07-05-2023

Son gave me two skeins of the Alegria--too much for accessories, not enough for a sweater, but the PERFECT color. Thanks to Wool & Co. I found more yarn and they were able to get a near perfect match comparing my photo to their skeins. Paired with the mohair it will be seamless.

I think I want somewhere between Big Love and Great Big Love. It looks as though the only difference is length. Will start swatching tonight!

08-29-2023

Finally picked this up. If you are trying it, just believe the instructions. I am holding a DK+Kidsilk together which makes reading the stitches on the edge challenging. I marked every right side row first stitch with a lightbulb safety pin which made it SO much easier to count rows. And absolutely remember to add pins/markers to designate the right side as suggested in the pattern. Really helps prevent confusion.

Sleeves were VERY SNUG. I don’t have fluffy arms, and they were uncomfortable. After knitting sleeve 1 to below the elbow, I started sleeve two: I picked up 1 stitch to 1 row, then decreased a few to 84 stitches. Even that is not roomy over a shirt. That is better, so frogged Sleeve 1 and did it over. First two inches knit at 84 sts., then decreased every 8th row 9 times. Knit another 8 rows, and decreased for long cuffs.

I have narrow wrists so decreased to 42 stitches, so decreased about every 3/4 to get down to 42. If I decide it’s too snug, I’ll frog back to the decrease row and try with more stitches.

Once sleeves were done, switched to the great love patten. At about 13” below sleeve/armpit began pockets. Again, believe the instructions and just do it. The stitches on the holder are for the inside. The cast on produces a gorgeous k1, p1 edge, and the extra length of yarn can be used to snug up the top edge and prevent flare (I should have made mine more like 20-24” to sew on pocket linings) . Brilliant! First 4 rows use slip stitches which also stabilize the top edge. Instead of one final row of k1, p1 ribbing I did 3 rows. November 12, 2023

11-28-2023

Well…. it is a lovely sweater, but not quite what I wanted. Dang. Once I get over it not being the fit I wanted, it should be lovely. So what happened? GAUGE. The “slightly stretched” for determining gauge is what did me in. What does that mean exactly? I would have had much better luck with gauge if she had provided the UN-stretched measurement.

I stretched it out as far as I could in blocking, but it is still not 10” of ease as it should have been. I knit for finished size 50”, and got 44 1/2-45”. Perhaps the combination of yarns didn’t reach Aran in weight and therefore contracts more???? It’s also a much “bouncier” rib than Lettlopi would yield.

I am also completely over super wash anything, and perhaps also the Kid Silk--still a bit scratchy even though I used Rowan, which to me seems softer than the others.

That said, I LOVE the way the collar falls and rides up the back of my neck for winter. So I’ll let it sit on the shelf a bit, then pick it up and wonder why I wasn’t happy with it from the get-go.