long sleeved sweater

I started knitting a long sleeved sweater a few days ago. I've only knit short sleeves before, so this is a new project for me!

Here is the pattern I'm adapting:

https://www.allaboutami.com/the-downtown-cardigan/

The original pattern is for garter stitch, but for the LIFE of me I couldn't get the correct gauge. But with stockinette stitch, I'm a lot closer.

Here's what I've gotten done so far, about 30 rows of the back panel:


The yarn is a wool blend. I scored enough yarn at a thrift store, so the whole thing is only costing me about $15. (Can't beat that!) :-)

Update:

The back panel is finished. I've started the two front panels. They are small enough that I can knit two at a time.

The gauge for the front panels doesn't seem right, though. But I have followed the pattern, so I am trusting the pattern. If it is too narrow, I will learn how to put on a button band. The back panel seems roomy, so maybe it will piece together nicely.

I've finished the two side panels. Here are the back and sides being wet blocked. Now it's on to the sleeves!

Update:

Almost done!!! :-)

As I suspected, the side panels were too narrow. That meant I couldn't comfortably close the sweater around me. I needed a button band. But I also had 1.5 skeins of yarn leftover, so I decided to also add a hood. The first picture is with the hood, but before the button band. The second photo is with the button band, ready to be bound off the needles!! Yippee!!

I crocheted some cute buttons, but they are too big for the button holes I made. So I am going through my button jar to find some that may work. I have two options I'm trying to decide between. If I can't make up my mind, I might post back here for your input.

I'm done!!! I'm done!!! Yayyyy!!! Here it is:

Tips for next time: make the bottom buttonhole just a wee bit higher up on the button band. Bind off the button band much more loosely, using the "stretchy bind off" found here:


https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/stretchy-bind-off-stich-knitting-tutorial-2115677

I'd like to submit this project as part of the textile badge bit, please? Also, I sewed on the grey buttons. Can that also count for the button project, or do I need to sew buttons on a different item?

Hi Staci,
What a beautiful sweater.  I'm so glad you made a thread for this project as (I think) it will be easier to do your post to the PEP Textile BB page.  You have two options at this point.  You can either wait until someone makes a page for the sweater bb or you can make it yourself.  Here is information on how to make a bb page if you want to try your hand at making the page.  If you decide to make the page, you can let the staff know on the Peppers in Action page like I did.  They will review it and turn it into a bb page then you can submit your sweater.
Way to GO!!!

Stacie Kim wrote:
The yarn is a wool blend. I scored enough yarn at a thrift store, so the whole thing is only costing me about $15. (Can't beat that!) :-)

Do you have the label?
PEP generally requires natural materials

Thanks for reminding me. Here it is: