Swatching

Needle: Size 8 (5 mm)
Gauge (pre-block): 17 sts / 23 rows = 4”
Guage (blocked): 15.5 sts / 23 rows = 4”

Needle: Size 7 (4.5 mm)
Gauge (pre-block): 18 sts / 25 rows = 4”
Guage (blocked): 17 sts / 25 rows = 4”

Needle: Size 6 (4.0 mm)
Gauge (pre-block): 20 sts / 27 rows = 4”
Guage (blocked): 18 sts / 27 rows = 4”

Dec 6, 2011

I got gauge on Size 6 needles, but I find that fabric too stiff. I’m going to use Size 7 needles instead, and CO the X-small/Small to get something close to the Small/Med size.

I’m normally really lazy about swatching, so I liked that the swatches for this project will have a use by becoming the pockets.

Dec 16

I’m having a lot of fun with this oak leaf pattern. It’s beautiful and interesting, and it’s complicated enough that I’m not getting bored with it. It took me two whole repeats to get it memorized, and now that I have it down it’s just flying right by.

I’ve inserted and done all the finishing on the pockets (they were flapping around all over the place as I knit, so I just got it over with).

I attached the ribbing as I knit it (instead of seaming it afterwards) by slipping the first stitch of each row, and working the last stitch of the row together with a stitch from the sweater body (attaching the rib on every other row of the body).

Jan 14, 2012

Finished knitting the body and added a shawl collar to the top ribbing with short-rows, finishing with a sewn bind-off.

For the short rows, I did one set of w&t 8 sts before the end of the row, then one set of w&t 6 sts from the last wrap, then thirteen sets of w&t 4 sts from the last wrap. The collar turned out a bit too wide, so I maybe should’ve done only eleven sets of the last.

It’s blocked out nicely; this yarn grows a lot when wet. The entire piece ended up being 40” across and 32” up the side (not including the shawl collar)

Jan 16

The pattern says to seam 12” up the side of the piece from the top and bottom, which would leave me 8” for the armhole. That seemed rather small, especially for picking up 52 sts for the ribbing.

I decided to leave 65 rows for the armhole so that I could pick up 4 sts out of every 5 rows. I ended up seaming 77 rows from the top and bottom, which gave me an 11” seam.

I tried it on before picking up the sleeve ribbing, and the fit is fantastic! I’m very excited for this to be done.

Jan 17

Did 20 rnds of ribbing for the sleeves, and I’m spot-blocking those now. Almost done!

Jan 21

Added a button on the left-side ribbing, on top of the seam, and made a loop for it on the other side with a 6 st crochet chain made on a 3.25 mm hook.

Now the sweater can be worn open and drapey, or closed (in which case it’s more like a big shrug).

All in all, I’m extremely pleased with the outcome. This is just the comfy, cocoon-like sweater that I wanted for cozying up in through the winter!