Thursday, January 19, 2006

The Aran begins - Saddles

I actually finished the saddles for the FLAK Aran on Sunday, but just didn't get the camera out until last night. Since the Aran is being done top-down, the saddles are the first parts of the sweater to be done, and here the design-it-yourself part of the KAL begins.

In Step 1 we swatched, and in addition to swatching, took measurements. The shoulder and neck measurements are used to make shoulder saddles that are the perfect length for your shoulder width. Step 3 is knitting the saddles (Step 2 involved knitting a large swatch incorporating all of the cable patterns to be used in the sweater), which I must say is a nice ease-in to the knitting of a sweater. Two little pieces that measure 2.5" by 5" took just over 24 hours, even though I was also knitting away on socks (that's really new for me, right?) and include my favorite cable pattern of the sweater, the woven braid.

These are not yet blocked, I don't plan on doing any more blocking until I get to the end, unless of course Janet recommends it later in the KAL. Even then I'll have to think about it.
Oh, the socks I was working on? I finished them on Monday evening, and they are definitely my new favorite socks, at least for now. I love the feel and fit (Opal sock yarn, and toe-up with short-row heels) and the colors are really pretty. I'm wearing them as I type, and they are a perfect match for my grey pants, light purple sweater, and 62-degree office.
Isn't the identicalness amazing? This was truly accidental, I always separate 100 gram skeins into 2 balls before starting socks, so that I know there is enough for each sock, and it was only after starting the second that I realized that the toes were coming out the same. I this particular patterning, and because of it I kind of like having them matching, usually I don't really care.
Speaking of Opal sock yarn, that's what the next socks on the needles will be - navy/red/cream/gray socks for Adam. Starting them tonight!

2 Comments:

Blogger Amie said...

I never shoot for identical, but it amazes me when it happens - is that the sock yarn from me? It looks perfect for you!!! Very cute!

How many are you up to now? I think I forgot to count yours... (unless you commented on my blog or gave me a e-mail just for that, if it was mixed up in other gossip, I think I missed it... see what happens when you distract me with gossip?)

8:50 AM, January 20, 2006  
Blogger Holly said...

Fntastic saddles-and socks! What great colors! Still plugging away on my saddles...they are taking forever.

1:56 PM, January 24, 2006  

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