2020-04-28: Collar First

My idea was to start with the hemmed collar. I checked my gauge (5.5 spi), determined my key number (247.5), cast on and knit a 99 stitch hemmed collar (40% of key). When finished, the circle was too large and I could tell it would be flippy. Gauge is a lie.

I can pick-up and knit the collar later. On to the shirt yoke.

Shirt Yoke

I based key on a desired 45-inch chest; 40% of that is 18 inches. This sweater has a square neck opening, and 18 ÷ 4 = 4.5. Provisionally cast on 25 stitches and worked 36 rows stockinette (I’m getting 8 rows per inch.) Used crochet hook to cast on another 25 stitches, and continued working stockinette for yoke and right shoulder, 36 rows.

Will want to ponder this: EZ’s collar opening was 1/3 of yoke, but Meg changed the proportions a bit. I’ll see how equal thirds fit when I’m done.

2020-05-02: Brigid Detour

At end of first skein, I’d completed the saddles and yoke and was 2.5 inches into the upper. The fit is nice, and the sweater is fine but plain. I set it aside, and thought I’d experiment with alternate, fancier saddle and sleeve.

Provisional cast-on 21. Knit two rows to create a purl border in the center back of the neck, then work Brigid chart C with selvage st sides. When piece is 2.25 inches (row 17 for me), cast on 16 sts for right side of collar.

Mod to chart C: For a tidier design, I eliminated the first and last strands of the braid at the beginning of the chart, working plain reverse stockinette until row 9, when I phased in the right side strand at the cross, and row 17, when the left side reappeared at its cross.

The new collar stitches are worked reverse stockinette while chart C continues to its end—except knit the last purl stitch of the row on chart C and the stitch next to it, which was the selvage edge until sts were added. When finished with chart C, begin working chart D row 3.

I did a similar modification for the first time through D, eliminating the left-most braid strand until the row 9 crossing.

2020-05-16: Chest Re-Do

For bottom-up EZ has you decrease 2 sts every 3 rnds. Initially, my math suggested that it would work if I increased 2 every 3rd round, but the math was wrong (I forgot to account properly for the underarm stitches).

New math: increase body stitches every 3rd round, increase sleeve stitches every 4th.

2020-11-14: Reboot from Sleeves

I stalled out 9 inches down the left sleeve. I’d been decreasing the sleeve every 8 rounds, and I hated the fit. Worse, I was beginning to dislike the density of the fabric.

So I let the project hibernate for six months. I ripped back to the start of the sleeve, and recommenced. No decreases through the bicep. When I’m a couple inches above the elbow, I’ll reevaluate.

2020-11-15: Forearm Decreases

Working the upper sleeve without decreases dramatically improved fit. Two chart repeats got me to just above the elbow. Over the next 12.5 inches, I’ll work decreases every 5-6 rounds to the wrist.

2021-01-02: Wrist

To finish off neatly at the cuff, on last chart repeat I eliminated the outside strands at row 9 and the two middle strands at row 17. That ends up making the sleeve a bit too long, but as it’s tight, I hope to block it out wider around the arms which should take up some length.

Row 24 of the chart is purled around for the cuff turning, then a few rounds of knit for the hem facing.

2021-01-14: Body

Having finished the sleeves, it’s stockinette through the body. I’ve got 253 stitches around, which at this gauge makes the sweater 48.2 inches at the chest. I’d like a bit of a taper, so to get ~42 inches at the bottom, I need to decrease 32 stitches. That’s 8 decrease rounds spaced over 12 inches, or 4 every 1.5 inches/12 rounds.

2021-01-24: Hem and Collar

At the bottom, purled a turning round then knit hem facing. Bound off, but didn’t tack down: I’ll wait until sweater is blocked to see if I need to adjust length.

Picked up stitches around collar as evenly as I could, ending up with 114 stitches. Way back when I started, I calculated collar should be 99 stitches, so I’ll need to reduce. Reducing 2 out of every 7 stitches at the back of the neck gets me where I think I should be.

2021-01-24: Final

The sweater grew a lot when soaked, and it’s going to take some strategic tumble drying to make it fit, but my initial impression is it’s a comfy, over-large sweater that I’ll enjoy showing off.