I frogged a top made with a lovely yarn that was so hideous on that I don’t seem to have even entered it here. Five skeins of a clearance Stitch Studio by Nicole in “white/coffee” that I had to have since I am such a coffee lover. My car is even “java metallic.” Looks like the line is called “morning blossoms” but it is hard to read on my old photos from that project. Had a fuzzy vest in mind, but found one on sale at Target cheaper than the yarn, so made a top I had made before with it instead. Bulky yarn over a bulky body is not a good mix. And the mesh stitch i had used made it keep getting longer and skinnier as I had it on. Ugh. So when I had nothing on my hook, I thought i would make another one of these poncho style things I have been doing recently.

I stayed with the G hook that feels right in my hand so that I would not have that stretching out issue. Began with foundation sc that I couldn’t keep track of. Vaguely remembered wanting to change each side count to an odd number with the mesh top I did last. Put in a marker at 11 stitches, then started counting there and went another 11 stitches, counting from the marker went 21, then 11 and 11 again. Counting from the marker to account for the corners. Couldn’t figure out how to get the corners established in pebble stitch I wanted to use, so went back to dc and worked those marked stitches as dc/ch/dc. Then stubbornly wanted to get the pebble stitch to work so began next row with alternating sc/dc. Worked out that all the corners were the same - dc/ch/dc in the ch space - and the row started and ended with sc. Worked the next row dc/sc and worked out that all the corners were dc/ch/dc in the ch space again. So that seemed encouraging. Did the next row in sc and worked those corners 3sc in the chain space, marking the middle one as I finished the cluster. Repeating those four rows for pattern.

Was liking the look and feel, but was using up my yarn quickly. Checked for fit after every sc row and decided I could move on to the body after 7 repeats of four pattern rows. Folded and joined yoke as in previous versions, but this time just lapped the front over the back and put my hook through both corner stitches and worked the dc as if through one stitch instead of trying to mess with a fussy special stitch. Think that will be the way I do these going forward. Left markers in which turned out to be useful.

Stopped with the last sc row I could assuredly complete. I could have said it was done, but really liked how the “platoon” yarn in this cowl I wasn’t wearing brought out the splashes of coffee. So decided to frog that and work a ribbing border as on the teal zeal cardigan. When the front edges of the original dc foundation round both came out to 44 just placing them where it looked like they needed to go, I decided I had to continue. Worked two rounds in rib after the foundation, and decided that was enough.

Did matching border on arm opening. Started with corner where marker was and worked around to other marker for 67 stitches. Needed an even number for rib, and there just happened to be a very clear place to put that 68th stitch between the two markers.

Could have stopped here, but with my allergies, I love to have a pocket for a tissues. After a couple of tries, I came up with these surface stitched ribbed pockets. If I remember correctly, I started on the first dc row from the hem to be able to work front post stitches easily. I counted four dc from the border, then put a marker on the fifth dc. Counting the marked sc as the first stitch, I counted over 21 and put another marker on that stitch. Then I marked the dc row where I wanted to stop the same way. I worked 21 fpdc across bottom to establish rib. Ch1, turn. Now attaching as I go was very subjective. After the chain and a quarter turn, I worked a slip into the body. Then completed a bpdc over the last fpdc and continued in rib to the next to last stitch. Before working that stitch, I stuck my hook through the corresponding place I slipped to begin the row, then continued to work the bpdc pretending the body yarn wasn’t on my hook. Very similar to a method for joining granny squares as you go I read about. The post stitches cover the joins and no seaming! Plus the ribbing pulls the body to the front a little and makes sure my tummy stays covered. Wasn’t hanging asymetrically this time, so put the button in the middle.

Will see if I wear this. It feels great, but if it is warm enough to want my arms bare, this may be too hot. But for now I am very happy with it. May be just the thing for air conditioning in the summer. And there’s enough platoon left to start a pair of booties =)