The Dubro Sweater. I want to love this pattern, I really do. It has everything I think I need - stripes, linen yarn, zero shape - it's right up my alley. But I made a few alterations I want to change and a few alterations I want to keep. The Dubro will definitely make its way into my regular rotation, but it's not my favorite pattern of all time.
I only made a few alterations to the pattern, but I think they made a big impact. I added 6 rows right before the ribbing on the hem to give it a little bit more length to fit me better proportionally.
I also picked up about 8 extra stitches in the arms. This is the alteration I wish I hadn’t made– the arms ended up much looser than I would have liked. It seems that this pattern is written for the arms to fit somewhat loose, so my added stitches didn’t help. I also think that this adjustment added some extra material in between my armpits and shoulder. If I pull the sweater down a bit when I put it on, it fixes the problem, but it isn't as comfortable as I'd like. I think I’ll probably go back and fix this soon to see if it makes a difference. I’ll keep you all updated.
My only other challenge with this sweater is the neckline - it's wider than I usually like. Because of the weight of the linen, it pulls the sweater off my shoulders at times. It's just right to hide bra straps, but just big enough to require adjusting throughout the day.
Blocking made all the difference and completely changed the drape of the yarn! The linen falls much easier once it's gone through the wash once or twice.
Just a tip - the difference between the front of the neck and the back of the neck is minimal, so I would absolutely recommend marking the back in some way so that you know which way it is supposed to fit. Trust me, figuring out which way goes in the front is tricky early in the morning...
At the end of it all, I would have knit this sweater just as the pattern called for, with some added length for good measure. It's patterns like this that remind me that the pattern writers usually know more than I do about knitting! The Dubro really is a great pattern for a summer knitting project and there's a good chance I'll try it again in the future - maybe with some longer sleeves for spring and fall!
