Pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, I’m using DK, so I’m following the 18 month size for stitch count, but 12 month size for inches.

This pattern hood seems small, so I cast on 81 stitches instead of 70 to my size 4 needle with an F hook. Provisional crochet cast on as described here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqWfea8oOH8. When I joined my real yarn, I left a 60” tail to do my 3nbo later, which was plenty. On the last 6 stitches of the 3nbo, I k2tog 3 times to help reduce point.

Neck decreases - I wanted 6 extra stitches (3 on each front) to allow for button bands to cross over (I’m not using ties, but realized later that the pattern is written for bands to cross over, oh well, I don’t think the extra will hurt.), plus I wanted to do one extra raglan increase row to give me a bit more sleeve depth (b/c of DK yarn), so using 18 month size directions to decrease to 64 stitches, I added 6 and then subtracted 8, so wanted to get to 62 instead. From 81 stitches, down to 62, needed 19 decreases.

For my raglan increases, I used Barbara Walker’s double increase #4, which needs a seam stitch, so made 1 body stitch into the seam stitches as needed.

Had to adjust my marker placements to allow for all the above, but with a bit of math & some scribbling on my pattern, it wasn’t difficult.

I’m not convinced I did the right hand increase of each set correctly, but I kept it consistent. It looks ok, just not as smooth as others I’ve done. I knit thru the back of the first increase, but don’t think I should have. I’ve done it before w/o twisting and it looks better.

Did a YO buttonhole on the 3rd increase row (K3, YO, k2tog) and then 8 ridges (just over 2”) later, did a 2nd buttonhole. On the next RS row after each buttonhole, above the YO stitch, I knit thru the back loop, this seemed to eliminate the strand that likes to go across the top of the buttonhole.

When separating sleeve stitches from body stitches and anticipating the inevitable underarm holes when I go back and do the sleeves, I got a lot of help from this thread: http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/top-down-sweaters/1846572/...

As suggested, I twisted the 4 stitches before & after markers on the body stitches. I cable cast on 1 extra stitch and then knit it together with the first body stitch. On my purl row coming back, I twisted the same stitches, plus I twisted all the cast on stitches.

Hindsight - I wish I’d only twisted 1 body stitch instead of 4, I think they are pretty obvious on the sweater. A non-knitter probably won’t really notice, but I do. And I wish I’d cast on 2 extra sts underarm then joined each edge cast on with the first body stitch on both sides. Making notes for next raglan project. I hardly have any raglan holes tho - yes!!!!

On the body, I went .25” longer than pattern indicates before starting garter rows, I’ve read this yarn can shrink a bit. On last RS row, I (knit 8, dec) across, not doing a decrease in the garter bands. Then I did 4 garter ridges instead of 3, and did my bind off on a WS row.

On the sleeves, I used a size 5 needle as I knit tighter in the round. I did go .25” longer to allow for shrinkage. I did my 2 decreases every 6th round (k2tog first, then ssk, I like the slope of that better), then just before garter rounds, I did 4 evenly spaced decreases, then did 4 garter ridges, doing a purl bind off on the 4th purl round with a size 6 needle.

Final details -
SPI - 5.25
RPI - 6.75
Chest - 12”
Height - 11”
Sleeve length from underarm - 8”
Sleeve depth at underarm - 4.5”
Sleeve depth at cuff - 3”
Weight - 6.5 oz