And there goes my gauge!

I got to another measuring point in the pattern so I pinned it down & did some more measuring.
My row gauge should be 7.25 rows/inch. It's actually 7.7. My stitch gauge should be 5.75 sts/inch. Depending on where I measure (not good in and of itself), my stitch gauge is 5.25 - 5.38 sts/inch.
sigh
Measuring from the picot fold line, it's 10.5 inches long. The pattern says it should be 12 inches long. It then says to knit for anther inch & then start armhole shaping. The diagram for the pattern differs from this.
So, on Mom's suggestion, I got DH (darling husband) to measure from my armhole to where I want the bottom to hang. I'll knit until this point & then start armhole shaping.
I've been keeping really good records & marking each increase & decrease row with a coiless safety pin so I'm hoping that matching the front will be fairly simple.

I'm resisting the urge to drag out my Sahara or Fern Wrap sweater pattern & start them. I have the yarn that these call for so there isn't any substituting yarns mess.