WIL: that aran sweaters have pattern “growing” from rib sections; also learned infinite rib and how to turn five stitches into one (closing top of the cable).

Been struggling forever with knitting gauge sampler. Looks like 3.0 does it, although it’s little bit tighter, but then I want to achieve something tighter than tunic shape.
Borrowed the book from the library and later ordered it from Amazon - it’s so good.
Adding rib at the bottom. Chart B goes in unchanged, rest of charts “grow” from the rib.
While designing rib pattern, I’ve become so desperate that I created custom font - just for the purpose of making clear chart.
So, finally I’m casting on. Tried alternative cable cast-on - it’s horribly inconvenient. Ended up with twisted german cast-on. Even though it’s slower to work, it’s definitely nicer than simple long-tail.

11/28 - 16 rows of rib and 4 rows of main pattern. Rib on 2.0, main pattern - 3.0.
11/29 - Well, I’m just up to row 13. All because I thought I made a mistake in pattern D, and I frogged middle section and redid it twice! All because… all because I missed one little square while I was reproducing the pattern! It’s there, but it’s blank, when it should, in fact, have “purl” symbol in it. Arghhhh!!!!
11/30 - Productive evening. I’m up to row 37, even though I had to correct pattern B in three places (yes, knitting during the party with a wineglass in hand has it’s inconveniences).
12/1 - been lazy. Row 49 has been reached. I’m constantly making the same mistake and crossing small cable in wrong direction. Hopefully I’ll stop doing it soon enough.
12/3 - 61 rows.
12/4 - 74 rows.
12/5 - 90 rows.
12/6 - 106 rows (wow! I’m finally recognizing the pattern!)
12/25 - back finished. I was very busy with Christmas/NewYear staff, and missed a lot of time on knitting. Need to speed up…
Started on front. Cast on and two rows of rib.
12/26 - up to full 16 rows of rib and 21 rows of main pattern.

Haven’t really had a chance to work during New Year’s celebrations.
01/01 - 56 rows.
01/02 - 68 rows.
01/07 - 102 rows. Keep going!
01/09 - 134 rows.
01/16 - yay! Front is finished!

01/17 - started sleeves
01/19 - really baffled with stitch counts and increases. Looking for clarification…
01/25 - figured out what’s wrong with increases description in the book. Up to row 79 now, doing two sleeves at the same time. I’m glad I bought a big bag of markers, not a small one, ‘cause you sure need them here.
01/31 - 125 rows.
02/02 - Hooray! Sleeves are finished, working on collar strip.
Note: Some time ago I bought extra 3 skeins of the same yarn. Glad I did - I’m down to 1/2 of the last one, hope it will be enough for collar and sewing…
02/07 - Sometimes long projects start to bore you. I finished collar on Feb 3rd. Right now everything is blocked, ends are darned in, but I’m soooo don’t want to start sewing! Looks like I like it too much and don’t want to finish this project :)
02/08 - Well, it needs to be done one day. Shoulders and top sleeves seams are sewn together, working on sleeve seams.
02/11 - Don’t have enough yarn to finish the collar. Ordered one more hank, waiting…
02/14 - yarn is here. Fnished all seams, need to start on the collar. By the way, Marina tried it on. Although I used smallest model and smaller needles, the result is still not overly tight.
02/15 - ta-da! It’s finished! I started sewing collar in this morning, finished in the second half of the day. Picked up 100 stitches for ribbing, decreased in two rounds (second and fourth), and then the fun really started. Bind off has to be stretchy. I tried to bind off twice using this and that - unsuccessfully. Third time I used “Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off”, and it worked! I tried it on my head, since future owner lost all patience and left by that moment :) and it stretched beautifully. Last picture in the series is made AFTER I tried it on, so you can see it shrunk back without a problem.
I’m a bit sad this project is over, but I’m glad too - so many projects are waiting in my queue!