experience:
This is a simple sweater to knit, and it knits up quickly. Like all Amy Herzog’s designs, it’s easy to modify for your shape, and the result is a beautifully-fitted sweater. The pattern was well-written and very clear, without error (except for a couple very tiny details noted in the mods, below). I do think it’s weird to face ribbing, and if I were to do this one again I’d leave that off, definitely. It’s unnecessary and doesn’t add anything (except for bulk and surprise bits of color, if you do contrasting facings!). Another thing I’d probably do different next time is to knit the sleeves in the round.

It’s my first sweater knit in pieces, and it was great not having to lug the whole sweater around and around as I knit the sleeves. I don’t mind the assembly, except for my eagerness to put the sweater on now that it’s finished being knit!

mods:
I started the front neck shaping 8 rows early, to give a slightly deeper V. I also made the sleeves longer.

Also, for some reason the ribbing to the right of the panel ended with P2 instead of K2. I think this is a problem with the pattern; I’m knitting 42.5 and starting the ribbing with K2, as the pattern indicates for that size, would end the section with P2, since there are 32 stitches in that section. It results in a very ugly hanging look, so instead I started the ribbing on the right side of the panel with P2. Additionally, the decrease on the right of the front panel is one stitch in from the stockinette edge, but it isn’t on the left side, so I changed that too. Tiny little details, but I think they both look better.

I am using madelinetosh dk, tart, for the hem facing. It’s such a bright pop! The actual color of montmartre is difficult to capture, even in natural light -- it’s a very grayed, dusty lavender.

about:
The pattern was a birthday gift from Laura, and Laura’s using the same yarn for a different sweater, so this is my Laurayana sweater.

fit:
pattern gauge is 18 sts & 26 rows = 4”
my unblocked swatch (on the larger needles) is 22 sts & 26 rows = 4”.
blocked swatch: 20.5st & 26rows = 4”
high bust 35.5

Given my gauge, my sweater will be 88% of the finished pattern. Since the bust is meant to be worn with 1/2” positive ease, I need to end up with 36” at the bust.