Okie, here's where I'm at so far (sorry, no stealth trips to Gap yesterday, but I'm not counting it out!):

I'm doing the larger cable as a braided cable done over nine stitches. Here's my swatch:


and here's a chart I made for it:


My smaller cable is done over six stitches. Here's my swatch:


And my chart (note that the first two rows are setup rows, and aren't part of the cable repeat)


And after looking at the reverse st st panel more closely, I'm thinking of making that single raised knit stitch by doing a double decrease bordered on either side by a yarn-over. Here's my swatch:


And my chart


Now I need to measure all my swatches and see how big my rev st st sections need to be, and see how big I want to make the front panel, and then cast on, baby!

(This whole designing thing would go a lot faster if I wasn't only able to work on this after YoungSon goes to bed and before I crash for the night!)

Sammie

I didn't notice that the rev. stock. looks to get wider at the bottom... do you think it's supposed to bell out a little rather than being more fitted?  That would probably be cute! 

Yeah, I think it bells out at the bottom, at least. As I stare obsessively at this photo, it looks to me like the st st sections are medium width at the top, skinny in the middle (even with the waist) and wide at the bottom. (The part I'm looking at is between the thick cable and the skinny cable).

Obviously we can't tell what the back is, I was going to figure out how many stitches I'd have and kind of make something up that went with it. 

I'm thinking of just doing a repeat on the back of what's on the front, just omitting the garter stitch button bands.

Think Gap employees would notice/mind if I snuck in there with my camera phone this afternoon?   

[roxybritain]

Oh, yes, thank you, roxybritain! So it looks like the sleeves are pretty much the same as the front - a big cable bordered on either side by (reverse st st, k, reverse st st, small cable).

I sat down and did a cable swatch tonight in Plymouth Dreambaby. I believe I have the large cable figured out, and I've got a good idea where I'm going on the smaller one, but that's going to have to wait for tomorrow.

Whee!

This cardigan has really captured my imagination, too! I think I might play around with it a little, maybe make a similar baby sweater (less intimidating!) or something. Care to share ideas?

Here's what I'm seeing so far, on the right front (left front if you're looking at it):

small section of reverse st st; thick cable; section of reverse st st (approximately same width as thick cable) divided in the middle by one knit stitch; thick cable; section of reverse st st (approximately same width as thick cable) divided in the middle by one knit stitch; skinnier cable, small section of reverse st st; garter stitch button band. So it's approximately:

p p cablebig p p k p p cablebig p p k p p cablesmall p p garterstitch

And it looks to me like the shaping might be done in the reverse st st sections - it looks like those sections are smaller near the middle of the sweater, and larger at the top and bottom.

What do y'all think?

Alas, I can't see the sleeve well enough to get a good idea of what it looks like.

I think making an adult sized one would be pretty easy, actually. The "rivets" are made out of one stitch every seven stitches, so just cast on a larger number of stitches that is a multiple of eight, and you should be good.

As far as the horns, I actually left off the end bit where it says "work 7 more rows in st st", but if you did those rows, I think the horns would be more in proportion to an adult hat. Also, using a bulkier weight yarn for them would make them bigger.

Good luck!

So there is one advantage to having a stash. When you come across an awesome hat pattern like this one, you can just whip it up that night, without having to go out and buy yarn for it (Made from some random Wool-ease from the stash)



Beware the power of the viking hat: I had my son model it, and he immediately started demanding "More mead, Wench!"


After a disappointing try at making a pair of Breeze, I frogged my sock and instead made a simple pair of toe-up ankle socks, which I am ridiculously happy with. These are by far the best-fitting pair of socks I have ever made. So cute! (made from a lone ball of Koigu I had purchased over a year ago)


And now I'm working on a miter square blanket a la Mason-Dixon knitting, using random partial skeins of Simply Soft I have laying around.


I'm so de-stashing!

Sammie

[bubblegirl]

bubblegirl, I haven't made these yet (although they're definitely on my list!), but here are some links to pictures of people wearing finished pairs:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10659331@N07/998695115
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8128327@N02/748689676
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8128327@N02/748689848
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8128327@N02/748689490
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8128327@N02/748689346
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8128327@N02/748689756
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88532275@N00/862611320
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10786738@N02/997737721

I'm loving Blue Sky - particularly with the suggestion to make it with longer sleeves. It might be the perfect thing to wear over all my cute tshirts with sayings on them during the winter. It would keep me warm but not cover them up totally. Hmmm...

And Jenora looks interesting, but I'd really need to see it actually on someone first. A mannequin just doesn't do it for me. :/

I have to admit, I'm a little in love with this coat. I don't think I'll be making it any time soon (on a yarn diet and all that) but I can't wait to see some other peoples' versions of it!

Sammie

ARRGGHHH!!! I've been knitting Elizabeth Zimmerman's February baby sweater (from the Knitter's Almanac) for the past few weeks out of some stash yarn. I'm almost done with it, just probably another two rows to go before I can bind off. I already sewed up the sleeves and wove in most of the ends.

I just lay it flat to look at it, and that sneaking suspicion that I did something wrong was confirmed. Her "pithy" directions were a little too pithy for me, so instead of knitting a total of 4.5" before splitting for the sleeves, I knit the collar and then knit 4.5" in the lace pattern. I.e., instead of the yoke being 4.5" long (and then sleeves starting), my yoke is around 7" long.

Anyone know of any babies with really really long, slopey shoulders?