FLAK Saddles and Aguave Front

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

Janet Szabo posted part three of the Follow the Leader Aran Saturday, the saddle shoulders.

These two little pieces of knitting will go from neckline to shoulder and are the base for the seamless knitting of the sweater. The front of the sweater will be knit downward from the front of the saddles. The back of the sweater will be knit downward from the back of the saddles. The sleeves will be knit downward from the stitches on the stitch holders. The neck ribbing will be picked up from the cast on edge of the saddles.

First, using our own measurements and desired neck width, we calculated the saddle length needed for our personal fit. Then we cast on 20 stitches and knit to the calculated length. My saddles are 3.75 inches long and about 2.5 inches wide.

When I've previously knit cabled sweaters, I tired of the cables way before being done with the sweater. Doing the FLAK with one lesson every two weeks, I find that I'm looking forward to the next installment and can hardly wait to knit more cables. I'll reserve judgment until the sweater is complete, but it appears the FLAK is going to provide a lesson in project pacing for pleasurable knitting.


Pattern: Aguave by Katherine Hunt in Summer 2005 Knitter's

Yarn: Knitpicks Shine, 60% pima cotton, 40% model

Color: River

Needles: Addi Turbo #4

Gauge: 24 stitches/4 inches in SS after washing

I have a pretty high tolerance for pain as long as I know the source is non-critical. After having a molar pulled Thursday, I stashed the Vicodin in a drawer and started taking Tylenol so I could think to knit.

With a fun audio book for distraction from the painful, swollen jaw, I finished the front of Aguave on Saturday evening.

Next, I need to block the front and back and sew them together at the shoulders so I can see how long the sleeves need to be.


The sleeves on the model are just the right length to drag in my food and get in the way of whatever else I want to be doing.

I have short arms and I prefer my sleeves to be wrist length, which means I'm going to have to measure carefully and recalculate the sleeve increases. To add to the challenge, this yarn has a different gauge when washed, so I'll be calculating with the washed gauge.