PROJECT DETAILS

    Status
    Finished
  
    Started
    1/2/2022
  
    Completed
    1/24/2022
  
    Pattern Name
    Soldotna
  
    Designer
    Boyland Knitworks // Caitlin Hunter
  
    Yarn
    Spun Right Round Tweed (Kit) // Ink (CC1), Moondance (CC2), Call Me Ale (CC3), Bone (CC4)  
    6 balls, 231 yds. each
  
    Needles
    US 3 (3.25mm), US 5 (3.75mm), US 6 (4.0mm) - colorwork only 
    32" & 40" Circulars
  
    Size 
    2
    To Fit: 35" Bust

NOTES

I really like the colorwork pattern. It is graphic and unique; however, I had some trouble with a couple of areas with this sweater.

The Neckline: A lot of Ravelers talked about how the neckline - as written in the pattern - lends itself to a funnel neck. I found this to be very true. Also, the neckline is very close to the neck without any modifications.
Colorwork Joins: The pattern is written so that the start / end of the color work is center back. Some of the colorwork patterns can leave a noticeable jog if a strategy is not used to avoid it.
I knit a size 2, but at various times I found myself flitting between the directions for Size 1 (for the number of short rows) and larger sizes (for the neckband).

MODIFICATIONS

The Gauge: I ended up using US 4 needles (for the collar, the hem, and the sleeve bands); US 6 for the neckline body; US 7 for the colorwork portion.
The Neckline: I cast on a 120 stitches to try to widen the neckline. I used other Ravelry users to guide me along for this. It requires adding a column of colorwork stitches that are barely noticeable.
I did the short row back (switching to German short rows) for the smallest size, Size 1.
The Sizing: I had to do some math to get from a 120 stitches at the neckline start back to a size 2. I increased on plain color rows until I hit the number of stitches needed for Size 2.
I used 1x1 tubular cast on for the collar and hem. I did not use it for the sleeves due to limited yarn. For the hem, this meant I modified the colorwork pattern to be a 1x1 versus a 2x2 color pattern.

RESOURCES

Helpful Notes on Ravelry /
- WoollyBear99’s Soldotna Crop Notes
  The colorwork chart modification for a larger neckband is brilliant.
- Larochelle’s Soldotna Crop Notes
  These notes were useful and led to other helpful notes - a true breadcrumb trail of helpfulness.
- Diveblue’s Soldotna Crop Notes
  Helpful for understanding the pattern repeat numbers for different colorwork sections, which allows you to have more freedom in modifying the pattern to accommodate any changes you’d like to make.
The Perfect and Easy Knit Jogless Stripes - no jog stripe color work knitting // Marly Bird // Youtube Tutorial
How To Knit: German Short Row // Brooklyn Tweed // Youtube
Tubular CO in the Round (1x1 Ribbing) // Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube
Tubular Bind Off in the Round // Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube

Final Thoughts

KIT COLORS
Overall, I like the colors for the kit.
C1 Ink; C2 Moonbeam; C3 Call Me Ale; C4 Bone
For the lice pattern on the body, C4 does not have enough contrast with the main body color C2, so if I could do it again I would only use C3 for the lice pattern.
For C2, I alternated skeins for the body. I had some left over of C2, C4 (the most), C3, but not much of C1.
Played a bit of yarn chicken with (C1) ink, though I did do a bit of modification to the pattern (not much).

Ravelry Project Page