Yes siree, it's done! The bea arthur cocoon monstrosity is finally done. And come to find out, it's not such a monstrosity after all. I knit it on US11s, using 1000 yards of handdyed kid mohair, 80 yards of 2 wacky handspuns from a while back that just happened to match (for the vertical stripes), and 150 yards of 2-ply even handspun (for the seedstich band and cuffs. The pattern was made up as I went along. It's knit from side to side, well...kind of, that was the original plan but how it worked was something like this -- a provisional CO down the middle of the back, knit over just past the neck, a provisional CO from there down the front and then the front and back knit on the same needle until the reached the shoulder.

A short rowed sleeve cap right in the middle, then the sleeves knit straight down to the cuff (which is in seed stitch). The same thing was done on the other side, picking up from the PCO. Then the front stitches were put on the needles all the way from one bottom, up around the neck and down the other side (these were not PUs, it was knit this way so they are just put back on the needle). Lots of short rows to build the front middle out without getting too much at the neck or bottom (because bea would have liked a nice curve). Finally, I picked up the stitches along the bottom and knit the seed stich band (all 100000 stitches scrunched up on a 24" circ).

I have to tell you, it was dicey up until the very end. I really did this sweater to learn the provisional CO and to cement my short row skills, so I was only slightly grumbly as I knit it, thinking all the while that it was crap. Tacky, terrible crap. I felt that way up until I put the band all the way around it, it really tied it together and now I love it! Look at those sleeves! Wowsa! Forget tissue, I could hide scads of snacks, tampons, and tiny toy unicorns in there! Blanche, eat your heart out!