Famous Sweater at Doggy School

It's not unusual for family members to visit doggy school to sit and watch the class. They usually find it excellent entertainment.

A few months ago a distinguished looking gentleman showed up in a drop dead gorgeous yellow Aran sweater. I was totally distracted trying to sneak looks at the sweater while working obedience with Pappy.

At first I thought it had to be store bought, because it was too perfect to be hand knit. After more stolen stares, I decided it must be hand knit because it was too detailed to be store bought.

Finally, during a break in the action, I had to ask. It was the right thing to do because the man, Rick, was so totally proud of his sweater he could hardly wait to tell me about it. He even stood up so I could admire it in more detail and from all angles.

It was knit by his wife, Mary (mother of black lab, Kirby), for her Level III Master Knitting submission. Needless to say, Mary was awarded her Level III. Rich called her over and had her show off a necklace with three diamonds that he gave her to celebrate her success. She had the necklace on under her doggy school duds, so I'm assuming she wears it all the time.

Mary was quiet and a acted a little embarrassed about the sweater kudos, but Rick wasn't shy at all. He told me there had been a magazine article about his sweater. He didn't say which magazine. I assumed he meant Cast On, the TKGA magazine. (TKGA, The Knitting Guild of America, runs the Master Knitting classes.)

Then last week, inspired by my FLAK progress, I started looking through my old Twists and Turns, Janet Szabo's newsletter for lovers of cable knitting. When I picked up Fall 2003, there it was! A picture of and a pattern for Rick's Aran.

I'm tempted to knit it. And, if I do, I won't be wearing it to doggy school.