Once I got through the first panel (the back), I was already running low on some of the colors. Since all my yarns were from different and old dye lots I knew I would be hard pressed to find matching ones. Luckily since I already had the stripe pattern incorporated in it was a little less obvious when I had to substitute colors on the remaining panels.
Not getting enough yarn wasn't my only mistake. I ended up making 3 sleeves, since the first 2 weren't identical due to not lining up the stripe pattern correctly. I used the wrong size knitting needles, so the sweater is a little snugger than I had anticipated. Even with all those mistakes, I'm happy with the outcome. Now that I made it through my first sweater, I'm a little more confident and I might take on another.
Here is the pattern that I used:
Copyright 1970
Saddle Sleeve Cardigan
Sizes: Misses' 10 [12-14-16-18-20]. Garment width around underarms, buttoned, 34 1/4" [ 36"- 38"- 40"- 42"- 43 1/2" ]
Misses and Women's measurements-
Size: 8 10 12 14 16 18
Bust: 31 1/2 32 1/2 43 36 38 40
Waist: 23 24 25 1/2 27 29 31
Hips: 33 1/2 34 1/2 36 38 40 42
Materials: Columbia-Minerva Nantuk Sports yarn, 6 [7-7-8-8-9] 2-oz. skeins. Knitting needles No. 4 and No. 6 or size required to knit to gauge. 7 buttons
Gauge: 5 sts and 7 rows = 1" (stockinette st on No. 6 needles)
Back: With No. 4 needles, cast on 84 [ 88-92-98-102-108 ] sts. Work in k 1, p 1 ribbing for 2", inc 2 [2-4-2-4-2 ] sts on the last row -- 86 [90-96-100-106-110] sts. Change to No. 6 needles and working stockinette st (k on right side, p on wrong side) until 15" from beg, or desired length to underarms, end wrong side.
Shape Saddle Armholes: bind off 2 [2-3-3-4-4] sts at beg of next 2 rows. Dec Row (right side): K 1, sl 1, k1, psso, k to the last 3 sts, k 2 tog, k 1. Repeat Dec Row every right-side row 2 [3-4-5-4-5] times more, then every 4th row 6 [6-6-6-7-7] times -- 64 [66-68-70-74-76] sts. Work even until armholes measure 5 1/4" [5 1/2"-5 3/4"-6-6 1/4"-6 1/2"] above beg of armhole shaping.
Shape Shoulders: Bind off 5 [6-6-7-8-9] sts at the beg of next 2 rows, then 7 sts at beg of next 4 rows -- 26 [ 26-28-28-30-30 ] sts. Place sts on holder.
Left Front: With No. 4 needles, cast on 47 [49-52-54-56-58] sts. Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 2", end wrong side. Change to No. 6 needles. Next row: K to last 8 sts and place these 8 sts on holder for buttonband. Next row: cast on 1 st, p across -- 40 [42-45-47-49-51] sts. Work in stockinette st until the same length as back to underarm, end wrong side.
Shape Saddle Armhole: Bind off 2 [2-3-3-4-4] sts at beg of next row, k across -- 38 [40-42-44-45-47] sts. Next row: Purl. Dec row: K1, sl 1, k1, psso, k across. Repeat Dec row every right-side row 2 [3-4-5-4-5] times more, then every 4th row 6 [6-6-6-7-7] times -- 29 [30-31-32-33-34] sts. Work even, if necessary, until armhole measure 4 3/4" [5"-5 1/4"-5 1/2"-5 3/4"- 6"] above beg of armhole shaping, end right side.
Shape Neck and Shoulder: Work 7 [7-8-8-8-8] sts and place holder for neck, work across. Dec 1 st at neck edge every right-side row 3 times; at the same time, when the armhole measure same as on back, bind off 5 [6-6-7-8-9] sts once, 7 sts twice.
Buttonband: With No. 4 needles, work in ribbing on the 8 sts from holder, until piece fits from to neck (slightly stretched). Place sts on holder. Sew band to front. Place markers for 6 buttons, the first 1" from beg, the 6th 2 3/4" below neck, others evenly space between. The 7th will be worked on the 4th and 5th rows of neckband.
Right Front: With No. 4 needles, cast on 47 [49-52-54-56-58] sts. Work in ribbing as on the left from, working buttonholes opposite markers as follows: Beg at front edge, work 3 sts, bind off next 2 sts work across. Cast on 2 sts over bound-off sts on next row. Work even until ribbing is same as on left front, end at front edge. Next row: Work 8 sts and place on holder for buttonhole band. Change to to No. 6 needles. Next row: Cast on 1 st, k across -- 40 [42-45-47-49-51] sts. Work to correspond to left front, working buttonholes opposite markers as above.
Sleeves: With No. 4 needles, cast on 40 [42-44-46-48-50 sts. Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 2 1/2 ", inc 4 [4-4-4-6-6] sts on last row -- 44 [46-48-50-54-56] sts. Change to No. 6 and work in stockinette st. Inc 1 st each edge every 8th row 7 [7-6-6-6-4] times, every 6th row 1 [1-3-3-3-6] times -- 60 [62-66-68-72-76] sts. Work even until 17" from beg or desired length to underarm, end wrong side.
Shape Saddle Cap and Saddle: Bind off 2 [2-3-3-4-4] sts at beg of next 2 rows. Dec row 1: K1, sl 1, k1, psso, k to last 3 sts, k 2 tog, k1. Repeat Dec Row every right-side row 9 [10-11-12-13-15] times more -- 36 sts. P next row. Dec Row 2: K1, sl 1, k 2 tog, pass slipped st over the k 2 tog, k to last 4 sts, k 3 tog, k1. Repeat Dec Row 2 every right-side row until 20 sts. remain, end wrong side. Place marker each edge for start of saddle. Dec 1 st each edge every 4th row 4 times -- 12 sts. Work even until 4" [ 4 1/4"-4 1/4"-4 1/4"-4 1/2" ] above markers. Place sts on holder.
Finishing: Block pieces. With markers at shoulder edge, sew sleeves in place. Sew sides of saddle across shoulders. Sew side and sleeve seams.
Neckband: With No. 4 needles, beg right front with right side facing, pick up and k 79 [83-87-91-93-93] sts around neck edge, including sts on holders. Row 1 (wrong side) p1, * k1, p1, repeat from * across. Row 2: K1, * p 1, k 1, repeat from * across. Repeat row 1 once. Continue ribbon as established working a buttonhole over next 2 rows, until 1 1/4" from beg. Bind off in ribbing. Blanket st around buttonholes.
Sew bottom in place on right front. Steam press seams lightly.