July 24, 2024

So…turns out when actually knitting the project, I knit tighter than when swatching. (22 st = 10cm!) Gonna go back and start over on the 4.5mm needles! sigh

September 5, 2024

Made the XS size,
Gauge with this yarn is 17.5 st/10cm on 4mm needles.

While knitting flat:
Row 2: Mirror-knitting - from this side, the M1’s are reversed.
“Next Row” Purl Rows: M1L then M1R

Front of Neck Shaping:
When casting on to extend the front: cast on both sides at once, using a bit of yarn for the side not currently working on, so both sides will be even. (I’d rather deal with sewing in the ends!)

FRONT OF NECK SHAPING:
Next time: Add 5 more stitches each side. Use Judy’s Magic cast on, or a provisional cast on to make picking up stitches easier.
Place marker between the 5 and the 11.
Stitch on main side of marker is always purled on RS, knit on WS.
4 stitches between marker and edge are Giant Moss Stitch.
Last (outer edge) stitch is for a slip stitch edge.

At the end of the sleeve increases, with this yarn I had 17cm/6 ¾”, rather than the 15cm/6” the pattern thought I should have for this size.

When separating body & sleeves: did Judy’s Magic Cast on, to have live stitches in both directions. Put all the sleeve stitches on a knitting cable, with stoppers on the ends., and continued knitting the body from here.

I did not move the BOR when making this pattern; I saw no need.
So, for me, the body increases read like this:
Knit to 2 stitches before marker, M1R, slip marker, K2, M1L, repeat on other side. (Yes, I did have a marker for the BOR; it was a different colour from the side ones, so I knew to ignore it other than as a BOR marker, for when it’s time to cast off.)

Last 7 Rounds for body hem, and sleeve cuffs:
Giant Moss stitch (Be sure there are a multiple of 4 stitches!)
R 1: K2, P2, rep to end.
R 2 & R3: P2, K2, rep to end.
R 4 & R 5: K2, P2, rep to end.
R 6 & R 7: P2, K2, rep to end.
Cast off in pattern: K2, P2 to end. Do invisible join at end and sew in ends.

Sleeves:
My arms are shorter than what the pattern is expecting; so knit til I had 35cm/14” from underarm – this was just at the final decrease. Knit one more round, then did the Giant Moss stitch cuffs. (Knit the sleeves TAAT.)
Next time, might add another round or two.

Plackets:
Picked up 5 stitches across the bottom for each side, (overlapping) 4 for the Giant Moss Stitch pattern, and 1 for the slip stitch edge. Knit upwards, attaching to the body as I went, since I wanted the plackets to blend in seamlessly to the collar, which would also be Giant Moss stitch. I knit 11 rows between buttonholes.
Next time, might set up to have a button at the upper corner of the collar/placket as well.

Neckband/collar:
Picked up one stitch for each stitch and one for each row – then along the rows (where the pattern calls for picking up 2 stitches for every 3 rows) the first row of Giant Moss stitch was: “K1, K2Tog, P1, P2Tog” in those sections, and the rest was done in regular Giant Moss of K2, P2 – making certain that the pattern would blend in seamlessly with the tops of the plackets.

Neckband/collar was also only 4 rows of the Giant Moss, to match the plackets which were only 4 stitches wide.

Next time, I will also make sure to have plenty of yarn, and make the body a bit longer.