03-29-2025

Finished, with multiple tweaks. Started entire sweater over on 3/3.

Firstly, my gauge was off because I didn’t like the fabric with a US 6. Mine was 28 sts to 4”.

Next, width of neckline was too narrow for the XL size—proportions are wrong. Re-cast on with 222 sts and worked 2.75 inches before joining. (If you were working at gauge, you’d cast on 184.) This made neckline width about 11” (full width across shoulders 15”; more to come on this). Drape became much nicer, as well.

I had to try the join twice because I found the directions confusing for some reason. I took a photo as I joined the correct way and will upload here.

Because of both the gauge difference and increase in collar stitches, yoke setup row then became:
k 53, pm, k1, pm, m1L, k 74, m1R, pm, k1, pm, turn work.

If you were working at gauge but wanted the wider neckline, yours would be:
k 39, pm, k1, pm, m1L, k 64, m1R, pm, k1, pm, turn work.

I did stop short row repeats at 225 sts as written, because I wanted the body width to remain as designed. Thus: shorter shoulder seam, but longer neckline width to make up for it.

Then I continued as written, EXCEPT:
I added vertical bust darts. Beginning 1.5” down from shoulder seam, I worked matching increases located at 5” out from center of garment. Increases repeated every 3 rows x 14 increase rows for 28 total increase stitches, or 4” increased. I had to work these at the same time as the short rows, which got fiddly.

Ultimately, I ended up with 100 sts for back and 128 for front. I decreased out the extra fabric starting at 2” below where I cast on the underarm stitches, using same every 3 rows 14x on either side of center 10” pattern.

I’m very short, and longer sweaters are not good on me. I only worked after hip increases until body measured 14.5” rather than 22.75”. That would have been over my behind.

I skipped the button band and instead worked a garter hem of 2.5”.

I knit an extra 2” of sleeve length because sleeves closer to elbow length are better on me.

A couple of notes on the pattern:
In the sleeve & body increases, it says “Alrer rounds 5 and 6 (x) times more.” This should say Repeat rather than Alter.

Hip increase row is written as:
sm (beg of round), k to 4 sts before marker, m1R, k3, work the side seam stitch, sm, k3, m1L; repeat once from, k to end.

This means the increases are worked with a buffer of 3 sts on either side of the side seam. However, the decreases were written with only 2 buffer sts on either side. I believe this was an error, and I wanted the decreases and increases to be vertically aligned so I changed this to:
sm (beg of round), k to 3 sts before marker, m1R, k2, work the side seam stitch, sm, k2, m1L; repeat once from, k to end.

Very happy with how this came out, though I may need to tumble dry it a bit after blocking. It grew more than I’d anticipated for, but it fit perfectly before I got it wet.

02-27-2025

Making the 46” because my high bust is 45.5”.

I seem to be having a heck of a time with reading comprehension and this pattern (not to mention getting distracted and forgetting to slip the side stitches). I keep thinking the designer made a mistake and then realizing my brain isn’t turned on.

Currently frogging back a 75% finished sweater because I’m not liking how the neckline lays and because I decided I need bust darts--my giant bustline is pulling the sleeve openings forward. Fit through the shoulders and sleeves is great, though.