• I think that this is a fantastic pattern - as clear, comprehensive and well-written as it can be, given the complexity of the design. There’s nothing “simple” about it. I put it off for a good month given that I’ve not really wanted to put in the work (though of course I want the finished object :-)) but it’s already mid June. If I’m to have an opp to wear this, this summer, I’ve got to get going.

Things to consider:

• It’s not unusual for my gauge to change as I’m knitting (and I always swatch for garments, pre- and post-blocking, so I have a good sense of my starting point). But my row gauge has changed here fairly substantively over the knitting process. I’ve noted a few others indicating that they had trouble getting gauge for this knit. Based on my 2 swatches, I know that I won’t be able to - not if I want to have a fabric with structural integrity. So I’m going to use those suggested by the pattern with the recognition that I might need to math on the fly. (See more about gauge below.)

• Topic adjacent: I don’t know why I am so continually confused by 2.75mm needles vs 3mm. It doesn’t help that 2.75mm and 3mm are both known as US2s. At any rate, check continually. And then double check.

• Needle A (for the body and the sleeves): 3 mm / US #2.5.

• Needle B (for the ribbing): 2.75 mm / US #2

The Knitting:

• Body: I don’t have much to say about knitting this except that you need to find a notation system that facilitates doing multiple things at the same time. The charts get easier to read after you join in the round but it still takes focus to ensure that you remember the dotted rib round.

• To get to 11” below armhole, I knitted 106R all in. Then started the ribbing. At this point I had 15g to work with. One 10R chart repeat uses 7-8g of yarn.

• For future reference: top of shoulder marker is 20R from the slanting back seams, at least in size 2, as I counted it.

• Sleeves: Don’t forget to read the sleeve instructions from the start of the sleeve segment, even if you intend to make the cap sleeve. The set up of the markers happens at the beginning of the section, for both sleeve types.

• OK - it would appear that my confusion is not ameliorated by a small inconsistency in the pattern: It indicates on the first page that the sleeves are worked in Needle A - the larger needle size. But then it says, under the cap sleeve sleeve section: Pick up round: with Needle B, starting at the center of the CO underarm sts. If all it instructs is to cast on with the smaller needle size, then I think it would be clearer to indicate that you should switch back. Wish I’d realized this before I took my only fixed 3mm needle out of the body for the sleeves, then replaced it on the body stitches because I had to swap them, and now I have to remove swap them again.

Final Thoughts:

• I love this FO and, if you’re in the mood for something luxe, it’s a great knit. It took exactly 3 balls of Tynn Line, which is so affordable. I had mine delivered from afar and this full project - an heirloom, IMO - cost 44.00 CDN. I used EXACTLY the amount of yarn indicated for size 2 but I made my version 2” longer…

• I would totally recommend this yarn for this pattern but it’s not fun to knit with given its absurdly light spin and splittiness (it’s pretty unpleasant even if you’re just working stockinette). The non-stop RT is tough to pull off with the splittiness.

• I more or less followed the instructions without modification, except for length, and the pattern is impressive. It’s an intricate design that looks so elegant, almost of another era. But it does require focus. You have to be comfortable with a lot of things happening simultaneously. There is no stockinette here. Even the hem ribbing is a production that takes a long time. And that can get tiring when you’re using a small-gauge needle and there are 12 panels to keep track of.

• This pattern also benefits from dexterity. You have to be comfortable with lots of K1/P1, twisted rib and lace-work sequences that segue from one to the next. Your hands and your mind will likely both gain agility as you work. But it is a kind of work out - esp when using a plant-based fibre.

Pre-blocked Dimensions:

Length from back neck (before collar) to hem: 20.25”
Depth of hem rib: 1.5”
Length from underarm to hem: 12.5”
Armscye depth: 7.25” (from top of shoulder, not English tailored seam)
Front neck depth: 2”
Bust circumference: 30” (but unstretched, this has a lot of stretch given the yarn and the stitch patterns/lace)
Hip circumference: 32”
Shoulder width (does not include ribbing at neck): 4.5”
Depth of cap sleeve (at top, deepest point): 3”

Post-blocked Dimensions:

Length from back neck (before collar) to hem: 21.5”
Depth of hem rib: 1.4”
Length from underarm to hem: 13.5”
Armscye depth: 7.25” (from top of shoulder, not English tailored seam)
Front neck depth (beneath back rib to top of front rib): 2”
Bust circumference: 30” (but unstretched, this has a lot of stretch given the yarn and the stitch patterns/lace)
Hip circumference: 36”
Shoulder width (does not include ribbing at neck): 4.5”
Depth of cap sleeve (at top, deepest point): 3”

Gauge Swatches:

3mm Preblocked Gauge: 27st and 44R in 4” - Flat, dotted stockinette
3mm Postblocked Gauge: 26st and 48R in 4”

3.25mm Preblocked Gauge: 27st and 40R in 4” - flat, dotted stockinette
3.25mm Postblocked Gauge: 25st and 41R in 4”

Note - it’s tricky to determine which needle to go with because the yarn has next to no recovery SO I can easily pull it longer or wider to impact the dimension. The 3.25mm needle gets me closer to gauge (and I’m quite off gauge with the 3mm needle). BUT, the 3mm needle creates the fabric I prefer. I’m going to knit the size 2 noting that I might need to make the armscye slightly deeper given that my row gauge on rec needle is currently 20% shorter than instructed. Mind you, there’s no recovery in this yarn and, a I knit, my gauge may a) change and b) lengthen, just by dint of the weight of the garment (which is much heavier than a small swatch).

Other patterns considered:

Twist Loop Top, but not sure I want to go to the effort of modifying the width of the shoulders…
Mika Tee by Joanna Schutz
Kingfisher Tee by Kelly Ordmann
SOGO Top - Zanete Knits