Acorns ... has been sitting quietly in the naughty corner for a week.
It's a top down cardigan. The acorns pattern on the yoke pulls up and needed a steaming to open up (so I had an idea of body and sleeve length). Once I'd finished the body I opted to knit the borders (again, my reasoning is that I can try it on properly and see how it fits). I didn't like the edgings as given in the pattern, which were worked in one go, with the buttonholes being formed on the actual pick up and knit row, by missing out a few stitches, and was just four or so rows of reverse st st. I knew as soon as I had knitted the first few rows that I would never be able to easily button up, I'd have to hunt for those buttonholes! So I did separate borders, wider, in garter stitch, then the neckband, where I decreased double the amount of stitches required; I could already see that the neckline was very wide!
I tried it on last week. Too snug in body and sleeves, and too loose on the yoke! Because the yoke is wide and loose, the sleeves start lower down on my arm and look ridiculous. And, silly me, I'd put the top buttonhole too low down, didn't think that I had a neckband to do one in.
Taken last night in dim lighting.
There's just two things which will save this garment. I need to block it wider, and re-do the neckband, decreasing even more stitches. This should pull the neckline in, and up.
1) blocking. I've given it a steam to relax the wool/bamboo. Not sure how successful this is, though it feels wider.
Again, taken last night in dim lighting (it might have a bit of camera shake blurriness about it)

Not a proper steaming, I was avoiding the plastic bits like stitch markers and needle cables.
2) frog collar and buttonhole band, knit new buttonhole band and new, narrower, collar. Another slight improvement, it pulls the yoke up a little.
Then the sleeves, just an inch to knit and then the cuff acorn pattern. Done this morning!

It needs a proper steaming, and all those ends darned in, but I'm onto the home stretch now! It is still rather snug (that's down to me putting on a few pounds and the tension being a little out) but I'm pleased that I picked it up again. I don't like wips lying around. This will be garment '10 for IntSweMoDo2010.
I've a day off work today, and am going to spend the rest of the day kjnitting on my next garment, which is Harriet, from a Fine Fleece. Back, one front and half the next front are done already! It's a super easy lace pattern, and it knits up fast. My plan is to finish this front, join them and see how long I want the sleeves. I may do top down, as the sleeves are modified drop shoulder ones. Or may not ,,, stay tuned. Eleventh garment! Next month will be an accesories month (as I intend to blog every day, yikes) so it will be great to get this one finished as well and have a break from garment and shawl knitting.