Project Notes: In early January Almanac Knitters cast on circularly to do a gauge (tension) swatch before starting the Aran sweater. Elizabeth recommends making a "swatchcap" to wear with your sweater. Then if you run out of yarn in mid-sweater, you can reclaim the wool from the cap.

Learned This Month:

• Getting an accurate gauge for an Aran sweater
• Left and right twists
• Traveling Stitches
• the Fishtrap Pattern, aka, "Frog Heaven"
• Ribbed Cable
• Cutting for the armhole
• Knitting from charted patterns
• Preparing a sweater schematic

Aran Swatch Hat knitted by Karen Smith. Karen writes that "...the hat was knitted in Brown Sheep Naturespun in a natural color. I used a No. 7 needle instead of a no. 8 which would have been a better choice." Note the twisted rib and the fishtrap patterns.

Aran in progress knitted by Karen Smith. Karen writes that "I thought that some of the Almanacers would be interested in this pic, since I'm not quite following EZ's pithy directions. Instead of starting the panels and cables from the very beginning, I knitted the 1x1 twisted border, with an inverted reverse stocking stitch triangle to mirror the fishtrap panels. I felt the yarn was talking to me in this way. I also had to go to a size 8 needle because the cables and the fishtrap were throwing my gauge off, to the point where I had little wearing ease. I also visited the frog pond with this." 1Mar99

Clip art courtesy of Straw Into Gold.
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