Actually I was just about to post a buttonhole question myself. I hadn't noticed the buttonholes on the chart, and was wondering what kind of BH to use.

From the context, I think the chart symbol means "knit 2 tog thru back loop" (at least that's how I would do it). This would cause the purl stitch to tuck neatly under the twisted knit stitch.

However, I tried this kind of BH in a swatch and it seems very small and tight, although it is nicely unobtrusive. After browsing the buttonhole section of Montse Stanley's Knitter's Handbook, I tried a variation of her "reinforced eyelet".
On the first row I did as the chart shows (K2togTBL, YO).
On the next row (wrong side) I slipped the YO and did a second YO next to it.
Then on the third row I purled the two YO's together (making sure neither YO is twisted).
This elongated the eyelet a little, and it probably will be a little stronger since there are two strands running across the top of the BH.

I wish I had a webpage to post photos. I've finished the back and the left front, and I'm getting ready to start the right front. It looks good IMHO, except for one small cabling mistake. I've gotten very good at dropping stitches down to fix such things, but this one is way too far down for that. It will be my little secret. ;-)

Marie, I thought it was a k2tbl, too, but then I wondered about the left leaning little object and whether maybe this should be some kind of an ssk. I thought the buttonhole would be very small as well. Trying it on a swatch is a great idea.

Since you are so far along, did you knit the first stitch of the rib after the band? In the picture it almost looks like there are two twisted rows of stitches before the cable, as it is in the rest of the rib.

I'm knitting my whole body so am really just getting started. Do we have little stumbling blocks like this all the way through?

While I haven't tried to figure out the answer to this question (it actually confuses me a little) to Marie: You can use one of the free photo posting things like webshots and host your photos there. I'd love to see them, so check it out.

I'll try to look at the pattern later to see what the question is all about.

Cheryl,
I'm not sure what you mean by the "left leaning little object".
What needs to be done for the buttonhole is sort of like an SSK, except that a normal SSK (i.e. slip 2 stitches separately knitwise, then knit them together) prevents the outer stitch from being twisted. That is normally desirable, but in this case you want the outer stitch to be twisted. So what I did was to put the right needle through the backs of both stitches at once and knit them together, which twists the outer stitch and covers up the second stitch. This would normally cause a left-leaning decrease, but the YO afterwards prevents it from leaning.

About the ribbing (assume you're looking at the outside of the sweater) - I purled the first stitch after the band. So the ribbing rows at the bottom are just K1TBL, P1 all the way across on non-twist rows (but I added a slip-stitch at the front edge to make it look better). The P stitch after the band then becomes the first stitch of pattern C.

You may be trying to analyze everything too closely, and I don't think I'm explaining it too well. The bottom line is: play with swatches and figure out what looks right to you, and go with it. The knitting police will never notice!

- Marie

Thank you, Marie, and I think you're right. I was following the ribbing pattern so closely, my good sense went out the window. And I am going to try to swatch the buttonhole from Montse Stanley's Knitter's Handbook. Thank you so much!!

Unless I'm counting wrong, the Button holes are done every 21 rows, after the first one--this means that some will be done on the RIGHT side and some on the wrong side.

My first one, I purled through the back loops, the second I k2togtbl, the third, p2togtbl. They are turning out nicely, so I don't feel worried about whether I'm doing it wrong or not. It doesn't really matter to me much anyway, since the button will cover it anyway.

>
Yes.

>

No. Purl. Purl across the first row (except buttonhole band) and make increase or decrease in the center of cables 'A'. The notation on bottom left page corner shows blank chart boxes is a purl stitch. (Unlike the U.S. patterns with blanks as plain stitch)

BGK

I had to respace the buttonholes because I added rows to the body. My row gauge was off, and I wanted a slightly longer sweater anyway. Also I'm using short rows to tighten up the front bands as discussed in another thread. So I marked all of the button positions on the left front to figure out the spacing. After all of that I ended up with a BH every 22 rows of the band (which is a different number of pattern rows).

Keeping track of the BHs and short rows makes the front pieces very interesting. As if the pattern isn't challenging enough already.....

Don't know why my comment got trimmed...I'm reposting.

((Also, the last stitch on the buttonhole band is a twisted knit stitch))
Yes.

((and the first stitch on the body is a plain knit stitch? Or am I missing something here?))

No. Purl. Purl across the first row (except buttonhole band) and make increase or decrease in the center of cables 'A'. The notation on bottom left page corner shows blank chart boxes is a purl stitch. (Unlike the U.S. patterns with blanks as plain stitch)

BGK

I really appreciate all the help and think I'm clear on this subject now. I think what was confusing me was on Chart J it starts with a plain knit stitch. This must be a selvage stitch if you're knitting the back separately? The stitch must be omitted if you're knitting the front band and then going on to Chart J?

Thanks again!