My beautiful Surface cardigan is all done! I sewed on the buttons yesterday!
![](http://karashallenberg.smugmug.com/photos/471938492_ZjKsD-S.jpg)
Pattern: Surface, by Norah Gaughan (free at knitty.com)
Yarn: 9 balls of KnitPicks’ Merino Style (which I won in a Knitpicks contest back in December). Color: cinnamon.
Needles: Knitpicks “Harmony” wooden circs, sizes 3 and 1 (for ribbing)
My Ravelry Page
![](http://karashallenberg.smugmug.com/photos/471938829_Mr4KK-M.jpg)
Notes:
I was, of course, as usual, completely unable to get gauge. The nearest I could get was 21st/4 inches on size 3 needles in stockinette, and 18st/4 inches on size 3 needles in the blister pattern. Ok, whatever. So I just had to do a lot of math. It’s apparently my fate to NEVER get gauge. Luckily I am fearless about rewriting patterns :)
I worked the sleeves on 50 stitches, which gave me about 11 inches in the blister pattern, which is about right for the xs size (I have the world’s skinniest arms). The blister pattern was great fun! Looks fantastic and tricky, but is actually a piece of cake and super-simple to memorize.
I worked the smallest size around, and the third size in height, more or less. But smallest size armholes.
When the sleeves were done, I made the back, using short-row shaping for the shoulders, then worked the fronts both at once on one needle, working short-row shaping for the shoulders and then three-needle binding-off with the back.
I decided to seam before blocking. I hate pinning out curved edges. Sewed everything together easy as pie, knit the button bands, then decided to pick up stitches for the collar instead of working it separately — was sick and tired of seaming :) When the collar was done, I wet-blocked, then sewed on the buttons!
Here it is, blocking (no pins, you see):
![](http://karashallenberg.smugmug.com/photos/471938955_FGzbH-S.jpg)
Here’s another finished photo:
![](http://karashallenberg.smugmug.com/photos/471938862_nAEqD-M.jpg)