FLAK decisions

I wasn’t sure how I wanted to have the front of my FLAK cardigan look – the way my cables relaxed when I washed my swatch meant that taking out the center 12 stitches as suggested in the pattern would have given me a button band that was about 1 3/4″ wide instead of just over an inch. Since I couldn’t decide between using my filler stitch or using a different cable I “swatched” them both: I did the left front with the moss stitch and the right front with the wave cable.

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After pondering it for a bit, I think I’ll go with the moss stitch. (The little yellow “blips” are where I put in a lifeline so when I rip it out I don’t have to worry about picking up the stitches in the right order – all those cables make it a bit more complicated!)

Once I rip and re-knit those 22 rows on the one side I’ll be ready to start the sleeves!

FLAK progress

No pictures, because it’s way late and I don’t want to take flash pictures of it, but I’ve picked up FLAK again. I had put it down to start a baby sweater (no pictures of that either, sorry) but I had to do some cabling today! I finished the back while Carrie napped this afternoon and I spent the closing ceremonies of the Olympics this evening picking up stitches for the front and starting the increases. I decided to make the armhole 9.5″, and once it’s blocked out it may even be a little closer to 10″, because it seemed like 9″ would be too close fitting for something I plan to wear over other shirts. Hopefully it won’t be too big!

OK, off to bed so I can actually function tomorrow…

Got Socks?

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OK, so it’s only one sock. But I’m super happy with how it came out. I actually knit a good deal of it during breaks in rehearsals, so it was a pretty easy lace pattern to keep track of. I grafted the toe last night, but I didn’t cast on the second sock because the picot edging is a bit fiddly and I was too tired to concentrate that much. I should definitely do that tonight before I succumb to Second Sock Syndrome!
Update: I’ve gotten a few inquiries about which pattern I’m using, and although that information (and the details about the yarn) is in a previous post, it’s the Lacy Scallops pattern from sockbug for anyone who’s interested. Thanks!

FLAK_back_progress_TN.jpgI’ve also gotten a fair amount done on FLAK. In fact, I’m surprised at how quickly this is knitting up: I started the saddles just one week ago, and I’m flying through the back. Right now the armhole depth is about 7″, and I’m planning on making it 9″ – although I’m starting to worry that it won’t be deep enough. I don’t really have an Aran-weight sweater to measure the armhole depth on, so I’m guessing from the finer-gauge sweaters that fit me well.

I also guessed at the neck measurement, and I’m a little worried that that will be too wide at 8″. But then again, I don’t like anything too tight around my neck. Plus it’s going to be a v-neck cardigan, so if it’s a little on the big side it will still look OK.

The next decision I have to make is whether the cardigan will button or zip. I’m leaning towards buttons at the moment, but I will have to make a firm decision before I start the fronts so I know how many stitches to cast on.

This is definitely a fun project, because this sweater – even though it seems like half the knitters on the Internet are knitting it – will be completely customized to fit me, and I hope I can take some of this and apply it to other projects so I end up with things that fit well more often than not.

FLAK

FLAK_swatch_closeup_TN.jpgMy swatch for FLAK is finished and blocked, and I’m really happy with how it came out. I decided to swatch the cables it originally called for before trying to substitute any of them, and I like how they came out so much I’m not going to bother switching anything. The cable I didn’t think I’d like so much is the set of three horseshoe cables in the middle of the swatch. That’s never been a favorite of mine, but I’ve never actually done it in 100% wool before and I think that makes a big difference in how they look.

I’m going to figure out all the measurements required for the sweater and decide how much yarn to order tonight! (And I’m going to make a final decision on the color. I do love the avocado green and will most likely use it but I figure I may as well peruse the color card a little more first.) By the end of next week I ought to have my yarn and will be able to get started on the saddles. Yippee!

Here’s the project page with the picture of the full swatch on it.