I haven't made the sweater, but in looking at the pattern it says it is made top down. That means you start at the top so your stitches would be "upside down" using that method.

Thanks for the input dpalwi! It's occurred to me that the only way they wouldn't be upside down is if I somehow joined the beginning chain and worked in the round. If I could only figure out the chain length and where to place the increases, that would be the way to do it and still use any stitch I wanted to. I'm not good at math however, so my head is spinning trying to come up with the numbers needed.
I've never made a top down style sweater before but the idea of the fit and drape it would produce as opposed to seams is very appealing---so I'd really like to figure this thing out.
Any and all help is appreciated!!!

Just did the math and worked a few rows in the round and, sure enough, the stitches are still going to be upside down. I guess that's the only way I can make a fabric working from the top down?

Right! So are they really upside down if that is the way they are meant to be?

lol---good point Pauline! I'm getting used to looking at the up-side down stitches now [down to the midriff on the top] & I think I can live with the idea. I've kept working in the round and I like the look better than doing the V-neck way---all the stitches are sitting on top of one another from the very beginning so it doesn't have two different 'looks' once the sleeve increases are finished. I'm working on solid colored, smooth cotton yarn in single crochet so all the stitches show [which is what was driving me crazy]. At any rate, the template is a good one and the top is working out for fit, so, I'm happy now.
Thanks for the input!