The Legwarmers saga

Two different people asked me for legwarmers for Christmas. EDIT: and there was a bonus pair for one of the recipients. 

One pair were in terracotta chunky wool. Single ply, so doable on the 22 peg circular knitting machine with care. As with my last few pairs, I used the train ticket trick to 'add' three pairs of extra stitches for calf shaping. Then decreased two stitches at the top before ribbing both ends on 6mm dpns, (Note to self: Row counts are in diary entry 2022-11-21.) I even took some process photos to share with the discussion group. Then the UK had a severe cold snap, so this pair were delivered early - and welcomed - before I could snaffle them to take a quick photo. Another time I might make them a little longer, but they were definitely good to go. 

I'd bought some gorgeous dk merino for the second pair, but failed to find a suitable pattern.* Ah well, I can work this out with a tape measure and a few calculations. Except: the ankle needs to be bigger than you'd think, to be put on over the heel; and the circumference needs less than you'd think, to stay up nicely. With negative ease, that means more length than you'd think - as you trade width for length when worn. By the time I'd knitted up two failed attempts (way too slouchy) , I'd run out of time before the last posting date, and substituted a different present. 

*Of course, at knit'n'natter a couple of weeks later, someone is wearing a k2p2 tube, no fancy shaping, which fit her beautifully. Far fewer stitches than even my second attempt.

Hey ho, can I use the circular knitting machine and make a pair by mid- January? Ran up a small sample tube with the merino DK, and unsurprisingly it was just spread too thin. . So not with this yarn on this gauge machine (it's good for aran, ok with a soft chunky or a fluffier dk)

What I could do is plan to visit the newly opened wool shop down the train line and get some aran. (Edit: Successful run on Christmas Eve, merino aran in a colour that will suit my friend) And in the meantime try out a flat-panel approach with some leftover thicker grey acrylic dk on the machine. 

First thought was to do the widest flat panel I can (19 pegs) and hand-knit extra stitches, starting with a to be at the ankle, dividing into panels and increasing from three stitches to nine at the calf. Notes in diary entry 2022-12-17. Tried a contrast yarn first for the smaller panel, as a learning exercise. This was a good balance between fast and shape-able. It looked fine on the table - the same join as a ten-stitch blanket was neat and decorative. Not a bad fit when on, either, though I hadn't done the top ribbing yet. Those colours and proportions do make me want to add an animal head (grins) 

stretches to

Replaced the contrast yarn with grey. Don't know if I distorted anything while unpicking. But, when worn, every imperfection in tension or break in the yarn showed. Glad I prototyped this It'd be a good technique for a sleeve gusset, say, but not in this situation. It's the right hand item in the picture, the left is the wider panel worked topdown. 

Next try 2022-12-21, still using the grey prototype yarn, was to move the shaping to the wider panel, start with 13 sts and increase below the calf. The seam now starts just above the rib, rather than working a tube first, and the narrower panel was worked on the machine and mattress stitched in. That's neater, though although I reviewed the video of the increase technique, I'm still not quite tidy enough to want to use it on good yarn. Needs more practice on something with less stretch. 

So the final prototype, and one I'm happy enough with to make a matching pair, uses the same stitch count as last time , but is worked top down and decreases in the lower part of the calf muscle. The shaping again is worked on the wider panel. Note that the top ribbing is worked after decreasing two. The first warmer stayed up through an hour's wear. 

Whilst I'll test the pair for a full day before breaking open the good Aran, and decide whether to decrease four before ribbing or just two., these look good enough, and I'm confident that I can deliver something nice and warm to my friend in the next couple of weeks. 

EDIT New Year's Day. The grey Acrylic pair, photo at the top of this post, were wear-tested by me soon after Christmas, delivered New Year's Eve, and wear-tested in the Pennine foothills today. The recipient grinned muddily when she got home and says they pass. 

The merino wool Aran pair for the January birthday were done without seams on the machine using the train ticket method. They just need ribbing by hand, and I'll cast off two stitches, making 26 on 5.5mm needles. 

2022 November roundup

November has been mostly a knitting month. However two projects-in-progress are Christmas presents and can't be blogged just yet.  J's is duck egg merino dk, H's Terracotta 100% wool Chunky. 

The Finchdale jumper continues slowly - queued behind other promises. The short rows at yoke height worked. Tonight I cast off (bound off) the neckline, and sewed up the shoulders. Without attaching the sleeves yet, it seems better than I've done before. Since there's plenty of yarn left, I can follow the plan of 2" ribbing at the bottom of the bodice, and however much ribbing the sleeves need to fit well (I'm expecting 1.5" to match the neckline ribbing will work)  

The newborn hats have been washed and delivered. 

A few things finished (and blogged) 

To match the barber's pole red yellow dk hat, a pair of mittens. For donation. 

Green/olive stripe yarn for toddler wristwarmers. For donation. 

Earwarmers for DD. 

Repairs - a couple of popped seams, replaced buttons and press studs. 

Fixing up paintwork in the flat. Again. 

Toddler wristwarmers

Another leftovers project. Green/olive stripe toddler wristwarmers, for donation. 

Basic design is a 6" square, seamed above thumb, a gap, then a seam from there to wrist. These will be a bit smaller, for preschoolers, and knitted in the round. 

Leftover yarn, so knit top down to use every inch. I wanted to try reverse stocking stitch edging, and I like it. However I failed at yarn chicken, so the lower edge is different - intended a 3-stitch purl I-cord, but not enough yarn. 

The key thing for fit was to keep the cast on and cast off loose enough.

The amount of yarn left means there's about the same depth above and below the thumb hole. The owner can choose which way up they like to wear them. 

The finished warmer will just about go on my hands (I'm a small adult), though it feels tight. So, narrow as it looks, it'll be fine say age 3-7.

Undyed wool earwarmers

After seeing DD admiring some 100% undyed wool earwarmers, and knowing there were about enough leftovers from the horseshoe scarf, I looked for a pattern for her.

I liked this one. 

Another new-to-me technique. The cross stitches are slipped for two rows before crossing on the front. And although the base is stocking stitch, it doesn't roll at all.

Not perfectly knitted. But I enjoyed doing it. And the uneven start will be hidden by her hair. 

Red and yellow barbers pole hat and mitts

As a change from stripes to use up leftovers, I'd wanted to try a barbers pole stripe. 

Specifically, to get the stripe running at an angle, rather than straight across. 

Together with the red main yarn, I wound up 'bobbins', one red and two yellow on the circular knitting machine (a 22 peg) 

A couple of unexpecteds:

The first attempt in three colours was pulled back to the ribbing because the pitch of the stripes looked off - neither tilted nor left alone. Four bobbins was better, and I expect six would be better again. 

I'd imagined that the pitch would look steeper on the narrower mitts, however it's not obviously so.

Although I'd checked tension (gauge) before doing the mitts, and reduced the stitches to get the width right, they seem awfully big for 3-6 months

I was pleased with the reduced jogging on the hat, by slipping a triplet of stitches when changing yarns. Not so easy to get into a rhythm on the narrow mitts.

2022 October roundup

October themes were

Fit-a-long. The first wearable trial (green gingham) has proved definitely wearable. Not smart, fudged for fabric limitations, but good enough to be worn for household or outdoor activities. Thoughts on improvements are currently simmering before I retrace the pattern and cut another.

Newborn hats. A dozen small beanies and three cats ears hats knitted since September. Just need laundering before delivering, once we get a day when the drying racks aren't already full of our stuff.

Weasley jumper - ready to deliver when the new parents surface from those first few chaotic days.

Finchdale jumper - in progress again. It'll be slower, partly because I'm checking fit after each section, and partly because it's no longer a handbag size project.

Stealth knitting. Enough leftovers from the Weasley jumper to have completed an dark red hat for DH. Very quick on 6mm dpns.

Barber pole hat red yellow white dk, 6 months size, for donation. Latvian cast on, 84st, k2p2 rib. Finished in the first few days of November. Not a resounding success - the spiral could be steeper, the crown has some misplaced decreases, and the underside of the spiral shows a little when the brim is turned back. However, it's cheerful, the shape is good, the structure is solid. It'll do its job.

Repairs - darned DH's walking trousers, restitched an elastic waistband. Another coat of paint on living room wall. Replaced curtain hooks Those kinds of things.

What next? Apart from finishing the Finchdale jumper, and some nice social things planned, candidates are:

Barber pole mittens to match the hat. Stealth knitting for DD. (she knows about this blog)

Another gingham trial using what I learned in the Fit-a-long.

Consider reknitting shoulder and neck section of Talvi teal jumper.

I'm short of long sleeved tees, now that the three-quarter and bracelet-length ones are getting chilly.

Use up yarn leftovers of bright colours, probably for donation in toddler sizes.

Some techniques I want to try on the circular knitting machine.

Enough to keep me occupied, that's for sure.

Finchdale jumper, not a myth!

Lots of talk about this aran jumper (Finchdale is the manufacturer's name for the colour, a warm grey with creamy white highlights). No evidence that it exists - until now. Tada! 

Will you trust me that the sleeves are waiting quietly in a project bag, until I finish the bodice.

From a pattern generated to my measurements, tweaked to get the biggest girth at high hip, and with four short rows at yoke height to correspond with my woven pattern. There will be a 1" ribbed band to fill in the neckline. 

Hmmm. Although I'd reduced the planned 1" of 6 short rows after estimating the shoulder slope, it looks like I need the six after all. And while 60 sts on 6mm needles was good below the yoke, the top part is wider than I'd like. 4sts/6rows to an inch gives an idea how much. 

Options. 

1/Live with it - better than my last attempt.

2/Unpick down to start of the short rows. Take the chance to move the wedge closer to the neckline, and make it six deep. Then change back to 5.5mm needles to fit the outer shoulder area better.

3/Defer a decision till I've knitted the back as well - see how the shoulders hang when they have some support.

4/ Unpick back to the bust area and add more volume at the front. For this wearable trial, below the armscye, I went with the original pattern where front and back shaping is the same. Not unusual for hand knit or sewing patterns for knit fabrics, and I wanted to keep things simpler this time. 

Think I'll go with Option 3, doing a needle change above my shoulder blades . Fully expect to do Option 2 as well, given that garments  tend to hang more to the outside once the sleeves are joined on. Saving Option 4 for another time. 

Dark red chunky man's hat

I'd bought two balls of the Chunky dark red yarn for the Weasley cardi, but used almost one. Now DH, for a nice reason*, doesn't generally like me to knit for him. But I decided to do it anyway when I wanted a handbag sized project to come out with me for the day. This one is eight sections, top-down, 80 stitches, on size 6.0mm needles. 

*He worries about losing stuff that I've put a lot of hours into. 

And the stealth knitting? Since he's seen the yarn before, and has seen me doing all those newborn hats recently, I'd bet myself he wouldn't ask what it was. (He didn't) Particularly the first outing, when it wasn't much more volume than a baby item, I could sit next to him and it was concealed in plain sight. :) 

Not too much to say about a very plain hat. Other than I'd forgotten that 24", falls into that awkward gap. Just a bit too big for four 8" dpns. During the last few increases, just a bit too small for a 24" circular.

I've contrived this time, by adding a 6.5mm dpn to my set of four 6.0mm in that awkward section. Then switch to the short-cabled circular which is fine. It turned out to be a perfect project the next day, my eyes were really tired and the stand can literally be knit with eyes closed. 

After 9", changed to k1p1 rib  for 3", then Jeny's stretchy bind off (the one where you add a yo before each stitch then do a double decrease) Total 12", longer than my grey stripy hat which I usually wear brim folded up, but can fold down in the worst weather. I'm pleased with this, and can pull it out as a nice surprise for DH. 

Sent from my phone

Weasley knitting. Baby cardi, plus practice woodland cardi

A cardigan to grow into, of unconventional design, by a knitter with more good wishes than professional skills. More importantly, made to welcome a new person into a lovely family I know. Do you think Molly Weasley would approve?

For this family, it had to be a cardi, not a jumper (sweater). Something quirky but not showy. Mum would quite like the Hogwarts colours, but nothing too obviously branded. They will have loads of presents in the tiny sizes. So, as I often do, I've made this in a 12 month size. It should fit next autumn - or as a light jacket next summer if he grows as quickly as his birthweight suggests. 

Baby has arrived safely, so I'm happy to reveal what was mostly made in September. His dad would approve good software practices, delaying the final touches till the 'last responsible moment'. I've just sewed the buttons on the correct side for a boy (there are buttonholes in both integrated bands). And using the reserved yarn, I've just extended the cuffs - baby has long bones like dad, not short and sturdy like mum.

I failed to source Aran weight in the right colours, but found Chunky. (Local readers, the shop in the Wayfarers Arcade has a small stock of yarn, but they are really helpful!) Not that I've ever seen a chunky pattern in so small a size. Never mind, let's adapt.

Rather than taking the preemie pattern I used last year up three chest sizes as well as six needle sizes (gulp), I had someone in mind who would like a woodland coloured cardi made from the Oh Baby pattern. On 4.5mm needles, for 12 month size, I could knit an odd ball from stash to the pattern. Then rescale it to chunky and have something to check the Weasley cardi against.

The colours are even nicer in real life. The proportions are like the schematic. The disappointment that it came out a size smaller than planned. Since I usually knit more loosely than a pattern suggests , it was a surprise until I twigged that the yarn (Stylecraft Vision) was baby Dk, not dk, and is lovely and fine and soft. I know I should swatch, but it's so tempting to just go ahead if the item is small. (This 9 month size will be donated. Sorry, one year old S.) 

After swatching the Weasley cardi (hmmm) I used a 2:3 ratio to resize. And worked out the golden stripe placement, well, not quite on the fly, but to keep the colour changes as smooth as I could.

I haven't presented it to the parents yet. They're still at the frantic frequently feeding stage. But I hope they will smile when they open the package. And enjoy seeing Baby E wearing this when he's big enough. 

Sand sea and sky yarn. Cat's ears hat

There was one ball, can't remember where it came from, of an interesting yarn. The label said Pebble baby DK, I think by wool craft. One white strand plied with long variegated runs of light blue and a sandy brown. Lovely effects, nice in your hands, but not enough for a cardi, so let's make hats.

After a few stitches, I realised it's OK, rather dense, on the recommended 4.0mm needles, but would be too thick to work the ribbing on 3.5mm needles. I was keen to deliver the dozen newborn hats, and thought maybe I'd do a few on the Circular Knitting Machine - mine is an Addi pro 22 peg, knits as just less than 6.0mm needles. I bet the coverage would be fine (it was)

Waded unthinkingly in to crank out the 19 st by 40 rows panel for a cat's ears hat, and hated it. All the blue fell on one side when folded, all the sand and brown on the other. Where the stripes met at the side seams, I'll leave you to picture.

Next attempt hand-knit with 5.0mm needles, 63 sts topdown. It was started with the outside of the ball, blue and white, and I'd hoped to end with the dark band of sand/brown. And would have done, if I'd used fewer stitches. This came out 12 month size, and overshot the sandy runs, finished with white, and fussy mouse wasn't keen. Rather than unpick all of it, I took it back to just above the sand, added a run of browns from the middle of the ball, and finished with sand and earth. 

This I do like. Shame I don't have a recipient in mind, who would really enjoy this. But it will be donated to the baby equipment bank and keep someone warm.

The two newborn hats in yesterday's post were knitted (54 sts on 5.0mm) from the next runs, blues and whites. To arrange the colours, I started with blue, alternated the ball thread with the tails. One came out with bands of cloud, and wide pools of water reflecting the sky - much like our very shallow beach. The other a more hazy day, with more sand and sandhills visible. 

Leaving both ends of the ball in browns and sands. I bet they'd make lovely cat's ears hats, panel 40 rows, darkest brown at the top. Out with the machine again. 

First attempt I made work for myself by cranking white to brown to white, thinking I'd find a good fold line and unpick the bits I didn't need for the ribbing. It turned out fine, hand knitting the ribs by alternating the unpicked ends until one of them ran out. But I could have made my life easier. 

Second attempt I remembered that the outside of the machine gives a good approximation to the yarn length needed for a round or a 19st row. So I wound the yarn round, chose my colour change pattern, reserved some white for ribbing, cranked out just a few more rows than I expected. Just unpicked the odd row, much nicer. Spiral knit the ribbing with the reserved white and the ball thread. Yes, I'll do this again with the right yarn. 

And the final hat was done without handknitting. The two user groups I read for this machine often ask ¿can a newborn hat be made on a 22 peg machine? The short answer is the 22 pegs are not big enough for a tube hat, the simplest to crank. But they are big enough for a cat's ear. Some users don't hand-knit as well as crank (many do). But you can convert stocking stitch to rib with a crochet hook, using the drop and latch technique. The final hurdle to overcome is to get the cast off (bind off) row loose enough. This time I crocheted an extra chain between each pair of ribs, and the whole hat will stretch to fit the intended 13.5" circumference. 

There are just two small ends of blue left, about 5g. Maybe will eke out another colour when I do the next batch of newborn hats. 

2022 Autumn newborn hats

Most years, I make a handful of newborn hats, prompted by an amazing young woman who cares for a LOT of very new babies, generally weighing 5-10lb (something like 2.5kg to 4.5kg). The unit are not bothered too much about style, so long as they keep the babes warm, and so long as they will survive an industrial washing machine. As some units ask for no ties or buttons, I knit pull-on hats, and avoid yellow because that would make jaundice harder to spot.

In previous years, I've had problems with sizing, so this year's batch all started with the pattern (web) published by the Royal Hampshire NHS trust. Double knit yarn on straight 4.00mm needles, bottom up on 71 sts, starting with 3" of rib and ending with a ten section crown 

My own preference is to use dpns or magic loop, knit top down, but easy enough to adapt the pattern. The first one knit was 10 section on 70 sts, green, on the right of the photo. It felt rather stiff at the crown, and looked  pumpkin-like. The second one knit, in the same mid-green yarn, was 70 sts  with a 7 section crown, much smoother but more domed. I prefer it, but more counting for beginner knitters. Of course I then had to try 8 section (white, centre left) and 9 section (white, centre right). Either of these are quite like the published photo, a flattish top. And the bonus is a little extra width since 72 sts works better for these.

Had to try some double increase crowns, too. The green striped yarn on the left was 70 sts with five double increases per round. The bottom right 72 sts with four double increases - functional but there's a misplaced increase so it's not as attractive as the others. The top right was my personal favourite, a purl stitch halfway between the four double increases makes it more leaf-like* and much easier to count than its companion. *I happen to like natural motifs. This is simple enough to survive washing and isn't heavily gendered.

As well as playing variations on a theme with the crown, I did a variety of rib patterns. Bottom left k1p1, then k2p1 above it. Right hand side k2p2 in white, k3p1 in stripe remnant and white rib.  I'd expected k1p1 to be the softest and most suitable for little bruised bonces (and it was) What surprised me was that k3p1 felt softer than k2p2 - and no harder on the hands to work up. All cast off (bound off) using a bigger needle in the same stitch pattern.

Now for a game of yarn chicken. The hats above weighed about 15g, and I had less than that of the two ends of white. The stripy hats, warts and all photo, were eked out with short lengths rejected when I was stripe matching. The blue and grey were my wristwarmers in 2021, the green variegated leftover from matching arms on a tiny cardigan in 2022. 

The left one is OK-ish. However the stripes are too narrow for a good jogless join. The right one is better, a continuous spiral (thanks toTechknitter.com barber pole). Even the needle changeover point moves around the spiral.

You might also notice the crown sections are more defined on this pair of hats  - they were knitted bottom up which is better for yarn chicken. I was also trying out the Latvian cast-on because my tension is rubbish with the thumb-method, and the Channel Island is too stiff at the edge for tiny people. I'm happy with the Latvian, and intend to use it lots.

Right-ho. That's all my double knit yarn in pale or medium colours used up. A tiny ball of pink aran leftovers were put with two even tinier balls of white. Think this was 64 sts on 5mm needles. A little short of rounds, but will be fine for a baby at the top end of the newborn weight.

The other two were from a full 100g ball of an interesting yarn labelled as DK. It varies from blue to white to a sandy-brown. No way could I rib this thicker yarn on 3.5mm needles. So moved the stocking stitch to 5mm, 64 sts (left) and 54 sts. Took a lot of care arranging the colour changes, and was pleased how they ended up. 

More another time on what happened to the rest of the blue/white/sandy yarn. (I have photos already)

Mrs Mole's Fit-a-long: try me for a day

Here's the latest. Not perfect, but finished enough to wear around the house for a day.

Two changes in plan since the last post. 

When the sleeves went in, I stole 3/8" from the seam allowances at the armpit, leaving only 1/4". For just a little more movement ease. 

And there wasn't enough fabric for neck facings, but I did get bias binding from the pieces at the old sleeve caps. Good enough for a trial. 

A few notes from a half hour wear. 

It's the front that's pieced for lack of fabric, so the side seams are actually pretty straight. 

I've decided that this sleeve length is better for me, since I rarely stand with arms at my sides. 

Can't move the pocket down without revealing one of the ink stains. Did I say this was salvaged fabric? But I would prefer it lower another time I reuse one of DH's cast-offs. 

The excess fabric below back waist on the later shots happens after I raise my arms and then lower them. Normal for me. Do I go for a slightly looser back hip/rump so the garment will fall back into position naturally? A more coordinated person would rearrange their clothing many times a day. However, that's not going to happen when I'm focused on the person in front of me.  I'm inclined to shorten the dart at left back, lower end, to give a little more clearance anyway. A smidge more at lower sideseams?

  

There are still drag lines where those padded straps sit on my shoulder. Though trying on with the summer bra there's still some distortion. I can see where the ball of my shoulder sticks forward, so perhaps I've been falsely accusing. I want to try adding a little more to the shoulder seams there, more on the left (higher but lumpier side) than the right. Maybe raise the right shoulder seam the tiniest bit more at the neckline - though the left might be stealing fabric from the right.

PS Got the kitchen tidied and a few housework tasks done after I wrote this post. No problem at all using sink, worktops, cupboards. Sitting drinking nightime cuppa also fine, no friction at front underarms.

Mrs Mole's fit-a-long: bodice tweaks, the pictures

Rather belatedly here are the picture taken just after the tweaks in last week's post. (Goodness, it it a week ago already?)

Since these were taken, I've replaced the temporary blue sleeves with gingham (from the beyond-salvage shirt), stitched on the pocket a smidge further to the centre, tidied the hem and darned the tear. I don't think there are enough scraps for a mandarin collar, but I can probably piece a neck facing if I don't worry too much about which is grain and which is cross-grain.

I'm really glad I looked at these pictures on a bigger screen. I think the back will be improved  if I make the darts narrower, say 1/2" intake instead of the current 3/4". That'll probably help the incipient drag lines across the lower tum, too.

Also knitted more than I should have done, had fun with the family, caught up some admin and a tiny software project, and done more nature watching. (It's just past the peak of  pink foot goose season here, but there are still plenty on their daily commute from saltmarsh to stubble). A good week.

Mrs Mole's Fit-a-long: bodice tweaks

Some minor tweaks. Could have been tracing or marking errors, but all small changes.

At the shoulders, instead of letting out the 2" nearest the neck by 1/8", I increased the seam on the outer two thirds. That's much smoother (from the front at least) .

Undid the change to the bust darts, raising the point 1/8" back to the original. That helps. As a bonus, the top leg now runs along the cross grain, much nicer in this fabric.

The side seams kick to the back below the bust. I took out a 1/2“ wedge from the front on one side, 3/4" the other side (at the piecing seam). I prefer the hang of the larger amount. Of course, ages ago I'd added two wedges at different heights to the centre front, so it makes sense that there'd be a second adjustment at the side seam.

Saturday: put the size 14 sleeves in, trying the three row ease stitching. That is so much smoother at machine time! First attempt I could raise arms without discomfort to just above horizontal - but my kitchen cupboards are slightly higher than that. So used the seam allowance to make the armpit 1/4" higher. Now that's good enough for my regular activities. Cleaning high surfaces, raising both arms, will be slightly uncomfy, but I'm not likely to split any seams.

So cheer! And think about next steps:

From the dark green gingham, it's worth seeing if I can get an off-duty shirt, comfy and breathable but not elegant. Stitch the pocket back on to cover the inkstain (it's only tacked on so far) Darn the small tear on the back tails. Cut the original sleeves down using the size 14 cap - the cuffs are fine. Add a mandarin collar from what's left of the yokes. Wear it on a couple of days I'm mostly at home (hence the housework activities). It wouldn't take long to do any of these things, and would give me a really good wear test.

Trace the back and front, with the changes above, onto more permanent paper. Decide whether to risk the new fabric - I've chosen a fun mustard-coloured chicken-print poplin which has just arrived. Or to unpick a man's large gingham shirt, which was bought (during the bus strike/train strike/school holidays) precisely as a trial fabric. Hmmm, I know which I'd rather do, and which I ought to do.

Mrs Mole's Fit-a-long: Recut and starting to reassemble

Cut the back out as hoped, and got the bodice together.

A couple of things. 

The gingham helped me correct the grain line in the back darts as I pinned (not sure yet whether it was a pattern error or a marking error).

My notes said lower the bust dart 1/8“. D'oh, it needed raising that much. Or three white stripes on the gingham, which is nearer 3/8".  (EDIT - wonder if I happened to be wearing the summer bra instead of the winter one when I took the last round of pictures.)

And a thinking error. Although I marked the back darts on whichever side  happened to face me, whilst the gingham is reversible, the tail hem isn't. Doesn't matter unless I can hide the inkstains and the tear well enough to wear this in public. Unlikely! 

So what next? Stay stitch the neckline and clip the seam allowance (or at least release the shoulder seam stitching) That might show whether the slope still needs work, either at the side of my neck or around that confounded padded strap. 

Raise that bust dart. D'oh. 

Put the sleeves in temporarily. I've found a garment can suddenly look much better - or more usually much worse - when combined with the weight of sleeves. I'm still wary of the armscye depth, although it's now reduced back to the original pattern's depth. 

Mrs Mole's Fit-a-long: updating the flat pattern

Except for the armscyes, I traced the seam lines onto the existing pattern pieces. That was OK except for a 1/8“difference around high hip between front and back. Pasted the extra onto the front (it's easier to remove if not needed than to add it later). Folded in the excess. Most of those extra 3/8" allowances have been eaten into, but not entirely used up. 

Remembered the clever stuff to move that long thin dart to the sides, too. 

I took the chance to lower the bust point 1/8“. Happily it makes the dart legs more even, too. 

Then added a tracing of the original armscyes. Moved the shoulder point in 1/2“, front yoke 1/4“, no change to back yoke. After pivoting to my intended 5/8" higher than the last armscye depth, my front scye length was unchanged, and the back was only 1/8“ shorter. I can live with easing in that little extra. 

The green lines are my measurements, the red my latest stitching lines. Don't worry about the lapels overhanging the table. 

What we've got are additions to the shoulders to drop the neckline. A much bigger bust dart, and more width at that height. Wedges back and front to straighten grain lines. And a slight dome to the outer part of the shoulder seam to cope with padded bra straps. 

These pattern pieces are going to need retracing, but let's do one cut-and-check first.

Dug out a dead gingham shirt of DH's. It has a tear on one of the tails and a leaky pen stain, but that's ok for a test. 

But bother! While it buttons round me, I found (when I'd unpicked sleeves and side seams) that the fronts aren't quite wide enough at bust or hip. What a pain! The best I could do is unpick the yokes (and all that top stitching) and I'll join them to the sides tomorrow. No chance of turning upside down to get the buttons to be women's side, but again that's ok for a test garment. 

All the bits have been separated and seams pressed open to give me the best chance of cutting out.

EDIT Monday: of course piecing always takes me longer than estimated. (Why don't my estimates get better then?) And two nice and unexpected opportunities for company were grabbed with both hands. But I have got the yokes pieced to the fronts of the worn out shirts. Not thread-perfect, but within a couple of mill. And got my fronts cut out. About 1/2" shorter than my preferred length, but good enough for an evening wear test. (Buttoned the fronts right sides together, and placed the cf line down the buttonhole line) 

Something I know but somehow always surprises me. If you want to use a men's shirt hem, the armscye can eat your shoulder seam. I had not even a thread of wiggle room. 

BTW, the knitting needle runs along a stripe to connect the waist notches. And there is a lot of shirt tail underneath the pattern pieces. 

Something I wouldn't have noticed if not using woven squares. After I dropped the bust point by 1/8“, the top leg of the dart  points very slightly down Should have dropped the whole dart, and need to fix on the next tracing. 

I didn't get the back cut out tonight. I planned the layout and chalked the shoulder and waist points. There's barely enough width wise, but it'll just squeak out. There isn't enough fabric for the planned curved back seam, but I can use a dart above the yoke line, where the seam would have been. Again, good enough for a  test. 

Mrs Mole's Fit-a-long: a quick test wear

Yesterday I marked a possible new armscye. 1/2" narrower at the shoulders, 1/4“ narrower at front yoke, no change at back yoke, and 5/8" higher at the pit.

 Today I put the sleeves back in along the new line. That is nearly workable now.

I also pressed the seam lines on lapels and collar to see the proportions - that'll be fine. 

There are no particular pressure points. Would still need to do the shoulder shuffle manoeuvre to clean a high cupboard. On the other hand, I wore it over my tee shirt while making and drinking a cuppa. 

It was constraining at the shoulders and back but not sore when filling the kettle, drawing the curtains, getting mugs from a head-height cupboard, and reaching forward to the coffee table. I'd want side seam vents (which are on the pattern) for prolonged sitting, but will probably shorten to my usual length of 1 1/2" above the low hip line instead. Tum width is enough.

Next steps. 

Further changes to the bodice are going to be in the region of 1/4“, So it's worth transferring all changes to the flat pattern now. Then recut to test it. 

Additionally:

The left shoulder seam is pretty good, the right (more sloping one) could be a little steeper and shorter.

Drop the bust darts 1/8" or so. 

Lift the armscyes and shorten sleeve caps by 1/8" or even 1/4". They are now a generous three fingers below the pit.

No more changes to the yokes. 

By coincidence, the button spacings for  waist, high hip and low hip will transfer upwards to bust height. The lapel fold button is a little less, but it doesn't look ugly there.

Sounds like a plan. 

EDIT: Friday, marked all stitching lines (it happened to be right back and left front) on the right side with a scarlet pencil. Then unpicked the temporary collar and sleeves, undid shoulder seam, side seam and back darts. It's ready to trace another day.