07-05-2021

I’m back on track now. Despite having practiced the pattern ahead of time, I managed to mire myself in a mistake I was unable to recover from. I ripped it out and re-knit. Messed up again. Ripped and tried a third time. This time around I am using stitch markers after every repeat to keep track of where I am. I also inserted some lifelines. I’m feeling much better about it!

07-06-2021

Successfully completed two more pattern repeats. It’s starting to look like something!

07-23-2021

Separated the sleeves from the body today. Adjusted numbers to work an in-between size due to gauge.
(Cast on for an XXL but stopped pattern repeat at XL size, losing two increase rows or 16 stitches.)
Back: 91 st
Sleeve: 61 st
Front: 91 st
Sleeve: 61 st
Cast on 12 stitches at each underarm.
91 + 91 + 12 + 12 = 103 stitches for body.
Proceed with pattern as follows: k3, A2 pattern 16 times, k4, k103. Continue for 1.5 inches, then begin a-line increases.

07-31-2021

I started the A-line increases yesterday.

I’ve been knitting two rows a day, but at this rate it will take another month just to finish the body. I knit four rows today and will see if I can keep that rate up and maybe have it done by the end of August. It mostly depends on how big it gets towards the bottom, but I don’t think this is as flared as the last couple of sweaters I knit.

08-06-2021

I’ve been keeping up the four rows a day this week, so it’s coming along at a decent pace. Just finished my third of six balls of yarn, so I marked the project 50% finished, but I think I’m probably further along than that. I’m almost halfway through the body, and the sleeves only get about one pattern repeat more before garter and BO. The end is in sight!

I really love this piece. The Cotton Supreme is so soft and cuddly, the lace is pretty as well as easy, the stockinette front is modest (!) as well as giving my concentration a break every round. And it’s actually knitting up pretty fast -- I’m not putting hours in every day, just working steadily but I definitely am seeing results.

08-17-2021

Finished and BO’d the body yesterday.

Picked up stitches for one sleeve and knitted to length per the pattern instructions (3/4 in; I did a full pattern repeat which was one inch). Take a look. I’m sharing these two photos, taken from a very unflattering angle, in order to show a distinct and unanticipated problem with this pattern. Armholes way too deep and wide.

Raglan is known to create droopy armholes, wide sleeves, and a overall baggy body. I get that, and that’s one reason to like it -- it’s so comfortable. But if you compare the pattern page photo to this, there is no indication that the sleeve is going to be so wide. And it’s too late to do much about it, as far as I know, because I would have had to make changes back when I was doing the yoke. And, by the way, I did stop the yoke one size smaller than the size I was knitting, although that was partly to adjust gauge. My gauge did work -- the bust measures within 1/2 inch of the size I was going for (smaller than the last two sweaters I knit).

I think I will keep knitting until the sleeve is about elbow length, perhaps with some decreases, to fix this as best I can at this late stage. This is disappointing, partly because I am going out of town this weekend and wanted to take this sweater with me (to wear, not to work on!). With other things that need to be done, I’m no longer sure I’ll finish this in time.

08-31-2021

SLEEVE SOLUTION

I’ve returned to this project. Finished the first sleeve. I did two full pattern repeats, then on the third repeat for row 5, starting two stitches before the round, I ssk the last two stitches before the BOR marker and k2tog the first two stiches of round 5. Then I omitted all the yo’s in round 5. I think the total decrease was thirteen stitches. Then the next round I knit onto size US 7 needles as the first row of the 2 garter ridges. Completed the garter stitch section on size US 7 needles. Used a size 8 dpn to BO.

Tried it on. I love the way the sleeve fits now!

Took a break, now on to the second sleeve.

09-01-2021

DONE! I finished the second sleeve today then wove in the ends. I will wash and dry it in lieu of blocking, since that’s how I’ll usually be caring for the garment. I’ll get photos later. YAY!!

09-01-2021

RE: ADDING PATTERN REPEATS TO BODY

Ugh. I was never very happy with how I added the pattern repeats.

Looking over the pattern photos (https://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=8623&cid=17) I noticed early on that a full pattern repeat seemed to be added at the side, giving a stairstep look. I thought at that time, why don’t I just ease in the new patterns half a repeat or so at a time, like in the yoke? I still think that’s the best solution, but I had a difficult time doing it on the fly. My suggestion is, if you want to do that, to chart it or at least make detailed notes. I just wrote the word “add” next to the rows where I thought I would have six new stitches, but adding the repeat was more complicated than that.

The pattern says “every time 6 new stitches are increased in each side work 2 repetitions more in width on back piece.” That’s pretty much what I did, so as always, following the instructions gets the best results.

But you also had to keep in mind the yo’s that went down the side. I kept thinking, next row I’ll add a repeat, but for one reason or another I’d change my mind. I found that it was easiest for me to wait until I had six or more extra stitches, then wait till I got to row 5 of the pattern to add my repeat. I don’t think this is the only solution, but it’s what worked easiest for me.

Also, it was weird because the BOR marker is at the center of the underarm stitches. It seems like a logical place to put the marker, but I remember that created some weirdness.

If anyone comes up with a cleverer solution or a chart for the back, let me know!