Baby Surprise Jacket - Day Three

I reached the halfway point when my center stitches were equal to the desired chest measurement. (18" x 6 sts per inch = 108). Another way to think of it, is you have the center back plus the underarm lengths. Since EZ makes her baby garments square, and garter stitch is square, I have 9 + 4.5 +4.5 which is the same 18".

At this point, EZ knits 3 ROWS and continues with increases at the same underarm points. Don't confuse rows and ridges, EZ refers to both, and they are not the same animals.

I positioned the sweater so it roughly corresponds to the diagram in the pattern. Take a peek at the little graphic in the lower right hand corner. EZ uses a M1 increase, not the same as knit in the front and back of the stitch to increase. The M1s are directional, too, and slant away from the middle stitch. It's almost a moot point when done in garter stitch, but I am doing it her way, and hoping it will show a neat diagonal line when it's done.

After 8 ridges, I blindly added 10 sts for fullness across the back. Perhaps I should have added 11 or 12, to keep in with the proportions. I calculated once, then forgot when it came to the actual knitting. No matter, I didn't realize it until I was 2" past that point, and decided Bean will wear it anyway. One stitch, phooey. I continued on, increasing for another 9 ridges, then bound off for the neck shaping.


Here I've folded the sweater so you can see what the BSJ will look like when it's done. Check out the right sleeve vs. the left sleeve. Pretty odd, isn't it? The self striping yarn just does its own thing, and it is consistently changing on the same sides. Well, it will be unique, anyway. Bean won't care, and it will keep him warm.