Chocolate Cephalopod

OMG! It's done! Wow, I can't believe it. I am so excited!

Front

Chocolate Cephalopod

Pattern: 32-10 Sweater and hat with reindeer by DROPS design

Chart: Octopus

Size: Mens Small/Medium

Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Sport
Content: 100% Merino Superwash Wool
Color: Mocha, Aran, Lemon, Extra Creme Cafe
Needles: Addi Turbo Circular size 4 and 6

Cast on: January 24, 2013
Completed: December 17, 2013

This sweater is not for the weak of heart. It was a real challenge to make, but oh so worth it.

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Things I did differently: 

• I substituted the octopus for the deer. I modified the chart linked above.

My Octopus chart

• I substituted Mocha for Blue and Extra Creme Cafe for Beige
  

Close up of body stitch pattern

• I knit the ribbed welt and sleeve cuffs with size 4 needles instead of 1. 1s are way too small for this.
  
• I didn't bind off the center neck sts or shoulder sts. I put them on holders, then when I put the whole thing together I did the 3-needle bind off to join the shoulders, and I didn't have to pick up stitches where the open stitches were for the neckband. Also had to pick up a bit more than 106 sts for the neckband. Didn’t count them though so don’t know how many.
  

Sleeve stitch pattern detail

• I started the neckband with size 5 needles, knit 3 rounds, then changed to size 4 needles and knit 5 rounds, then changed to size 3 needles, knit 2 rounds, then purled one round, then knit 2 rounds, then changed to size 4 needles and knit 5 rounds, then to size 5 needles for 2 more rounds and bind off. Makes a very very nice neckband that way that lays nicely around the neck. (A machine knitting trick translated.)

Things I  would change if I knit it again:

• Make a larger test swatch in fairisle. Small swatch was not enough for this.
  
• I would use a size larger needle for the fairisle parts. I had intended to do that from the start, but forgot.
  
• Now that I've tried it, I find that I don't like the steek thing. It makes for a very bulky seam where the sleeves are joined and is a real hassle to put together. I would rather knit back and forth at the beginning of the armholes, stranding while purling on the wrong side and forget doing steeks. I know some people love doing sweaters with steeks. I'm not one of them.

Oddly, with all the grief I had over gauge, by the time I got the sweater blocked and washed, it turned out to be 44 inches around, which is the perfect size. I consider that a good bit of luck.

Live long and prosper. \\//