I ordered with the idea that this would be my comfort yarn -mom was close to the end of her life, and I had not gone to Stitches West.

Brilliantly, the yarn arrived the day after her death, and I immediately took a skein, put it on the ball-winder (in two parts - I don’t have a jumbo one!), and knit my test swatch last night. I might go down a needle size - even though I’m matching gauge, it feels a little loosey-goosey to me.

9/5/2013 - well I plowed through the upper body, and lost my mojo when the weather got warm. I also wondered whether the raglan construction would look good on me ,but I decided to prevail, and with th e short rows for the bustling, I think it will work out as a looser sweater.

I picked it up today, and now I’m two inches from the lower edge of the body. I think this will be my Rhinebeck sweater , since in more than half-way done at this point!

9/9 -body of the sweater is done, and now working in one sleeve. Using some if the recommendations to cut downin the extra fabric under the arm that can sometimes happen with Raglans I had added 6 stitches under the arms for the sides if the body. So I did this:

1. Picked up and knit the 6 stitches on initial round, then on the next one, I knit to one stitch before the picked up stitches, then did 4 k2tog. On next round I I knit across these stitches, then on the following round, I stopped be stitche before, did ssk, k1, placed marker, k1, k2tog. This got me quickly down to zero added stitches without bunching.

9/11 - 1st sleeve completed last night - looks good! Onto the 2nd one tonight!

9/13 - 2nd sleeve done. Now to the collar. I’ve seen several indications that the collar instructions on this sweater are off, and after consulting Knitting Pattern Essentials and Knitwear Design Workshop, I have to agree. Plus, the band pulling mentioned by the designer is caused by the instructions! So, here’s my solution:

Use smaller needles! I want a collar that won’t sag.
Pick up and knit 5 stitches for every 6 rows on the front bands. At the V, work k1, yo, k1 at each side of the point, on the diagonal bands, pick up about 1 stitch per row. I’ll have OT play around with the beck neck, since the cable pattern there affects gauge, but I’m thinking after picking up and knitting, on the row after that I’ll decrease the number of stitches there. Then I’ll place four markers -- 2 at the shoulders, the other about 1 inch above the v points of the collar for short-row shaping.

9/20- all the knitting is done. Collar bands are terrific, no unnecessary pulling. Need to block, weave in ends and sew on the buttons!

9/24 - buttons sewn on, ends woven it is finished, and I love it!