I used the cable and colorwork charts from the pattern but redesigned the sweater to:

1. Custom shape the set-in sleeves,
2. Use a tighter stitch and Row gauge more appropriate for a DK weight yarn. The pattern suggests a DK weight but worked at a gauge more typical of a Worsted weight yarn. I worked up a swatch in both gauges and went with a slightly tighter gauge.
3. Extend to a larger size sweater than what the pattern offered.

John’s actual measurements:
Chest: 47”+2”
Neck width: 6”
Armhole depth 8”
Crossback: 16.5”
Upper arm circumference: 15”
Wrist circumference: 7.5”
Fist circumference for cuff to stretch over: 11.5”

Dimensions of John’s favorite sweater:
50.25” circumference at chest
27.5” total length
10.5” yoke vertical depth near neck edge
17.5” body length from underarm to bottom edge
Sleeve length: 20” cuff edge to underarm
Cuff width: 5.125”
Upper arm width: 10”
Wrists: 10.5”circumference with straight, non-Rib cuff.
8.25” neck width
Width from neck to shoulder: 6.375”
9” front zipper with stand-up collar edge; 8” to shoulder.
Back width from shoulder seam to shoulderseam =20”
Back neck width is 9”.
Arms: 19”length from underarm, 23” from shoulder edge.
Collar height: 2.25”

This Sweater’s Measurements:
Body circumference: 49”
Total length: 27.75”
Begin Armhole and start of shawl collar: 19.5”
Armhole depth: 8.75”
Shawl collar: 8.5” sides x 5.5” center front x 8” back.
CrossBack: 17” across
Cuff: 8” Circumference
Upper Sleeve width: 17” Circumference
Sleeve length: 19.25” from CO edge to underarm
27” from CO edge to BO at top of sleeve cap.

Pattern didn’t have schematic. Used this schematic drawing:
https://www.yarnspirations.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sit...

Ordered 14 skeins charcoal and 2 skeins of light grey from Northfield and The Yarnery, both in Wisconsin.

Gauge Swatches
I made three Gauge Swatches:

1. Pattern gauge w Strikkegarn: 5 spi, (US6)
2. Suggested yarnband gauge for DK Strikkegarn is 5.5 spi, achieved by using US4.
3. Tested for a gauge in-between the above two gauges: 5.25 spi, 8rounds per inch met by using US5.

Gauge in St.st. (US4) is 22.86 sts/4”, 5.5spi, 11rpi. 242sts/ 5.5 s.p.i. = 44” chest circumference
Large Diamond = 3.25”
Gauge in St.st. (US5) is 18.8sts/4”, 5.25spi, 8.5rpi.
262sts/5.25spi = 49.90”.
Large Diamond = 4.25”
3(36)+4rounds/14.75” = 7.6 rounds per inch
262sts/46”
After 14 rnd ribbing, 4 rounds set-up and 3rd repeat of chart, there are 16” total.

Ribbing Swatch:
12 rounds ribbing (US2.5) = 1.25”,
14 rounds ribbing (US4) = 1.75”
Sk1: (US5 rib, US6 body) 3.5”, 14rnd rib+4 setup+7rnd
Skein 2: 6.5” from CO edge;
14round Ribbed band + 41 rows.
Skein #3: 9.75” from CO edge
Back uses 5.5 skeins
Front uses 5.35 skeins
One Sleeve uses 2 Skeins + (54g-49g=5 g)
Collar uses 30g + (37g- 4g=33g)= 63g
After ribbing it is 7.75” for 4+ 36+ 22rounds (US5)
Each Diamond is 3.25” (US4) and 4.25” (US5)
22 purl sts/min

Begin Sweater
CO 248 sts LTpw (US4) for 2x2 Ribbing x 1.75”.
Switch to US5 for sweater body:
Increase 10 sts under cables, Increase 8 sts evenly at sides. (Total 264 sts)
BOR, 24sts, D1 (14+4), 10sts, D2(30+2), 10sts, D1(14+4), 24sts. = 136sts total front sts., 128 back sts

Used Purl-side Lifted Increases instead of M1 to eliminate the holes under the M1 increases.

Left 2-St Twist: Bring needle behind end st on LN to reach the 2nd st from end st. Ktbl of next to end st then knit end st through the front leg and slide sts off.

Increase 2 sts at each side (PRLI, p1, sm, p1, PLLI) when work measures 6” and 10”. (8 sts increased)
After waist increases: BOR, 26sts, 18sts, 10sts, 32 sts, 10 sts, 18 sts, 26 sts.
(140sts front, 132sts back, Total 272 sts)

272 sts - Cable draws in equivalent of 10sts
262 sts/5.25 spi = 50.6” sweater circumference.

When work measures 19”, Bind off 8 sts at underarm
(3 repeats + Round 26 & finished 6 skeins strikkegarn)
The first BO begins 8 sts 4 sts before BOR marker for Round 27.

Back
Armhole shaping:
The back has 132 sts.
BO 5sts each side, then BO 4 sts beg next two rows, then BO 3 sts beg next two rows on each side. (108sts)
Decrease Row: K2, ssk, work across to last 4sts, k2tog, k2. DecRow total 5times then EOR 3times. (92 sts)
Then work until armhole is 8.75” Hold sts on extra cable.

Neck shaping: At same time, when work measures 26.75”, BO center 26 sts. (66 sts rem)
At neck edge, Dec EOR: 2sts once, 1sts once. (30 sts rem at each shoulder)
Work until armhole depth of 8.75”
Hold the rem sts on extra cable.

Tested 3 Ways to Seam Shoulders:

1. Standard 3-Needle BO tested on right shoulder
2. On left shoulder I tested the Modified 3-needle BO that I used on the Green Guernsey: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/heyKerrianne/norwegian-g... This version of the 3-Needle BO eliminates the purl ridge to produce a flatter decorative seam.
3. Seamed horizontal edge to edge with duplicate stitch purlwise for reverse stockinette. I went with Method 3: Bind-off the edges and then work an edge-to-edge horizontal seam.

Front
BO for armholes and front neck opening at 19” project length, 27.75” shoulder height= 8.75” length of the shawl collar.
Front has 130sts after initial BO of 5 sts.
Continue Diagram as before and work armhole shaping same as back. At same time work neck on Round1 by dec 2sts evenly over center 32sts. (Row 33 of Chart, completion of 11.3 rings of the side cable)
On next round, BO center 32sts. This BO occurs on final cable crossing on Row34 that brings the cable legs to meet with no filler sts between so the Diamond looks complete for vertical balance and avoids the extra thickness that would happen with 5/5 cable crossing.
Once the armhole decreases and neck shaping are finished, there remains 33 Shoulder sts.
Armhole shaping with initial BO:
140-10-8-6-2-32=82/2= 41sts both sides.
Armhole shaping finished with 8 decrease rows:
41sts-8sts=33sts rem each side.
After Armhole shaping there are 33sts to work until armhole is 8.75”(6sts @armhole side, 18st Chart, 9 sts@neck side after Chart.)
Set aside shoulder sts on extra cable until completion of sleeves after WS following cable crossing to complete the 17th ring of small cable in Diagram 1 of pattern.
When work measures 27.5”, decrease 3sts evenly on each side for cable gauge compensation and BO at the same time. 33-3=30sts each side to be bound off.

Sleeves:
Used sweater ribbing to wrap around husband’s wrist and he preferred 52 sts in 2x2 ribbing (US4).
CO 52 sts LTCO in Pattern for 2x2 ribbing for 2”
(14 rounds after CO)
After ribbing, change to larger US5 needles, knit one round while increasing one stitch to 53sts to center star motif. Start color work chart centering star motif on center stitch of cuff opposite of BOR.
Begin increases after 1” stockinette.
Increases Row: 1 st before BOR, RLI, k1, Sm, k1, LLI, work across.
Increase sleeves to 91 sts for 18” circumference sleeve. This needs 19 increase rounds.
Increase 1 sts each side one stitch in from BOR marker every 4 rounds three times, then every 6 rounds sixteen times (91 sts)
After last round of Contrast Color, work measures 17”
Start Sleeve cap initial bind off at 19.25” or after the 18th round after the last round of contrast color.

SleeveCap
The sleeve, at armhole, has 91 sts
BO 5 sts each side, BO 4 beg of next two rows, and BO3 sts beg of next two rows. (67 sts)
Decrease Row: K1, SSP, work across to last three sts, k2tog, k1.
Work the Decrease Row every RS Row five times. (57sts)
This succeeds in removing 34 sts out of 91 sts in the initial 2” cap shaping.
Need 29 sts when reaching final half inch of sleeve cap:
Continue working the DecRow every RS eight more times. (41sts)
Then work Decrease Row Every Other RS Row six times (29sts);
Crown of sleeve cap shaping: BO 4 sts at beg next rows, then BO 3sts at beg next two rows.
BO rem 15 sts.
Top edge of sleeve cap is 2.75” across.
Sleeve cap ht= armhole ht- half of top edge of cap
9-2.75”/2= 7.5”cap height.
7.5”x 7.5 rows per in.= 56 rows.
Beginning and end of cap uses 20 rows.
Initial 2” cap shaping consists of 6rows of BO & 10 rows to incorporate the initial 5 dec on every RS rows.
Final 0.5” of cap shaping consists of 4 rows of BO.
The rest of the sleeve shaping occurs over 5” or 36 rows 7.5”-2”-0.5”= 5” to decrease 57sts-29sts=28sts or 14 decrease rows.
Sleeve cap has 6+10+16+24+4=60rows
60rows x 7.5 rows per inch = 8”
Start sleeve cap at 19” + 8” = 27” length of sleeve

Collar
With smaller needle (US4)and starting at center front on left side of bound off sts, pick up 21 sts every 4”, up to shoulder across back and down sweater’s left side of neck opening. Don’t pick up sts bound off at center front. Total stitch count needs to be divisible by four. (136 sts)
WS: Purl one row.
RS: Slip first st of row as if to purl, k2, ^P1, p2 in same st by pfb, k2^.
Rep from ^ to ^ to last stitch, k1. This produces a k2p3 ribbing.
Continue back and forth knitting the knit sts and purling the purl sts and one edge st each side until collar measures 2.75”. (22 rows after pick and knit row).
On next row (WS), increase all p2 sts to p3 sts by pfb in one of the purl sts along the back of the neck but not along the sides. (It looks more fluid if the pub is done in the first purl st) There are 34 knit ribs; make increase to 3x3 ribbing on 13th through 22nd knit rib seen from RS. This produces a k3p3 ribbing along the back of the collar. Continue until collar measures 5.75”. BO in pattern.
Lay collar sides over each other, right over left, and sew it down at bottom of neck opening.

Additional Photos:
This sweater is the project I started and worked on during Christmas break.
Oldest son is wearing the Aran sweater I designed for my Master Hand Knitting Level 3. The other photo shows a black/white leather knitting bag from Italy that my husband gave me for Christmas. My oldest son hand-lathed the cigar looking writing pen using my husband’s favorite cigar label, and he lathed me another nostepinne in exotic ziricote wood with a beautiful 18 step finish. This species of wood matches the black and white theme of the bag. The sweater I’m starting is based on a Norwegian-written pattern that incorporates cables in the body and colorwork on the sleeves using Rauma Strikkegarn.

Also in photos are the inside of the Currituck Lighthouse, and the nearby 1920 Whalehead Estate before it was fixed up.

My son made the Romanian Potica Nut Roll Bread that my aunt taught me. She learned how to make this cake from her Romanian mother. The recipe was passed to us orally.

I received two 4” tips ChiaoGoo Interchangeable sets, one in the Minis US 00-1.5 and the other set in US2-8, for Christmas. I decided to reorganized my Interchangeables by the shared cable diameter they use:

ChiaoGoo Interchangeable US 2-8 in 4” and 5” tips: I put both tips in the same case as they share the same cables for the small tips and moved the US 9-15 in their own case with the cables for the large tips.

ChiaoGoo Minis 4” and 5” US000-1.5 minis: I put both sleeves of the tips in the same black mesh case with the combined mini cables.

The Red Shorties US 1-3 mini cables and the Blue Shorties US 4-8 small cables are great to grab for traveling, keeping them in their original packaging.

Rewrote pattern for Drop Sleeve and Set-in Sleeve. Decided to go with the Set-in Sleeve style.
But here’s Drop Sleeve for future reference:
Standard drop shoulder for 49”
24.5” width
Total length 27”:
15” to armhole (1.5” Cuff + 13.5” body)
12” from armhole to Shoulder Bindoff
2.75” neck band drop (start neck Bindoff at 14.25”)
18.5” sleeve length
21.75” arm circumference
8” neck width, 8” wide shoulder
10.25” wrist circumference
5.5 spi: 131x2= 262 total sts
Back:15” mark underarm, then 12” more to shoulder
BO 44 sts for Shoulder, work and place 43 sts on holder for neck opening on back
Front: work body to 15”+ 9.25”
(WS)Work 54 front shoulder sts and BO 23 center sts
Decrease 2 sts at neck, then 1 st at neck EOR 8times (44sts) work to 27” same as back length
Sleeves: CO 58sts
Increase 1 sts each side BOR every 4 rounds 28 times, then every 8 rounds twice (118sts)
Neck band: smaller needles and RS facing and starting at right shoulder seam, pick up and knit 43 sts from back neck holder, 24 sts from left side front 23 sts from neck BO, and 24 sts right side front, 114 sts. Join in rnd and work in 1×1 rib for 1”. BO loosely.

Dimensions of John’s favorite sweater:
50” circumference
27.5” total length
17” underarm to bottom edge
19” upper arm circumference
Wrists: 10.5”circumference with straight, non-Rib cuff.
8.25” neck width
9” front zipper with stand-up collar edge; 8” to shoulder.
Shoulder width: 6.5”sloped shoulder or 6” straight across.
Back width from shoulder seam to shoulderseam =20”
Back neck width is 9”.
Arms: 20” length from underarm, 23” from shoulder edge.

Another interesting alternative to ribbing is the fake cable that I learned from Anne Morris:
R1- k2 P2
R2- K1, yo, K1, P2
R3- K3, P2
R4- Sl1, K2 psso, P2
She suggested 16 rows on the bottom and sleeve, 12 on the neck. I swatched this different ribbing but decided not to use it.

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Set-In Sleeve Calculations:
Set-in Sleeve Calculations
Sweater width - Crossback = Inches to be decreased
24.5” - 17” = 7.5”/2 =3.75” per side or 3.75”x5.25spi=20sts decreased each side.
Initial BO: Decrease 1” each side=5sts
Diagonal Decrease: Get half the decreases done in first 2” of rows from initial BO. Get 10 sts decr before Row14.
All decreases done before half of armhole depth (8.75”/2= 4.375”)
Top slope: 1” of decreases each side in last 0.5” before the final BO.
Width at top of sleeve cap should be 2-5”.
Target width=4”. 4x5.25=20sts for final BO.
Perimeter of sleeve cap should be equal or slightly longer than perimeter of armseye.
Perimeter of armseye=2x (1”BO + armhole depth)
1”+8.75”=9.75”x2= 19.5” perimeter.
Perimeter of Sleeve Cap= 2x (1”BO + decrease in rows+ final BO)
Make Set-in sleeves twice as wide at underarm as the armhole depth. 8.75”x2= 17.5”x5.25spi= 92sts.
Final BO at top of sleeve cap should be equal or slightly less than 25% of sleeve width. 17.5”/4= 4.4”
Depth of sleeve cap should be a few inches shorter than armhole depth: Armhole depth - half top cap width. 8.75”-2”=6.75”. 6.75”x7rpi= 47.25 rounds.
Match sleeve cap to armseye for first 2”: decr17sts
Top width + Final decr 1” each side: 10+20=30sts in 4 rows.
Cap height 6.75-0.5”-2”= 4.25” to decr sleeve sts
15”+2”ease=17”. 90 sts.
18” sleeves circumference = 94 sts.
94 sts-2(17)-30= 30 sts to be decr in 4” x7= 28 rows
Sleeve cap has 3 sections:
1.Initial Decrease Section to remove 2” of sts in 1” of rows each side: then BO 4 beg of next two rows,
then BO 3 sts beg next two rows
Dec 1 st each side every RS Row 3 times to match underarm shaping. (94-10-8-6-6=64sts)

2.Middle Section will decrease to remove 3”of sts to match Sleeve Top sts+10 sts: Dec 1 st each side EOR 16 times. (32 sts)

1. Final Decrease Section of sleeve cap will remove 1” of sts in 0.5” of rows: BO 3 sts beg next two rows, then BO 2 sts beg next two rows each side. (22sts). 20sts/5.25 spi= 4” at top of sleeve Narrower sleeves: Sweater panels: back116sts & front126sts. These narrower sleeves start with CO of 56sts and increasing to total of 83 sts at 5 spi; After ribbing, knit pattern straight for 5”, then beg sleeve increases, increasing every inch until total of 83” for 16.6” circumference. When Sleeve length measures 21.25”BO 8 sts underarm. Armhole Decreases occur EOR: 3sts 3 times, 2sts once, and 1sts 5 times. 126-2(16)=84 sts rem after underarm bo and dec). Then dec each side on EOR: 3sts once, 2sts twice, then 1 st once until 24.75”. Then dec 2sts once, 3sts twice, and BO. Sleeve total length: 25.5” 83-8-2(8+8)=43 sts remain at top. 43 sts/5 spi = 8.6”

Horizontal Seam for reverse stockinette:
Lay pieces face up.
Insert tapestry needle bottom up through “frown” of bottom piece, then bottom up through “smile” of top piece. Insert tapestry needle top-to-bottom of next smile and top-to-bottom through initial frown where yarn is coming out of. Then bottom-to-top through next frown and bottom-to-top through last Amalie where yarn is coming out.
https://firstlawcomic.com/what-is-reverse-stockinette-sti...

Two other methods for Shawl Collar:
SHAWL COLLAR
With smaller needles, cast on 162 (170-178-178-186-186) sts. Work 4” 10 cm in (K2. P2) ribbing
as given for Front, ending on a WS row.
Shape Collar
Note: When you encounter wrapped sts, pick up wrap, placing it on left-hand needle and work- ing next st tog with wrap for each wrapped st.
1st row: (RS). (K2. P2) 22 (23-24- 24-25-25) times. K1. W&T.
2nd row: P1. (K2. P2) 3 times. K2. P1. W&T.
3rd row: K1. (P2. K2) 5 times. P2. K1. W&T.
4th row: P1. (K2. P2) 7 times. K2. P1. W&T.
Cont in ribbing as established, working an additional 8 sts each row, until 1 (5-1-5-1-5) st(s) rem unworked. PM at end of last row.
Cont even in (K2. P2) ribbing until Collar from marker measures 41⁄2” 11.5 cm.

Shawl Method have the center sts picked up twice and edges bound off
Assembly: Sew the shoulder seams.
Knit the collar with 1 strand Vienna + 1 strand Ull-Tweed (= 2 strands). Put the sts from the st holder on the needles, pick up around the neck and then over the sts from st holder one more time = a total of approx. 57-63 sts (divisible by 6+3) -- the center front 10 (11-12) sts are picked up twice and overlap. Knit rib. When the collar measures 5 cm 2” put sts on a st holder at each side of the work every other row: 1 st 4 times, 2 sts 2 times, 3 sts 1 time - on the row where no sts are put on the st holder slip the first st. The collar measures approx. 15 cm 5-7/8”. Put all sts from the st holder back on the needles and at the same time pick up 5 sts along each side of the collar. Knit as follows (right side row): K 1 row, P 1 row, bind off loosely with a K row.