FLAK Aran sweater

Both sleeves are done as well as the collar. I’m happy with the large neck opening, but not so sure I like the roll on the neck. I tried to make the baby honeycomb cables continue up on the neck, but when I picked up stitches for the neck, they were offset slightly from the cables in the body somehow, so I wound up doing the twisted rib and then about seven rows of plain knit for the roll, but maybe that was too much. I can always redo it.

The body is going slowly. I timed it last night. It took about 45 minutes for the row where the cable needle comes out for all the cables. The other rows go much more quickly since only the baby honeycomb needs a cable needle every other row. It hasn’t taken as long to knit as I supposed even though I am picking, carding and spinning all the yarn as I go along. I am still a little worried about having enough wool to finish the sweater.

Fiber Fest on the farm here June 17, 2006

2006 Fiber Fest

Saturday, June 17, is the next Fiber event here at the farm. These are photos from last fall’s event. Spinning classes will run all day including spinning on the great wheels. Triangular and square loom classes will also be offered most of the day. In addition there will be fingerloop braiding, needle felting, dyeing yarn and roving with food-safe colors, a display of sheep breeds and their wool, a class on spinning silk hankies and how to make your own right from the cocoon, and how to prepare alpaca for spinning. Judy Wade, Cyndy Donohue, Louise Kuhn and I will be the instructors. Photos are courtesy of Lisa Mickles.

Aran FLAK - one sleeve finished

One sleeve is finished thanks to instructions on the Magic Loop method. I wanted to finish the cuffs in twisted rib, but my instructions weren’t for dpns or circular needles so I wound up only twisting the knit stitches on the outside when I think the purl ones would have been twisted if one knit flat. Then I tried the invisible bind off, and just couldn’t follow it - - even with two different sets of instructions. I wound up using the single crochet, but if it bothers me enough, it wouldn’t be a big problem to reknit the ribbing once I have the invisible bind off figured out. Janet Szabo’s Aran FLAK is a terrific learning experience and a lot of fun!