Not a Full Repeat

Done yet.. But still making progress. And doing some mental math.

I know from experience, I like my sweaters to be at least 24 to 25 inches long, measured from center back.. I always make some short rows in the back to make the back longer than the front, too, so the sweater doesn't ride up in the back.

(there are some patterns that don't allow for this—The Ladies February sweater come to mind—I noticed almost every sweater that didn't some how add some short rows across the back, rode up in the back, and sagged in the front—a not very nice look.)

Since I don't generally like high necklines, I tend to make wide round necklines, that start about 1 inch below the natural neckline. The Pretty in Pink sweater follows this personal trend, and starts about 1 inch below a natural neckline. The yoke is 9.5 inches in center back (the  shorter center front is a full inch shorter)

So, the back yoke is about 10.5 inches—9.5 of actual knitting, 1 inch “space”. I want to finish about 14 to 15 inches of body. And I want about 1 inch of garter at the hem. So I need about 14 inches of pattern body.

Right now, I have 28 rows of a 32 pattern row pattern done..(not quite yet a full repeat.) These rows have equal just under 4 inches—the full repeat of 32 rows will be about 4.3 inches—so if I need 14/15 inches, I need, 3 full repeats, (13 inches) to make the body...The result will be ,a bit short of my preferred length- but it will be a bit longer when another inch of garter stitch is added for a hem.

I find I have pain after 4 rows (even with the compression gloves) so I have been limiting my self to 2 rows at a time, twice a day—so I need 4 rows to complete repeat 1, + 64 to complete the second and third repeat, an inch garter stitch for the hem, will be another 10 rows.

72 rows to go—Divide that by 4 and I should have the body finished in another 3 weeks.. Let say 3.5 weeks, with some time off for bad behavior--(I have had my fill of good behavior!)

Of course there will be still more time needed for the sleeves—so another month to finish. I won't have many opportunities to wear it much this winter. Maybe a week or two in February, or of there is a sudden cold snap in March. But a big chunk of yarn will have been moved from stash to FO pile.

I also plan to make an matching sleeveless shell, in a solid pink (Lion Brand Sock Yarn)--The shell will be loose fitting, and worked in the same lacy pattern as the body of the Pretty in Pink sweater Itcan (and will) be worn with a camisole as a shell, and other times as a vest with blouse or T shirt type top. And occasionally, both pieces will be worn together as a sweater set. One half of the set will be wool, the other half will be alpaca, --one half in a solid smooth pink, the other half in the kettle dyed variegated yarn—not a totally matchy-match set—but a set of sorts. The shell will be another months work.

Well that is the plan—But plans don't always work out. In between, the 2 long rows of the sweater, I am working on some decorative edging for a summer project—the stitch count varies, from 8, to 16, to 12 stitches in a 18 row pattern-- in the past two weeks I have logged 25 repeats--(I will need, eventually 75 repeats in all. So that little project is about 1/3^rd done. Well the knitting part is about 1/3^rd done—there is more involved that just knitting. And I plan to make at least 3 sets of this project... Each will take a month in all (March, April, May!) A simple (but secret for now!) bit of luxurious knitting.

As always, my queue and plans are ambitious—and I will have to pace myself to be able to get them all done—There are sock projects planned, (including a pair of pink socks to match the Lion Brand pink shell) and sweaters for the twin granddaughter planned, and sewing projects, and repainting my bedroom, and.... Well for now, 4 long rows a day is all I am committing to!