So much before

the knitting even began on my latest cardigan. My heart finally plumped for Little Wave's saddle shoulders and elbow patches. Am still to be found just staring adoringly at the pattern pictures. Perhaps because I am avoiding doing the maths. Oh the maths.

I swatched people, two swatches! When I read the pattern I thought I might have to do four and my resolve to do this PROPERLY and make this FIT wavered... then thank heavens for Rav groups permission from Gudrun to only do two. Resolve back on track I then found had to buy more 5mm tips as I realised mine are with a Honey Cowl knitting Mama. I then knit a swatch in the pattern stitch and a swatch in the round for the stocking stitch, washed and blocked them and felt that enough sacrifices must surely now have been made to the knitting goddess to make me bang on gauge. Nope. Not even close! It turns out merely behaving yourself as a knitter does not entitle you to pass straight to go.

I liked the fabric and didn't want it any tighter so I didn't want to change needles and rather than buy more yarn or try and un-love the shoulders and elbows (come on - IMPOSSIBLE!) I decided I'd do the maths, it is not beyond me. Big girl pants time. I got a new notebook for luck!

In the picture above I've done the hem and am just doing the set up row for the body with the pocket stitches going on hold. I've adjusted for both row and stitch gauge differences and I'm juggling to make sure I keep in line with pattern repeat requirements. I'd knit the hem before I twigged that I hadn't factored that element that in to my stitches cast on but the garter stitch side panels gave me some leeway, as hopefully does the fact that this is an aran weight cardigan rather than something designed to hug the form. Getting me some GAAK here alright and that feels pretty good even if all I really want is to be wearing my lovely new cardigan!

Wish me luck as this cardi and I bob out amongst some rather big waves!