knitting - cardigan

So... my Mother in Law gave me some DK yarn - 400g of acrylic, unknown brand and yardage.

I am toying with the idea of knitting this cardigan (inspired by the top down seamless bliss of Four Year Olds new cardigan)

peggy sue

Concerned by the scale of the project (my usual preference is for something small and fiddly) and my loose gauge, I have done a tension swatch...

 

The gauge listed in the pattern is:-

21 sts x 28 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) in stockinette stitch.

 

Being a loose knitter I reached for 3.5mm needles and got this gauge...

21sts x 29 rows

 

Jackpot?  I was going to measuring continually as I knitted anyway to make sure I get it long enough.

I haven't washed the swatch yet...


I've also just noticed it's short sleeved... Mmmmm I'll need to extend the sleeves too.


My other concern is the wear and tear on the acrylic yarn...  I remember reading somewhere (probably on a Ravelry forum) that you should not only wash your swatch but you should also pin it to your clothing (in a high wear and tear area - like under your arms) and wear it for a day or so... then check the bobbles...