FO: Aran Cardigan

I've owed this one its own post for a while now. I just haven't been able to get decent pictures. Which is odd, considering I've barely taken it off for a week. But here it is now, The Aran Cardigan!

Although I still want to put on-seam pockets in this one, I've bowed to the reality of my own lack of motivation and accepted that I need an interim solution if I want to wear this any time in the near future. So I crocheted the pocket openings closed from the inside for the time being. The seam is virtually invisible from the outside, and if I ever become sufficiently motivated to work out the zippered pockets, it's just one quick tug to reopen the seam.

The Details:

Pattern: #20 Cable/Rib Cardigan (Rav link) by Gayle Bunn (mostly) from the Holiday 2004 Vogue Knitting. Mine is several inches longer in body and sleeves and has a zipper instead of toggles. I also redesigned the sleeves to pick up and knit in the round with a short row shoulder, and made mine a bit narrower. I omitted the four pockets on the front and will probably eventually add on-seam zippered pockets instead.

Size: I followed the directions for the 38", but ended up with more of a 34-36".

Yarn: Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in Natural Brown. 2.75 (huge) skeins.

Needles: Knit Picks Options circs, sizes 5 and 6.

Thoughts: This was one of the most labor-intensive sweaters I've ever done. And I love the results. This is the sort of sweater you wear daily for years and years. The wool is a bit scratchy and very sturdy, and although the pictures would have you believe it is grey, it is actually a warm, dark brown. The 3x3 ribbing did get tedious, especially on the endless sleeves, which, ironically, turned out to be two inches too long after blocking, and I had to pick out the bind off rows and shorten them. They're still long, but in a good way.