Finished Textured Tunic from Fitted Knits

Finished!

I actually finished this earlier in the week, but it took a couple of tries in different light to get the color to come through accurately. As you can see, I modified the neckline (though I see that didn't keep my bra strap from showing!). I also only did side slits, no buttons. I did a lot of waist shaping, so much so that when it is off of me, the shaping looks oddly exaggerated. I mostly worked to the smallest size, but did the next size up for the arm openings. I then stayed with 40 stitches for the sleeve until below the second section of purls, then added 4 stitches over 4 rows, rather than decreasing in the top section. That wouldn't have fit my arms at all. I thank the posters on Fitted Knits Along for sharing how they made many of the modifications, that helped a great deal. This is the first project on which I deviated so far from the pattern, and I must have tried it on 30 times as I was working on it.

The yarn is Adrienne Vittadini Donata (70% alpaca, 30% acrylic), and the sweater feels a bit scratchy on. I am hoping that washing will take care of that. I've also read that soaking an itchy garment in a tablespoon of hair conditioner before washing really helps. The garment looks a bit see-through in the box stitch section, though I didn't notice it looking that way when I tried it on. Maybe the flash had something to do with it. I am still puzzling over how much yarn I had left. Based on the yardage, I needed 11 full balls of this yarn. Since I bought it at an out-of-town store, I got 12 balls, just to be safe. And in the end, would you believe I only used 6?!? (73 yards per ball).

I am taking a short break from bigger garments, making the convertible hat/neck warmer Sugar on Snow from knitty.com, but I think I'll make the cropped cardigan with leaf ties next. Though the weather here in upstate NY is getting so chilly so quickly I might not be able to wear the cropped cardigan till next spring.

My husband seems to be open to the idea of my making him some fingerless mitts (see item above about chilly weather). I've found a nice sedate dark green color in Lamb's Pride Worsted in my stash, so as soon as Sugar on Snow is done (only the I-cord and leaf shapes need to be finished), I'll start on that.

My Converted Mitts are progressing not at all. I have to say I much prefer to do stranded knitting on circular needles, rather than dpns. But I have to get back to those mitts soon. The yarn is a delight to work with, so why do I have this mental block?