Big thanks to Isabell and Janine for allowing me to test knit this sweater, I was thrilled to bits when I got the test call!

This will be a personalised sweater, including family names, initials, (not forgetting to include Snowy the Zebra Finch). I love the idea that everyone knitting this pattern will have a totally individual sweater…

8th March: Did a test swatch last night and got perfect gauge with 4mm needles, both sts and rows. It’s unusual for me to get the exact gauge on row count.

9th March: I think I got carried away with the purling, it’s looking too busy, but it’s really quite hard to see when it’s on a small needle. I’ll carry on until the body/sleeve split and then take a decision…

10th March: I frogged it all…right back to the cast on. After knitting to the sleeve/body separation I took a proper look and decided it looked much nicer further down, so I knew I wasn’t going to be happy with the top. OK, let’s start again.

11th March: Just split the body/sleeves on the second attempt, now I’m happy…
I’m using longer runs and spacing them out more; they were too short at the top, easily done with the small stitch count.

15th March: Cast off body, weight=232g (580m)

17th March, Neck and 1 sleeve done, weight=279g (698m)

19th March: both sleeves and neck done, finished weight=328g (820m)

I found it helpful to put it on a longer cable as soon as I could, so I could see what was going on with the pattern. Also, to stop and take a look from further away every now and then.

My essential knitting tools …
Point protectors, for when I stretch out my knitting to take a look at it from a distance.
An old DPN for laddering down and tweaking sts.
A double ended crochet hook for laddering back up. It makes those purls a breeze!
I laddered down a few times to change something further back.

Mods:
Added extra length to sleeves, 16” before ribbing.
Ribbing on body and sleeves both done on 3.5mm.

Body: 86 rounds after splitting from the sleeves. 20 rounds rib (the last one done in green), then knit 1 round and bind off purlwise.
Sleeve rib done exactly the same as the body rib.

Neck: (done on 3.75mm needle): Pick up 88 sts as pattern, 1 round rib (in green) knit one round and bind off purl wise.

There are a few special letters, done in green at the bottom of the body near one side, and on one arm. I just knitted these in morse as I thought they looked tidier than in purl. I call them the designer labels…one for the yarn supplier, underneath is the pattern designer, and finally I’m the knitter on the sleeve.

Size blocking is chest 40”, length 23¼“, inside sleeve 19”

A couple of things to note on the pattern:
The boxy shape means a bigger than normal cast on under the arms, 16sts for an XS. You don’t need to question it, just trust the pattern…

When working the purl code letters, just work them according to the instructions. You are knitting top down (therefore the jumper is upside down) and the letters are knitted from right to left. When you turn the jumper the right way up you will be reading from left to right, so they will be correct.

Fabulous pattern, great fun to knit and so individual. I can guarantee there’ll never be another one like it…

Enjoyed the test knit so much, hope I can join in again sometime…