In the directions linked above, step 2. says, essentially, purl the first stitch, then pull up a stitch from below and knit it, purl another stitch, then pull up and knit a stitch, continue doing that.

For 2x2 tubular cast on I purl the first two stitches, then pull up and knit one, then pull up and knit another, then I purl two more stitches, and so on. I've found that you you *must* start with two purl stitches or the cast on edge will turn out poorly.

I know you can fudge it a little bit. For the last two sweaters I've slipped in a knit 3, or maybe a purl 3, somewhere in the middle to match the sweater's 3x1-2x2-3x1 ribbing. Tragically, I have forgotten the details of how I did this, but I have notes I'll return to if I do a tutorial page.

If you end up with one last stitch at the end, shown in the My Fashionable Life tutorial, you can leave it as long as you come back and catch that loop with the tail of the yarn or when seaming. I've done this too.

The 2x2 cast on edge will not be as stretchy as a 1x1 cast on edge. Mine has stretched out and stayed that way, but I think it still looks good and it doesn't appear splayed, and it feels tidy when you're wearing the sweater. That said, I really like the bumpy side out for long tail cast on for ribbing, but it wasn't feasible with the Cotton Ease which splits terribly when you attempt long tail cast on for something as large as the body of a sweater.

I think you are on track so far with your swatch, etc. Marnie - that Excel thingie sounds intriguing - would you email me the setup? (stashout@gmail.com)

The Ribby Cardi dimensions from the pattern stats are finished measurements as is, which means there is no ease built in. The sweater was measured slightly stretched.

Fit is such an individual preference -- some folks like their clothes very snug; others like to wear this over a shirt or Tee and need a little *breathing* room.

Since we are all so unique, my everlasting rule of thumb is to use a favorite existing sweater that fits you well [out of similar yarn, if possible] from your wardrobe as a template you can refer to for comparison -- this really keeps me on track throughout the entire project (read more here: http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall03/FEATbonnetric.html )

For myself (36" bust) I made the 38" sweater. Your mileage might vary.

If all the adjustment math is getting tiresome, I vote with the commenter from your initial post about going down a needle size and getting the spot-on stitch gauge before you start. I agree with Jane that the needle size suggested by any pattern is just a starting point.

I almost always have to go down 1-2 sizes when knitting cotton to get the same gauge.

Please email me with any questions - I am at your service, m'lady!

The reason I suggested checking row gauge before and after washing is I've had exciting experiences with a cotton yarn that shrank vertically on the first washing. The row gauge went from around 8 rows to the inch to something like 12 rows to the inch. Fortunately, I wanted a cropped sweater. The planned short sleeves ended up as cap sleeves tho :).

It's going to come out wearable, because you did swatch carefully. So don't worry too much about perfect this time. I always find things I wish I'd done differently in projects.

Anita - I will. I got the 1x1 tubular bind off (sewn bind off) down ok last night, but research is showing that a 2x2 tubular bind off is either impossible, or done one of two ways in Knitting Tips and Trade Secrets.

Amanda - Thanks, I'll be sure to check it. After looking at the knit-along site and spotting a too-short sweater I'm going to double check.

elijor - Thanks, that site isn't showing up much information but these comments altogether have made me need to research the hell outta this thing before I start.

Michele and bunchkin - Yes, my head hurts now.

There is a KAL here http://ribbycardikal.blogspot.com/ there haven't been many posts lately but it might prove beneficial anyway. Also there are quite a few posted on craftster.

Don't forget to do a search for other peoples experiences knitting the sweater.

Marnie - Thank you, I'm a dunce at Excel, so I'll contact you if I get a desire to set it up to use.

Maria - This makes sense, I think I'm being a little conservative on the sizing already. I was a little afraid that I was going to be making something a little small, so your experience makes me feel better about the size I've chosen to make (the 36" finished measurement, which will be closer to 40" with my gauge).

Of course your experience may be different; this is just what happened to me. :)