12/31/18 - The EFA Yak Merino in Tea Time looks like a tapestry knit up. It’s such a change from my usual color choices and I’m really loving it. This top is also supposed to have 3-4” of positive ease. Partly because I can’t ever seem to get gauge, partly because going to a larger needle would make for a super-drapey fabric that I don’t really want, I am sticking with the gauge I’m getting, expecting that I’ll probably end up with about 0-2” positive ease. Plus, since Yak isn’t super elastic like wool, this top will have a slight amount of drape to it already.

1/3/19 - I’m disappointed that all the errors and unclear items in the pattern haven’t been identified and corrected in a new version or an errata note on the pattern page. Instead, I spent a good amount of time reading thru others’ project notes to clarify issues I came across. Thank you to all you knitters that put in detailed notes so that i didn’t spend even more time figuring out what was going on.

1/15/19 - nearly done with the body, have about an inch to go before doing the ribbing at the bottom.

1/17/19 - tried it on yesterday, and probably won’t need to do that last inch before the ribbing (since I’m short). However, I don’t think I’m a fan of the reverse stockinette. I don’t like how it lays, I don’t like how it looks with the yarn, I don’t like the angle of it across the front of me. And I don’t like the idea of ripping out nearly 2 weeks’ worth of work since I was hoping to finish before the end of the month.

3/15/19 - Had to set this aside for several baby gifts.
Instead of picking up stitches and doing the sleeves, I did them separate, cuff-up, and did a kitchener stitch to attach. The first one got a little dicey on the last 15 or so stitches, and I had to redo it, but learned a lot for when I finish the last few rows of the second sleeve and attach it. After that, I’ll only have the hood and collar!

3/18/19 - I forgot how much I HATE picking up stitches on a collar where I’ve had to cast on add’l stitches after doing the original cast-on. I seem to really struggle with it, and generally dislike how it turns out EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. Ugh. So because of that I started and restarted the collar/hood 3 times, but I’m zooming along now and hope to finish it tonight or tomorrow. If I make this again, or really, any other garment where I have to go back and pick up stitches like that again, I will do a provisional cast on so that it turns out nicer and maybe less screamy-stabby feelings from me.

3/24/19 - So there were even MORE sts to pick up, after doing the hood seam. All of this after rather clunky-worded directions for the hood. But I got past it and did the 10 rows and instead of binding off and then folding back and sewing it to create a “pocket” for the drawstring, I am doing a 3-needle bind off with the active stitches and the back-side of the sts about 9 or 10 rows down. It’s taking longer, but so much quicker and nicer than if I did a standard bind off and then sewed it. in fact, I probably wouldn’t even get it sewn cuz I’d probably toss it in the naughty pile to languish a while. It may never get a drawstring, but at least it’ll be done.

3/25/19 - finally finished, ends woven in and everything! No drawstring, but I’ll wear it a day or two to see if I really want one.