FLAK Cable Swatch

Pattern: Follow the Leader Aran by Janet Szabo
Yarn: Elann's Peruvian Highland Wool
Color: Antique Rose
Needles: US #5
Gauge: 22 stitches/4 inches in Moss Stitch

Step Two in the Follow the Leader Aran Knitalong was to cast on 100 stitches and knit a large swatch with the cables we'll be using on the sweater.

Here is my swatch, washed and blocked. I'm ready to start the real thing as soon as Janet posts the next installment. At least I'm assuming we're ready for the real sweater now.

The three horseshoe cables in the middle of the swatch will go down the center of the sweater. The set of five cables on the right hand side of the swatch will appear on each side of the center cables. The remaining areas of the sweater will be knit in the moss stitch you see on the left side of the swatch.

The idea of cabling without a cable needle appealed to me, so that is how I did the first half of the swatch. By the time I had crammed those crossed stitches tightly back on my left hand needle for the umpteenth time, my hands hurt and I decided a small diameter cable needle wasn't such a bad idea after all.

For now, I'm using a three inch double point, size 0. Dorothy uses a U shaped cable needle. Since I know she knits beautiful cables and lots of them, I'm going to give that a try as soon as I acquire one.