New Year! New Project! New Issues!

Olivette in Highland Donegal

As is tradition, I have a new project to start off the new year. Okay, I cheated and actually cast it on before Jan.1. I started Dec. 31, but since I didn't swatch, I counted that first inch as a really big swatch!

The pattern is very me (cables/lace/scoop/cardigan in worsted weight yarn). I'm using the wonderful Elann's Highland Donegal in a dusty mulberry-esque color (I think it's officially called "mineral rose").

The ribbing went quickly and I'm about 2" into the main body (past where I am in the photo, which was taken on Sunday). It's knit all in one piece, which I know I'm in the minority here, but I don't really like. The long rows feel tedious, and I don't mind seaming. However I didn't want to bother with the math, and there's a lot of changes across the row between the cables, the lace and the st. st. Hasn't been bad... yet.

However, I did something REALLY stupid. I didn't look at the schematic before starting the project. I just went with a bust measurement and away I went (I chose a size to give me about a zero ease). The problem is that pattern is written with tiny (at least for me) sleeve circumference.

The sad thing is... it's right there in the modeled photo (you can see it in my photo... not that I was trying to show the too tight sleeves on the model, so it's a little out of focus in the photo). You can see the fabric is really stretched over upper arms and the fabric is buckling at her armpits. She's only wearing a tank top, so there's no room to wear anything under this cardigan.

The pattern goes up to a size 52.75", and even on that size, the sleeve circumference is only 15.25". Still not enough ease for me (and be able to wear something with sleeves under it). I know I have heavy upper arms, but this one seems overly narrow even for the average body.

So the question becomes: do I abandon this and find a different pattern (there are a lot of cute cardigan patterns out there in this gauge) or do I do the math to make the sleeves fit? I'm leaning towards the math option, especially with as much knitting as I already have done. I have done it before (even for set in sleeves, as this is). However, this might get benched while I work on something else.