Photos:
top ones are of the finished product, on intended recipient. The two showing the looped enclosure instead of buttons was done when we thought the sweater would not fit; they were subsequently removed, and button holes reopened when we discovered otherwise!
photo below (back view) is me trying it on part way through.

Mods:
-made icords for button hooks.
-made three button holes (sewed up the button holes for icords, but then re-opened them). Only used two buttons…but it gaps, so I really should’ve done three.

-didn’t make the tabs for the sleeves.

Yarn:
Really nice quality: soft yet springy, crisp stitch definition and beautiful color.
got it after consultation with Stash staff (thanks!) and it seems to do the job for this sweater well. Time will tell!

Pros:
love the seed st details, and actually didn’t mind the seaming (hardest part was finding a quiet place & time to sit down with it!), makes a gorgeous garment. I like the diagonal fitting on the bodice-- that seems to be everyone’s favorite part too.

Cons:
sleeve/armpit area is a bit loose, whereas waist is a bit tight, so it makes the shoulders look bigger and doesn’t work if you don’t have the goods to fill it out (i dont, my sister does) :). The sleeves have a kimono-esque style, which I’m not a fan of.

Techniques used:
mattress, kitchener, tulip button-holes,
TechKnitter! (just helpful in general….)

Commentary:

10/8:
The back is nearly done, and would’ve been by now if i’d been paying better attn. So far it’s good according. to gauge, pattern and fit…

10/29: one month in, the back is done, and i’m finishing up the left front tonight! hoorah, this is going at quite a nice pace (faster than my last one!)
and turning out really well so far. hard to tell how well it will fit though!

11/8: Finished the right front tonight.

11/10: time to take a deep breath and prepare myself…for seaming. Ok, well i still have to do the front bands and arm edging, but those will involve seaming and finishing too, and the bulk of the pattern is complete! I just have to condition my mind that there is still a lot to finish…because there is!

12/6/10
oook
need to finish this already!! Still left: sew up the right side, sew together the whole thing, and add on the sleeve ends/tabs. only 2 weeks left to do it!!

12/22/10
finished up the last sewing/block the day she was arriving!
Gave it to her for Xmas, but we both realized the buttons wouldn’t work as-is (even though i did three instead of two)
So, 12/27- took it back home and whipped up some icords to hook onto buttons. Now it’s back to two buttons. Now all i have to do is send it back to her!

she came home for easter demanding, er asking nicely that the cords be removed. Back to regular buttons! I am happier with this…the icords did look pretty, but were not as functionally proficient, and did not make her or the sweater look as good.