Apricot Jacket, she is done. The Good Sweater Finishing Karma of Marika’s house held strong and I managed to weave in the remaining ends, crochet the buttonhole edging, and stitch on the buttons yesterday. I’m pretty pleased with this one: it’s the most technical piece I’ve finished yet, and the fit is just right. Although the pattern was a little perplexing at times, I love the clever design. Here’s the back:

The back shows the two areas I’m not totally satisfied with: the seaming at the lower parts of the sleeve caps and the neckband join. The perfectionist in me is tempted to pick it apart and try to do these bits more neatly; my practical nature wanted to finish the sweater and wear it already. Practical won out this time, and I wore it all weekend. So here are the specs:

Jacke Apricot from Rebecca 27, knit in the 34″/36″ smaller size with Rowan Calmer in shade “Calm” and US size 9 needles. Calmer really wants to be knit on 7’s or 8’s, but the 9’s produced the necessary gauge. The result is a slightly more open and drapey knit than I think the suggested GGH Java would have given me, but it’s a light and airy summer sweater anyhow. I’m delighted with the spongey, springy Calmer and will certainly use it again. The only modification I made to the pattern was to lengthen the sleeves a touch. The buttons (I wish my camera were capable of close-up shots!) I found at Purl, lovely shell buttons with a floral motif pricked in them. They were just the thing for this sweater. Apricot was a true summer knit: I cast on back on Memorial Day weekend and finished over Labor Day weekend. It could have been so much faster if I weren’t so easily sidetracked, but oh well. Stick a fork in her – she’s finally done!