Josephine

Josephine - Interweave Summer 2007
Yarn - Louet Gems Super Fine/Fingering Weight
100% Merino Wool - Violet (08-1452-9)
gauge - 7st/10 rows = 1 inch
Needles and size - Addi Turbo Lace US 3

When I swatched for this sweater I used the US 5 needles called for and got gauge but really did not love the feel of the fabric as it was too open for me. So I swatched using US 4 then settled on US 3. This meant that I was going to have to rewrite the pattern for the change in gauge as well as I wanted to make the pattern for a 36" which was in between the pattern choices. Between the lace panel there was a simple panel of knits and purls that allowed for some room to add stitches to make the sizing work. I followed the intent of the pattern with decreases in the simple panel at the same point in the sweater and knitted the decreases needed to hit 36" just below the bust. Next mod was to move the v-neck to 2 inches above the bust and to begin the arm holes at 4". I have a knit shirt that I really like with similar look so got out the tape measure and used that as a guide for this area. The shirt also confirmed that I wanted an arm hole height of 8" not 7.5". From here I noted how many stitches were bound off at the arm hole and the shoulder to make the mods necessary for my gauge difference and to determine how many stitches and how quickly I needed to decrease stitches for the v-neck portion. Voila sweater. I did knit this sweater in the round since I was using a wool fiber and then did a 3 needle bind off at the shoulder. So no sewing on this sweater. Over all an easy knit once you have the math worked out and charted in an Excel spreadsheet.