Noob mistake – I used a lighter weight contrast yarn. It was from my mother’s stash and the end of an unmarked ball. It’s lovely, but I suspect it’s only 4ply. :-)

I knew I was pushing it tight for yarn so I decided I’d go for more skirt length and short sleeves. After finishing the skirt I unballed the yarn and reskeined it, dividing it into two balls of approximately even length.

I managed to get 40 rows out of the first ball, with increases of one stitch (at the marker under the arm) at rounds 30, 33, 36 and 39.

I tried binding off purlwise after the garter stitch cuff and failed miserably dropping stitches left, right and centre. Unable to even pick up dropped stitches (my toddler helped) due to stress and the colour of the wool, I redid the garter section 6 rows and then a decreasing bind off (from the Milo vest pattern). I figure seven rows is half the size of the waistband.

When I came to do the second sleeve I got very worried I would run out of yarn, but completed row 40 with about 2 inches to spare.