FO: Leaf Yoke Top

The pattern is the Leaf Yoke Top from Knit.1 Spring/Summer 2009 (ravelry link). The yarn is Berroco Comfort. I love this pattern -- the yoke is flattering and the I-cord edgings and folded hem are great finishing details. I'm keeping the pattern around because it serves as a good template if I want to substitute some other yoke design.

I was a little concerned that the cutaway armholes would be too wide and those little wodges of adipose tissue (a.k.a. fat) just above my armpits would poke out. I picked up 45 instead of 50 stitches on the lower armhole edges to keep it tight. The end result is that the armholes are a little wider than I would like in the front, but it does manage to cover most of the unsightly wodges. If I knitted this again, I would pick up a few more stitches after the yoke just on the front and do fewer underarm increases.

Most of the sweater was knitted using size 5 needles. I used size 6 for the lower half of the yoke because I was concerned that it might be too tight because there aren't that many stitch increases. I used size 3 for the armhole I-cord, and size 5 for the neckline I-cord. I used size 4 for the inner piece of the folder hem. I knit it to my favorite pullover length, which is probably about an inch longer than the pattern's length.

I love the look of the sweater, but I'm not that thrilled with the yarn because it feels slightly scratchy to me. But then again, I'm quite the delicate flower about these things. I wore it all day today with no problem, but there were times when I was aware of my sweater. I never want to be aware of my clothing.

I'm thinking of making a second one of these later in the year, using this charcoal/black/metallic Lily Chin Times Square yarn. It would make a nice sort-of-dressy top.