Edited to add photos after deciding to put on the collar and fix the buttonband. End result, the collar is a challenge and I can see why many mentioned this in their project notes. I decided that (as you can see in photo below of me wearing it with the collar up)...that it just didn't fit right. My wonderful idea was to taper the buttonband by decreasing one stitch at the top every other row, an idea I got from another knitter. I picked up only 60 stitches this second time around for the buttonband. Much better! My other great idea was instead of fighting the collar and it's floppiness around the neck and its unwillingness to lay down the right way: FOLD it over ! Voila! Problem solved. It is now a shawl collar sweater! Ta Da!
I think it's finally done! The only part I didn't do was add the collar. And I am thinking about holding off on it, or maybe not even adding it at all and leaving as is. Shown before any blocking in a photo shoot by my husband this afternoon:
Did a few mods. This is my second time around knitting the sweater and this fits much better than the first which was done on 10 1/2 circs. This was done more like the size 38 in the pattern. Modified by using another sweater as my "model," so my row counts differ a bit from pattern. Knit on size 9 circulars for right, left front, and back pieces. Yoke was knit separately and other pieces seamed to the yoke. (Pattern calls for it to be knit as one piece side to side) Then picked up stitches at the bottom using size 8's to do 12 rws. garter stitch. Then seamed the sides. Finished sleeves using size 8 circ's by picking up stitches and knitting in the round the rest of the way down. Buttonholes moved slightly over so not so close to edge, otherwise followed pattern for picking up 78 sts. using size 8's for buttonbands. So many people seem to have had probs doing the collar and I am not sure I want one yet...so for now, I will let it rest! I learned alot about knitting a garment "sideways" and about "correct gauge" and about "winging" it, alot about "tenacity" and "stick-to-it-ness" with this project. I surprised myself with the determination with which I pursued the very yarn pictured in the book, and was blessed to find the yarn in two separate states in the same dyelot! And I learned that if at first you don't succeed, please do try, and try again! The end result will be worth it!
