Dr. Watson Adjustments

Finally! Dr. Watson's Cabled Crew-Neck is just a block away as the Knitmore Girls would say. The tails need tucked and blocked but the knitting and seaming is finally done. Roughly half the tails are tucked but I need to get off my duff and finish it up. However, this podcast should be about all of my modifications like I promised.


The first change was due to gauge. I needed to remove several stitches for a comfortable fit without it being almost DH size. So instead of casting on 232 stitches, I cast on 200. Then I removed a p2, k6 in two locations (instead of having a 3 cable section, I have a 2 cable section). When I had to divide for the front and back, I placed the first 103 stitches on an extra cable. The back was 105 stitches instead of 121 stitches.

The shoulders are where I got really creative. I worked 28 stitches instead of 36 stitches. Looking back, I wonder if I shouldn't have adjusted the shoulders and worked them as written for a tighter neckline than what I currently have. With the neckline shaping, did not write down any adjustments but I know I adjusted the shoulders and worked the neckline from what I didn't need for the shoulders.

Sleeves. Without thinking, I cast on the sleeves as written and needed to rip them out. Next, I cast on 44 stitches and then I needed to remove the first k4, p2 and the last p2, k4. From there I knit the pattern as written until I had the correct length sleeves (correct for my arm length). As it worked out for me, I had to increase until I had 101 stitches in the sleeves. That said, I like having loose sleeves because I always wear a long sleeve t-shirt under my sweaters.


As I said the things I maybe would have done differently:

1. Adjust the neckline to a smaller width based on my gauge
   
2. Knit the shoulders as written
   
3. Maybe use DK instead of Worsted
   
4. If I wanted to use Worsted, perhaps I should have used the seamed version instead of the in the round version.
   
5. Learn to hem knitting before I attempt a hem on a handknit sweater.

Additional information:
Needles: Hiya Hiya Interchangeables in size 4 (3.5mm) and 6 (4mm)

Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes Gypsy Tonal