Yarn
Garment weight 738g = 4.35 skeins
Leftover weight 113g = 0.65 skeins remaining
Wow, I didn’t waste much!
First and last photos show color best.

Needles
15 mm 32” circular Knitter’s Pride Basix $8 on Amazon.com
10 mm circular for ribbing Addi clicks

Gauge
See diagram

Pattern & Design

• Diagram: See photos
• Shape: a standard cardigan drop shoulder shape with a cut out front and a sloped lapel. I think I nixed the sloped lapel in the end?
• Gauge: used 2 gauges because of how the weight pulls the fabric more at the top. Each is shaded differently in the second diagram.
• Collar: opted for a fully lined cardigan lapel collar, instead of just the neck with a raw front as pictured since it a) looked too messy and b) hung too low in front so I could use the full lapel to pick up fewer sts and shorten it.
• Shoulders: pulled the drop shoulders up by blanket stitching across the back of shoulders from arm to arm along the shoulder seams and collar seam. This non-stretchy stitch I cinched as I went to gather it up to the right width.
• Arm cuff: CO 16 sts and k 1x1 twisted rib for ~18 rounds. Switched to larger needles and doubled the sts with a kfb in ea st then switched to seed, starting with a p,k.

Design notes
Circumference is too big after all. The problem is the gauge across the shoulders is much looser since it supports all the weight of the piece. Also I wasn’t sure if I wanted the cardi to be able to close or be tailored narrower. I chose a circumference with 3” negative ease on the bust and decreased 4” at the neck from the underarm to shoulder to taper the collar away. This was way too big the shoulders fall off the collar. I seamed 4 sts more along the shoulders towards the collar but it’s still super wide. Gonna gather with stitching in the end (see Pattern above).
I made the armhole depth the same as the upper arm circumference measurement (0 ease).