8 row saddles, icord neckline. everything still seems to fit, although for some reason the sleeves are a little too big around the upper arm. must have been nodding off while I was calculating. still within acceptable parameters, tho.

redying the whole thing will be a bit of a challenge, I’m sure. here’s to hopin’.
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combining body and sleeves and starting decreases. as if by magic, it fits perfectly so far.

going with square neckline, putting front panel (k2p2-trellis-p2k3) on stitch holder on row 139, continuing back and forth.
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have decided to ignore the wacky dye and just knit, and dye it again once it’s finished.
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knitting this inexpertly homedyed recycled ancient yarn is ~interesting for sure. the yarn is denser than a ram’s head (semi-felted in the wash at some point in its traumatic past) but at the same time it’s very gentle and unscratchy. the sweater will be a sort of soft, blotchily blue chain mail…
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sleeves CO 43s
1: 10 seed, k2p2, k3p3k3p3k3, p2k2, 10 seed
10 to 20 dec to: 10 seed, k2p2, 3x3x3braid, p2k2, 10 seed = 37s
37 to 128: inc 2 every 8th row = 51s by 129
cont to row 145

body CO 174s
dec to 150s by row 66
in to 162s by row 128

13 seedstitch/k2p2/braid/p2k2p2/23s trellis/p2k2p2/braid/p2k2/26 seedstich/k2p2/braid/p2k2p2/23s trellis/p2k2p2/braid/p2k2/13 seedstitch in the round.

saddle shoulders (cf Knitting Without Tears by E. Zimmermann)

swatches:

25x25 seed stitch
cable swatch 30 rows: p2, 3x3x3 braid, p2, 3x3 twist, p2, k2, p2, 23s trellis&bobbles, p2, 2x4 blackberry stitch, p2