Finished today!!! I love it! Wouldn’t you know it is 91 F. here today so this wool sweater is VERY WARM for picture taking! Wonderful sweater!!!

Update: Changed the buttons and I think I like these much better. Will have to get a new picture to reflect this change! I also added knit flowers on the lapels since I like them turned back rather than upright.

I’m so excited to test knit this gorgeous pattern by Freckle! Ordered a beautiful heathered Cascade 220 today.

4/30/12 The yarn arrived! I’m not so sure about the color I picked :-( It is hard to picture from a picture I guess! The first color I picked wasn’t available in sufficient quantity. I knit a gauge swatch 18 x 25 = 4”, hummmmm. Stitch count is good, row count is off. But I think the color will be okay. I just didn’t want to pick such a dark color.

5/2/12 Started the first sleeve with a crocheted cast on! I thought the cuff looked enormous but the cable really pulls it in. Interesting cable.

5/8/12 Finished the first sleeve - 18 1/2 inches or 19 inches stretched. I hope it is long enough. I’ve decided I really like the color :-)

5/11/12 Finished 2nd sleeve, on to the body!

5/16/12 Well and truly started on the body. 232 stitches per row makes for slow going, but it is the 2 fronts and back at once. Now that I have gone through chart A once, it is much faster as I am beginning to memorize the patterns. A challenging knit.

5/22/12 Slow going since this is the week before my oldest son gets married! So many things to do! I’m sneaking in a couple rows here and there. I love the design.

6/12/12 I’ve finished the 17 inches of lace and cable and I’m ready to start the garter stitch top portion of the sweater!

I’m heading for the home stretch! About half way through the garter stitch top portion. Grafted the underarms and wove in ends and blocked the lace and sleeves with my new hand-held steamer. It really relaxed quite a bit. I love this new steamer!

6/17/12 Woot!!! Just finished the last 6 rows. I need to add the I-cord and button holes and decide on some buttons and its done!!!

Modifications: I ended the side cables and middle back cable when I began the garter stitch yoke area. I reduced the number of stitches over the back middle cable evenly by 3 stitches to compensate for omitting the cable in the garter stitch area. I think I should have reduced the number of stitches I picked up in the garter stitch yoke area for the I-cord bind off. I also added knit flowers on the lapels.

Yay! I finally got to wear my new sweater today! 9/23/2012 It was finally cool enough!