I’m so excited to be starting this pattern!

Blocked gauge, 4” x 4”: 22 sts x 37 rows (size 6 needle)

I’m not sure why my rows are so condensed from the stated row gauge, but my sts gauge looks like it is right on.

I CO and then put this down for a long time

6 Jan 2019: I’m worried that the size is looking too big. So far all stockinette. There is no diagram given in the pattern for me to compare so I’ll attempt to work this out by number of stitches. Unblocked I have about 22.5 sts per 4” by about 35 or 35.5 rows in 4”. Again, this is unblocked.

I’m at 13.5” in length and 30” width, and almost at the end of my 3rd ball of yarn.

The pattern calls for 22 sts x 30 rows, in comparison for 4”x 4”, blocked. This is 5.5 sts per inch.

Given I’m making the 44 - 46 size, they would expect the width to be 30.7” at this point (blocked). My unblocked 30” seems reasonable, but might possibly grow wider than the 30.7 once blocked. TBD.

20 Jan 2019 I’ve started ball 5. I’m still on the back but only about 5 more inches to go.

31 Jan 2019 Started the next ball, I guess it’s 6. I’m closing in on finishing the 10” at the sleeves. Time to measure.

9 Feb 2019 Finished the back. The pattern confused me by stating to repeat the last 4 rows for the back decreases. So I repeated the “Next Row…do A for 2 rows”, “Next Row do B for 2 rows”, “Next row do C for 2 rows”, “Next Row do D for 2 rows”. It meant for me to do only the “Next Row do C for 2 rows” and “Next Row do D for 2 rows”. So I had to rip out that section and do it again.

11 Mar 2019 Gone for a month. Started the Left Front. Want to watch the Martin Storey episode on Fruity Knitting soon. Stash busting went OK last year, used a calorie counting approach, but this year I’m doing even better, gaining even more focus yet still allowing myself some new knits and new yarn. I could write a book on it at this stage.

19 Mar 2019 A couple days ago I started my 7th ball of Softyak, just a short way into the Left Front. I’m now into the 3rd repeat of the Aran panel. It’s not that bad to knit, definitely takes more concentration than cable patterns in my past, but not overly complex. I’m loving learning how the seed stitch sections ease in and out of the overall Aran design.

20 Mar 2019 I have 3 repeats of the Aran section done for the left front! I’m loving the interplay of cables with reverse stocking and seed stitch to create texture and background to the migrating cables.

19 Apr - 22 Apr 2019 wove a scarf using Noro knitting yarn for weft.

26 Apr 2019 I am about 12 inches or so into the left front. I need to reach 14.2 inches before starting the final shaping. I’ve learned quite a bit about “Aran” design from this “Simple Aran”. It’s slow to knit, mostly due to the intermix of reverse stockinette and seed stitch. Of course all the cable switches take more time to manipulate into place too. Hope I finish by May 31st for the Fruity Knitting KAL deadline, but it’s looking doubtful now. So far I’ve only had one major rip back, that being when I knit 2 extra rows in one 16 row repeat section.

28 Apr 2019 Had another small rip out and reknit. I’m now at 14” on LF side.

29 Apr 2019 Started 8th ball of Softyak. I’m about an inch into the armsleeve on the LF, ie about 15.5” from hem.

ABOUT THE DESIGN:
I love looking at the designs of Master Designers of which Mr. Storey is one with no doubt. Analyzing it--the pattern is beautiful with a vertical motif made up of 7 bands of simple to complex cables, but these are limited to just a portion of the front left and right so that one is not overwhelmed by cables on every square inch of fabric and therefore a good choice for someone who doesn’t know if they like knitting Aran’s or not. The chosen cables are a good selection of pleasing textures which create very deep texture at the center of the design. The design is a perfect marriage with Rowan’s Softyak yarn in that you get a wonderful cabled 3-season, large garment but not something that you can wear only in deep winter.

3 May 2019
Worried about fit.

Looks like this is going to be too big as the LF combined with the back seems gigantic.

My Bust 45” and Hips 48”
My blocked swatch gauge, 4” x 4”: 22 sts x 37 rows or 5.5 st per inch by 9.25 rows per inch.
Pattern gauge: 22 sts x 30 rows in 4”; 5.5 st/inch and 7.5 row/inch

• Computing dimensions based on #sts in pattern: Pattern says: 22 sts and 30 rows = 4” / 5.5 sts x 7.5 row = 1”

Picking size to Fit: 44 - 46” Bust
Pattern say Finished Measurements 60” Bust and Length to back neck 28.25”

CO for Back: 169 sts would = 30.7” wide if stocking st
CO Left Front: 124 sts would = 22.5” wide if stocking st
CO Right Front CO: 124 sts would = 22.5” wide if ss

• Checking gauge from WIP LF (unblocked): 18 sts over 3” and 26 rows over 3” of stockinette st. 6 sts per inch and 8.6 rows per inch
• Checking gauge from Back (unblocked) 22.5 sts over 4” or 5.6 sts per inch 34.25 rows and 35.0 rows over 4” or 8.6 rows per inch

Measuring Back piece, unblocked:
27” across lower hem
30” across bust
27.5” from shoulder pt (A) to hem
28.0” from top and center Back to CO edge
25.5” from start of shoulder (beside sleeve) to hem
9” arm hole opening

Measuring LF piece, unblocked, still on needles:
16.5” across Bust, edge to edge

4 May 2019
Mystery Solved!

Why is this sooo big? Because I’m knitting a PONCHO!
Oh my, how could I not have known this was a poncho vs a slightly oversized cardi!

I am so laughing at myself about this one!

Also I’m starting on a new ball of Softyak today. This is the 9th and I have 4 more. Will I have enough to finish this?

8 May 2019
I’m hopeful I’ll be able to start knitting again tomorrow. I’ve taken several days off now as my fingers are aching from working long hours on this.

12 May 2019
I’m able to start knitting again on this. I’m into the shoulder shaping for the LF. I’m only going to knit a couple hours a day yet.

14 May 2019
Finished knitting the Left Front! Yeah!

19 May 2019
Finished the ribbing on RF, started ball 10.
A lot still to go on this piece.

25 May 2019
I have 7” of length knit on the RF.
A lot still to go on this piece.

26 May 2019
Started my 11th ball of yarn.
I’m 1/3 done with the RF. Sigh. Doesn’t look like I’ll be finishing by end of the month.

30 May 2019
Started by 12th ball of yarn.
I’ve about 104 rows left to knit.
11 PM:about 80 rows left

31 May 2019
12:37 AM, CT Texas, about 72 rows to go.
9:30 AM Central Time (Texas), still a lot to go. I’m pretty sure I could finish this weekend. I posted a new photo to this project just now.
4:00 PM: about 50 more rows to do. Knitting at Barton Springs pool.

1 Jun 2019
10:20 AM, CT Texas, about 44 rows to go. Made a few mistakes in one row when I was multi-tasking. Ugh. Fixed.
5 PM, CT Texas, about 32 more rows. Another 16 and the rows will start decreasing. Looking forward to that. Will be starting my last ball of yarn soon.

2 Jun 2019
7 PM, new ball of yarn started, 13th and I’ve been knitting with it for a bit. About 24 rows to go, which will get shorter soon. YAY!

3 Jun 2019
8 AM, 16 rows to go!!! They are decreasing in length too! Unfortunately chores must take priority for a few hours. But today may be the end-of-knitting day for this project!
5 PM, Cast Off!!! YAY!!!
Off to Blocking and Seaming.

5 Jun 2019
Basted pieces together, figuring out how it’s supposed to be. I have never seamed anything this ‘complex’ before. This is going to take me a while to do. Added photos of me wearing the basted version.

5 Feb 2021
In the last two weeks, I mattress stitched the sides and upper shoulder seams. I sewed in all the ends. Then I tried it on. Ugh. Way tooo big. I cannot wear this and be happy. Now what? I’m going to take it in.

So I pinned it down to the size I want, taking 8 inches off the waist. Yep, 4” per side. I took 4” total off at the hips / ribbed hem, gradually fitting the waist in to the total of 8 inches. I did this with new mattress stitching of the two sides after pinning it to the fit I want.

Hopefully tomorrow, I’ll remove the original side seaming and then zig zag the side material and cut the fabric. Wished I had knit a much smaller size of this instead of doing the recommended size for me.

7 Feb 2021
I have put in new mattress stitch sides, fitting the garment much smaller: 2” Lee (total) at hips and 8” less thru the waist. In one picture you can see the new seams. Then I zig zagged the sides and cut off the excess. I now love the garment. It’s more an overcoat/cardi. It feels so much better without all that extra material. Many thanks to my friend Suzanne Strachan who guided me through the seaming and also on how to make the needed adjustments!!!

If anyone decides to knit this, seriously consider making it one or two sizes smaller than you might think you need.

The first two photos show how it fits me now. YAY!!!