 2: Waist Circumference: Same as bust circumference. / 3: Hip Circumference: Same as bust circumference. / 4: Armhole Depth: 26 cm. / 5: Body Length (back neck to hem): 57 cm incl. ribbing. / 6: Sleeve Inseam: 42 cm. / 7: Upper Sleeve Circumference: 34 cm, measured right below raglan. / 8: Cuff Circumference: 22 cm.

• Several clear photos of your finished, blocked sweater (off the blocking boards)

• Link to the pattern on Ravelry once the pattern has been released.