UNITE!
The title of this post is written just the way EZ wrote the rallying cry in her book The Opinionated Knitter and it feels like victory when you do finally get to the point of uniting the sleeves to the body of EPS.
To make sure the second sleeve was finished in a timely manner, I packed it around with me all week. It was the only thing I allowed myself to work on when I had a short break or while knitting in a group. Determination carried the day and it was finished Saturday afternoon.
Everything was ready for the unification process, when I sat down to knit that evening, but then...worry set in. What if after all my careful calculations, all the study of EZ's books and works, all the time and effort...my EPS didn't fit, wouldn't work out as planned. I admit to a bit of trepidation and angst. The only way to know, the only way to see the results of all this work, was to try it on, and that prospect only added to the trepidation.
Carefully I read through The Opinionated Knitter (again) and Meg Swansen's updated notes on the Fair Isle EPS pattern. Live stitches for the underarms were slipped to holding yarn and then I started knitting, uniting, adding the three pieces together to form a sweater. It was exciting to see everything fall into place. After a couple of rows, half the stitches were slipped to an extra needle and I then pulled the sweater over my head. As I worked it into place, slipping the sleeves over my arms, I held my breath...is it? would it? does it fit!? 
Oh my! I do think SO!! The process continues....
Lauren has finished her EPS Henley and it looks marvelous!
Karen Jo's cabled EPS is growing nicely, too. Can't wait to see how this one turns out.
Laura has finished 2 darling EPS sweaters for her daughters and is starting a third. It looks like she really caught the EPS bug!
Nice work, grrls!
This is so exciting! I cannot wait to see the pattern you've chosen for the yoke.
Posted by: Sarah | March 04, 2008 at 02:51 AM
Looking good!
Posted by: Manise | March 04, 2008 at 04:59 AM
The fit looks very good.
Thanks for the link. Of course you caught me just when I've had a couple of days of no knitting. I should get some good time in tomorrow, though. And I may squeeze in Knitting Circle on Wednesday.
I need to write my Favorite Place comment for you.
Posted by: KarenJoSeattle | March 04, 2008 at 05:03 AM
Perfect!
Posted by: DebbieB | March 04, 2008 at 05:11 AM
It looks great! I can't wait to see the rest of it.
Posted by: Lucia | March 04, 2008 at 05:18 AM
Wow what an amazing fit. I may have to try that myself!
Posted by: Nancy | March 04, 2008 at 05:34 AM
Hurray! I reached that point on my son's Cobblestone last weekend. What a relief! Now I look forward to each decrease round and then it will be done!
Yours is going to fit you perfectly. Nice job!
Posted by: Paula | March 04, 2008 at 05:40 AM
I don't think you can get a better fit than that!
Posted by: thegabbyknitter | March 04, 2008 at 05:41 AM
PURRfect Margene..the wait is on for completion..you're like a 'drug' in a good way, of course..you keep us coming back for more..good day to you~
Posted by: Dianne | March 04, 2008 at 05:53 AM
Wow Margene...it fits perfectly! It must be exciting to see it all come together!
Posted by: Kim | March 04, 2008 at 05:57 AM
Whew!! Looks promising. Hee hee - at first I thought the white shirt WAS the yoke of your sweater and I was puzzled about its lack of fair isleness.
Posted by: Chris | March 04, 2008 at 06:07 AM
Looks great, Margene!
Posted by: Angie | March 04, 2008 at 06:52 AM
What a feeling that is, right?
Posted by: Liz K. | March 04, 2008 at 07:00 AM
How exciting! I can't wait to see it finished :)
Posted by: Lauren | March 04, 2008 at 07:01 AM
Now you can finish it with confidence, knowing it will fit.
Posted by: Wool Winder | March 04, 2008 at 07:10 AM
The Place that Brings me Joy.
Rather than commenting on the posting where you asked this question I thought I'd post here to make it easier (I hope) for you.
I hesitated in posting, because there have been numerous occasions when I have experienced complete quiet and joy-both spiritually and physically. Picking one was difficult, but we go back to this location on a fairly regular basis to try and recapture the peace.
For my fiftieth birthday, not so very long ago, my husband asked what I wanted to do. (I'm sure he thought I'd want to go to dinner to celebrate.) Instead I asked that we, leave the house early (for us), and instead hike a trail in a state park about 20 miles from the house. The trail is known as the Stone Valley Vista trail. It is not long as hikes go, but it has technically difficult areas, and the first two miles are almost all uphill through primeval forest. A treat in and of itself on a hot day. When you think you can go no further, you literally "burst" onto a west facing rocky outcrop, that affords a stunning view of Stone Valley. The day was perfect, I had packed two sandwiches in my fanny pack, the hawks were lazily soaring overhead sometimes coming very close to inspect us. We just sat there in silence, enjoying the breeze, watching the sun set, and the hawks cruise, and it was, by far, the best birthday I can say I've ever had. (This includes the one when I was 10 and got a cake baked in the shape of a baby grand piano - legs, open lid and all.)
This hike will always have this special connotation for us. I'm hoping we are still healthy enough to do it again on my 60th.
Posted by: Cindy in Happy Valley | March 04, 2008 at 07:57 AM
It's awesome! I can't wait to see it in person.
Posted by: Heather Joins The Round | March 04, 2008 at 08:19 AM
Oh, I just love how this is coming together, and the fit is FABULOUS!
Posted by: Norma | March 04, 2008 at 08:21 AM
Amazing. You are giving me courage to try this someday. Right now, however, I think I'm in the throes of scarf fanaticism. As in, I haven't seen a scarf pattern on Ravelry that I don't like and want to knit. NOW! But eventually sweater desire will set in and I will have you leading the way. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Posted by: Pat K | March 04, 2008 at 08:27 AM
WOW! You make me want to try this myself!
Posted by: leah | March 04, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Yay - it looks great! Reading your blog title reminded me of a bumpersticker - DYSLEXICS UNTIE!
Posted by: Cheryl S. | March 04, 2008 at 08:41 AM
Looks like it fits perfectly!
Posted by: Carole | March 04, 2008 at 09:29 AM
Looking good so far! I can't wait to see the colorwork you do on the yoke.
Posted by: Zarah | March 04, 2008 at 09:56 AM
Great fit! Phew.
Posted by: Danielle | March 04, 2008 at 09:57 AM
Wow! It is looking great. I wish you great fitting vibes for the yoke. It will be amazing!
Posted by: Rosa | March 04, 2008 at 10:02 AM
How exciting! It fits perfectly! My hopes of starting an EPS are going to have to wait a bit, so it's lots of fun watching yours.
Posted by: Margaret | March 04, 2008 at 10:14 AM
I knew it would be just fine. ;-)
But now we get to see what clever scheme you've come up with for the yoke! Very exciting! :-)
Posted by: Beth S. | March 04, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Wow! Cool!
(((hugs)))
Posted by: Knitnana | March 04, 2008 at 10:25 AM
OK - please don't do that again. I was really worried for a moment!
Posted by: deb | March 04, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Great fit! Don't you love it when a plan comes together?
Posted by: Sunnyknitter | March 04, 2008 at 11:13 AM
How exciting! I love/hate that will it fit part of sweater making. It either brings total joy or heartbreaking sorrow - but just the trepidation of it all I still find so very exciting. Except for of course when it totally doesn't work out :)
Yours (and all the others) look so darn nice! I feel like such a slacker. I really wanted to do this, and I haven't even started yet.
Posted by: michelle | March 04, 2008 at 11:48 AM
It looks like it is shaping up to be a great fit!
Posted by: Erin | March 04, 2008 at 12:29 PM
I am loving watching you knit this sweater!! It's going to be perfect.
Posted by: Karen | March 04, 2008 at 01:45 PM
So happy that it fits. Onward!
Posted by: Hillary | March 04, 2008 at 02:16 PM
Yes, I was holding my breath! It look great even half finished. That was worth the waste yarn transfer in and of itself.
Posted by: Laurie | March 04, 2008 at 02:31 PM
Great job! Looks like it's going to be a winner!
Posted by: sprite | March 04, 2008 at 02:46 PM
perrrfect fit! This is the way the cobblestone is written too. Its the first time I've ever knit something like this and I must say i'm very intrigued!
Posted by: Kelly | March 04, 2008 at 03:52 PM
Very nice! I don't think I I can knit one of those--couldn't stand the suspense. Hee hee
Posted by: Paula | March 04, 2008 at 04:49 PM
hurrah! It is going to be so wonderful! congrats on a great fit.
Posted by: Teyani | March 04, 2008 at 11:23 PM
That looks perfect. I have been dreaming of a simple charcoal-gray sweater for myself and you're wearing it.
I'm doing an EZ seamless hybrid right now (started with the sleeves) and I'm worried, too. Maybe I should relax.
Can't wait to see it finished!
Posted by: jessie | March 05, 2008 at 03:32 AM
Looks great! I'm working on an EZ shirt yoke and the last thing I have to do is put in a hem with a secret message (should have done that provisional cast-on when I started). I'm planning on ripping out an old sweater so I can reuse the yarn to make another one.
Posted by: Lola LB | March 05, 2008 at 05:13 AM
Woot! And you are in the home stretch now - looks great!!
Posted by: Anne | March 05, 2008 at 07:13 AM
A very exciting time in any sweaters life! The yoke seems to go quickly, now its the finishing that's harder!
Anne currently not in Calgary
Posted by: Anne B. | March 06, 2008 at 10:27 AM
It is SO exciting when everything comes together, and at least you have lots of other knitters to share that joy with... your EPS is going to be grand and the fit is perfect!
Posted by: Birdsong | March 06, 2008 at 05:00 PM
I do exactly the same thing when I try a close-to-finished sweater, I hold my breath and try it on and hope all that hard work isn't for naught! I'm glad the fit on your sweater is turning out just right!
Posted by: Wanda | March 06, 2008 at 09:23 PM