Mariah Knitters, Help!

Ah, so we've gone from short sleeves and sunshine to sweaters and coats and freezing rain overnight. Gotta love Kentucky. There is no in between weather for us. It was kind of nice Sunday. Not outside, that was nasty, cold, and rainy. But I didn't have anything to do so I curled up inside, knitted, and watched the Steelers/Bengals football game.

This weather isn't a bad thing though because I'm starting to crave knitting again! I'm plotting out some winter projects (I plot projects all the time. About 1/100th of them actually get made). One at the top of the list is Mariah from Knitty. I love this sweater and all the pictures I've seen of completed ones.

I have a problem that someone that has knit Mariah may be able to help with (Karma!!! See her gorgeous FO). The sizing of the pattern is going to make the smallest size too big for me. Would it be easier for me to simply use a smaller gauge yarn (22 st/in rather than the pattern's 20) or to refigure the numbers for a smaller size? I'm comfortable doing either one with most sweaters but with the cable pattern, I realize that refiguring it could get tricky.

Another question: does it really use as much yarn as the pattern says? That seems like an awful lot for this cardi.

At the VERY top of my list though will be to finally finish Apricot and the last sleeve of the Silky Wool sweater I started last March and got mostly done before realizing I wouldn't get to wear it until fall, putting it aside in favor of Lucky, Honeymoon Camis and oops, not knitting at all.

There should be pictures of my finished knits in the next few days! I've mentioned my gifties but haven't described them in case the giftees read my blog. One is done, one just needs a bit of finishing, and they will be handed over. I hope they are loved. I think they are great but I may be a little biased.