This pattern is super easy and quick! The pattern does not list a gauge, but all you have to do is knit with whatever yarn and size needles gives you a nice fabric, and continue in patt for the first piece until the bottom edge is the correct size for the front lower hem.

Couldn’t find any yarns in my stash that were

a. variegated
b. in large enough quantities
c. looked good in this pattern
d. summery (contained cotton or bamboo)

so I went for this yarn that’s more appropriate for fall. It has a slight shimmer and is a lovely variegated jewel toned yarn, so it should still be quite pretty!

With my chunky yarn (it’s listed as bulky, but it’s not quite that heavy) and size 7 needles, the bottom edge was 17” with only 101 sts on the needles. It should be fine, though I may have to pick up and knit a band around the bottom hem in the event that this makes the top too short. I have a feeling that it will “frame” the diagonal construction nicely if it comes to that.

46 sts at neckline at completion of section 2 on front piece.

After knitting sections 1-3 and was ready to knit the neckline, I was dissatisfied with how loose the stitches were from the upper edges of parts 2 and 3. I tried using a twisted knit stitch and knitting the stitch together with the garter ridge / bump below it, but neither looked the way I wanted it to. Finally I ended up binding off all the neckline stitches, picking up sts from a row of garter ridges / bumps, and knitting from there. It’s still not perfect (I needed to pick up a different bump for each side) but it’s much better and I think I’m probably the only one who will notice it now, whereas I thought it looked pretty bad before.

Can you say MODS?! Short row shaping to square off shoulder straps, (k to 2 sts before end, w&t, knit to 2 sts before other end, p2tog, continue doing w&t 1 st sooner than row prior) and added a garter band at hem. Knit an identical hemline band for the back panel, then switched to size 10 needles and st st to knit main back panel. Neckline band will also be in garter st and size 7 needles.

9.11.10 Yay! After putting this aside for a few weeks since I ran out of yarn, a fellow raveler helped me out and sent me her ball in this colorway! It arrived today, so maybe I’ll knock this top out tomorrow with the rainy sunday in the forecast? :)

12.28.10 Well this didn’t get finished till yesterday, due to all the baby knitting, then the Christmas knitting, that I had to accomplish over the past couple of months. It’s blocking now, and hopefully I’ll be able to seam the front to the back and post pics later today!