in which I do a lot of math and eventually get a vest

so I have a little problem with this thing called gauge.

gauge is really pretty simple:  to get a garment the size in the pattern, be sure your stitches are the same size as in the pattern (given by stitches per inch).

I spend a lot of time frogging.

(really, it's a good thing I like to knit for the sake of knitting.)

even if I start with a swatch, on needles 2 sizes too big, with yarn to match the needles instead of the pattern, and the gauge comes out right, it still seems to be up in the air if I'm going to get anything resembling the size in the pattern for my finished project (mine's always still too small).

so, when I found this blue sky alpaca on clearance at the sidewalk sale at our LYS, I did a quick and dirty yardage calculation, then took all the yarn home to swatch and crunch numbers.

I've admired the shalom cardigan for a long time;  it looked simple, easy, and relatively quick.  now I found myself with enough yarn, but the wrong size.  by carefully swatching, carefully counting, using the pattern schematic, throwing in a bit of fudging, and writing every step down, I managed to make do.

here is the shalom cardigan in a super bulky:
(please disregard my apparent inability to stand up straight.)

pattern:  Shalom Cardigan
yarn:  blue sky alpaca bulky 50% alpaca/50% wool
needles:  sz 13 (9mm), circular

rough notes::
I cast on 57 sts., and shortened the sections of the yoke to get the count to the right length, eventually getting to 143 sts.  the bind off of the arm holes ended up being k 16, bo 39, k 33, bo 39, k 16.  I cast back on 13 under the arms.

if anyone very much cares, I could work up more detailed notes on using a thicker yarn for this pattern, but it'd have to be a line-by-line as that's how I worked out the changes.

beautiful easy pattern and a fun knit!  I'd love to try it again with the "right" yarn... and carefully make a swatch for gauge first!