I sure love the way the yarn knit up. ;)

I worked a series of short rows to even out the fronts/back -- I didn’t want a huge drapey/pointy front. I also did some shaping increases on the back side below the waist at intervals.

I opted to do a sewn hem (for the first time) because I didn’t want the stockinette curl at the bottom.

I sort of love the sleeve cap shaping, but worked six rows of garter before binding off to prevent curling.

The shaping turned out wonderfully. I never imagined that I’d lose 35 pounds between start/finish… it’s a rather forgiving design, but is actually quite big and slips off my shoulders, even wearing a long-sleeve shirt underneath!

The following is my response to an inquiry about the short rows (there are so many sizes to this pattern -- all I can do is write what I did for the size I made):

I knit the XL size. Cautionary note: That lace bodice is going to STRETCH, and the weight of the body is definitely going to pull it and stretch it while wearing, and the neckline is also stretchy and wide.

It looks like I modified the pattern for the body right from the get-go… working the RS decreases at the markers every 6 rows, three times; every 4 rows, four times; and then every other row until the length was about 6-6.5 inches (almost to my waist). I remember trying it on (as best I could) several times to try to determine how it was falling and what the length was.

This is where I did the short rows. I’m sure I did some half-hearted math (GUESSED!) at what would work to fill in that angle made by the bodice and bring it up even. In fact, I recall that I knit and ripped a couple of times while working this out.

Anyway, it looks like a did a series of short rows on each “front” (between the markers and front edge) -- first on one side, then on the other -- about every 10 stitches (8 times), for my size, to make a little wedge and bring the length of the piece to about the same in back as it was in the front.

I worked a few a few rows even, and then started doing increases at the markers (where decreases were previously done). My reasoning there was: hips & butt! I’m neither a child nor a skinny little thing, and I didn’t want the fronts gaping open any more than I wanted them hanging to my knees.

For my size, I did about 10 graduated (closer together, then spaced out a bit) increases over approx. 7 inches. Then I knit straight and for the hem. I think my sweater is a little bit longer than written, approx. 16 inches from the lace bodice to the bottom edge (closing in on tunic-length).

IMPORTANT: The front edges were worked as written (K4, YO, knit…) until the short rows. From that point I worked K4, YO, K2TOG, knit…). I wanted that front line to be straight, not “curtains.”

Clear as mud?