There are a couple things I came across with gauge and dividing for the sleeves/armholes. See notes below.

Oh hey, Rhinebeck-itis! Like I really needed to start a sweater with less than 3 weeks to go. This is the first time I’m one of the people I always wonder about that start a project the second Knitty comes out. This one will be worth it.

Despite swatching at lunchtime, I was not ready to cast on right away. In fact, I had to swatch twice more. Using stash yarn which means it’s a heavy worsted instead of bulky. I’m getting 12sts to 4” on a US 11. So this means that following the directions for the largest size will/should make the size to fit me (somewhere around 44”). The fabric isn’t too open, in fact I think it’ll be perfect for a heavy sweater that I can wear all day and not take off and put on and take off, etc, etc…

Anyway, knitting with 11s feels like I’m knitting with giant kids crayons since everything else I’ve been working on is with 4s or smaller. Now I just need to knit every available moment I have in order to finish in time. Everyone has confidence in me. That’s nice.

9/30/2010 - As of lunchtime today, I have 4.5 inches done and am up to the cabled rows. I joined the second ball of yarn. I guess three swatches will eat yarn.
Today’s progress: up to row 12 on the chart! I think I knit about 4 inches today.

10/1/2010 - I have 13” or so total and am at row 31 of the chart. Decided today that I’ll need to do the short rows for bust shaping and that I’m going to do the sleeves two at a time magic loop once I get there. Another full day of knitting ahead of me tomorrow.

10/2/2010 - Finished the chart and the short rows. Dividing for sleeves and neck tomorrow.

10/3/2010 - Really aggravated at the moment. I’ve divided for the neck and armholes twice now and am one stitch off. I think I need to do it again starting one stitch farther than the pattern says. I’m not sure if it’s the way I’m binding off or the pattern. In any case, I need to make it work. Hopefully I can be done with the body by the end of today even though I can’t sit and work on it all day today like yesterday.

When I tried the splitting for neck and armholes as written, I ended up a stitch over from the center sts both times. This is what I did:
I’m following the directions for the largest size with the gauge that I got (12sts/4” on US11). What I eventually did was check how many sts from the center of the front there were supposed to be (29sts), place a marker in the center and count 29sts across the front in either direction and place a marker where the BO sts end. Then I counted the 7 BO sts and placed a marker on the other side so the BO sts were between markers. Then on the back I counted to see that the correct amount of sts were on the back (58sts). Once the markers were placed I could just knit aorund the row and BO in the right places before starting the top front sections.

Now I’m up to the top right front section.

10/4/2010 - The designer (Knitwit) PM’d me when she saw the trouble I was having and said that originally (before getting tech edited) you work 61sts across the front before the first BO sts for the largest side. I explained in my reply what I did above, essentially scooting everything over one sts to the right. I think errata in the section will be coming. I just checked Knitty and there is errata noting the correct numbers as of today 10/7/2010

Drat, no knitting time today. Will make up for it tomorrow at knit night.

10/5/2010 - finished the body today. Weaving in the ends and blocking it tomorrow so it’ll be dry. Then I’ll cast on the sleeves! I think I’m on schedule.

10/6/2010 - Wove the ends in on the body and started the first sleeve.

10/8/2010 - one more set of increases on sleeve one. It should be done tomorrow and then I can start sleeve two

10/9/2010 - sleeve one done. Sleeve two started.

10/10/2010 - Had to frog the second sleeve and start again today for silly reasons. The top photo is just a progress picture and I’m sure I’ll get more done before bed tonight. And I joined ball of yarn 6. That should take me to the end!
Eta, on sleeve two i’m ve got 3 increase rounds left and then knitting to 23” and the sleeve cap!

10/11/2010 - Only got to work on this a little, but tomorrow it will be done!

10/12/2010 - The knitting is done! The second sleeve is a little looser than the first, but I think that will work itself out when blocking. Tomorrow I will steam block the sleeves and attach them. I can’t believe that I finished the knitting in 2 weeks.

10/13/2010 - So uhm.. for some reason Jesh (That’s her wearing my sweater pieces.) is sewing my sleeves in. I can’t say that I mind!

10/22/2010 - Finally got a finished picture or two up. The top two were taken by MsLindz at Rhinebeck last weekend while I was trying out a charka. The color is closest in these.
Also, my project was featured on KnittyBlog 10/15/2010! Pretty cool!