If Sisyphus had been a knitter...

...I believe he probably would have reknit the bottom band of his sweater almost as many times as I did. That is to say: I re-knit and/or bound off the bottom of this sweater no less that 4 times:
(I'm not telling you about the re-knitting of the sleeves (2x) due to similar issues)
1. Original finish: 4 inches of a lace rib. Didn't like the bind off (too tight)
2. Tink back and re-bind off.
3. Try on sweater and realize that a) I should have increased the number of stitches in the body and b) the resulting "narrow fit" caused my extremely long sweater to become extremely short. Insert lifeline and frog. Re-knit, trying to eke out enough inches to make it a bit longer (I thought I didn't have any more of the yarn). Block the crap out of it trying for more width and more length.
4. Realize that somehow the lace rib ROLLS UP. (dude. Lace Rib is not supposed to roll up) Also, realize that, while blocking helped with the "narrow fit", the shirt really really needs more length. Suddenly remember that you actually do have more of the yarn, since you ended up buying more when you had planned to make the cable vest. Frog again. Re-knit using a combination of stocking stitch and seed stitch to go with the seed stitch border of the neck and because of the rolling of the &$%*#^@ lace rib. Decide that you will be happy with it no matter what because you want this shirt dammit and enough already. Try on. Breathe easy.


Ahh...

Pattern/Modifications: Body shaping and top-down construction based on Knitty/Stephanie Japel's Mesilla. I adapted the cast on and neckline to start higher on the neck and to be more of a U-like v-neck. (does that make sense?)

Yarn: Butterfly Super 10
Verdict: I love it. I knew that the neck had worked out exactly how I wanted, which is why I kept going with trying to get the bottom to work. I love the color and I think I can live with the fit (it's a little close fitting, but it will ease up with wear).

I'll write a bit tomorrow about my vacation (I've been back for almost a week already!) and other projects knit on vacation and what I'm working on next. (Actually, I need to decide what I'm working on next)