Lessons Learned - or how to do it too!

First let me start with 3 disclaimers:

1) I did not photograph the steps. Sorry, I started with Christina Shiffman's Kimono and well... Also have not knit another from my notes yet. (ie-not proofread after taking drugs). If you are a "must have every line spelled out knitter" read the whole thing through. The end part about the button bands may seem "fly by seat of pants" to you.
2) One funny lesson I learned was really about myself...I knit the what would be Baby right side while on pain meds and recovering from Oral Surgery. I knit the left side while riding the bus to/from work. So why is the Right side even and pretty and the left side looser and bigger? Hmmn. Perhaps all future gauge swatches need to be done in real life, not seated on the sofa watching Soap the Comedy.
3) If you find a huge ERROR in the pattern please put it in the comments so we can all adapt accordingly.

Now, I did start with only 35 stitches Cast On. My last 2 kimonos were Huge. I use the Long tail cast on which makes the first knit row as you go. I used size 7s and ONE ball of Sugar and Cream.

Okay...
Cast on 35
Knit 5 rows in garter stitch.
I switched to stockinette at this point.
Knit 22 rows (total 4 inches)

Increase 3 stitches at each end of stitch row, (just like Kimono)
14 times (you have 74 stitches)
Stockingette 2 rows (one purl/one knit) - I would change this to 4 rows, my sleeve seems smallish at the cuff. It probably wouldn't fit over anything bulky.

Purl 25 stitches, knit 24 stitches, purl 25 stitches.
Work this for 6 rows - (this gives you the nifty little border around the neck)

Now work the sides like the kimono.
Work across 30 stitches, cast off 14, work across 30.
On the next and every following RS row increase 1 stitch at neck edge. I made the first 4 stitches of the neck edge in garter stitch and stockinetted the rest of the row. To hide the make one's in the garter stitch I did my increases by picking up the bar of the stitch next to it. I knit the first stitch of the neck edge, Increased one, knit the row. On the purl row, I purled from sleeve edge to 4 stitches from neck edge and knit the last four. I think making the stitch as a yarn over 4 stitches in from the edge might be pretty, but more challenging to line up.

You will work 25 rows doing this. (roughly a 4 inch wide sleeve) (Again, seems smaller, perhaps I would add rows before decreasing.)
Continue to inc. at neck edge while decreasing 3 stitches at sleeve edge (just like kimono) until you have 30 stitches.
STOP increasing. (continue 4 garter stitches at neck edge though, this is your button band)
Continue to dec 3 stitches sleeve edge until 21 stitches on needle.

Knit straight (ie, 21 stitches, 4 garter on neck edge, stockingette rest) for 22 rows. Knit 4 rows straight. Cast off. (yes, this is one less row than back. I don't know why, but it was the same on both fronts). I bet EZ or the YarnHarlot would know, but I don't.

Here is the goofy part. I don't know what size buttons y'all have. And as I said, I got these buttons (40% off at Hancocks mind you) and HAD to use them. So, I stitched them on the button band. And counted the rows inbetween to know where to make the matching buttonholes on the other side. (Learned that from Elizabeth Zimmerman).

Told you you wouldn't like that part.

Now in the words of Christina Shiffman the designer of the Heartbreakingly Cute Kimono - full credit to her - Rejoin yarn to stitches of other sleeve at neck edge and using the same method you used on the first side, etc. etc.

If you get machine washable buttons, this little variation of the Kimono is still washable. (And affordable) Mine came out 9 inches across, 8 inches deep, sleeves 4 inches Around, with a gauge of 16 stitches to 4 inches, and 22 rows to 4 inches.

Thank you for the encouragement, and remember...when Life becomes a Tangled Skein, make more Warshcloths.