12-24-2021

This pattern doesn’t go out of its way to avoid ends. There are quite a few around the shoulders that I determined could be eliminated with some creative graphing and short rows. So I planned out something to try, and it ended up working great! So both the front and back pieces are a single piece, and I was even able to do the shoulder bind-offs and neckline + bind-off without cutting the yarn from the front! Pretty pleased with myself.

12-30-2021

It’s done! This was a fun, quick project after the forever-long mittens. I love the end result, but wow, this pattern was constantly irritating me. It felt very much like a tear-off pattern from the yarn aisle of Michael’s, keeping the skills needed to the bare minimum (granted, there is absolutely a time and place for that!). The design is great, but with a bit more planning it could totally be made with no side seams. I did change how to attach the back triangles, and then redid the top shoulder/neckline construction with short rows, eliminating a bunch of unnecessary ends. I also added decreases to the sides of the lace, and then seamed it into the sides. I prefer it like this, but am not entirely sure what the pattern wanted me to do.

If I were to make this top again, I’d also raise up the back neckline and drop the front a row or two, to adjust the fit. I think the intention was for them to be symmetrical so you could wear it in either direction, but I really don’t imagine ever flipping it around. It might be fun to rewrite or make an alternate design of this top sometime!

Total time: 62 hrs, 7 min