Aran Sweater

Hi All! I just joined the KAL today. My brother asked me to knit him an Irish Aran Sweater with our family's clan design on it. I've never knit something so complicated, with so many cables, and I've never knit a man's sweater! He's ordering the kit and the yarn, but I don't think that will arrive until March or so, as it is coming from Ireland! Then, I'll start the knitting. Fingers crossed, I might be able to finish this in the next decade!

Wish me luck!

Howdy!

My name is Madge, my Ravelry id is knitdevil, and I blog here. I've been knitting seriously for four years and crocheting for eight. I'm still getting organized on what goals I want to accomplish with this KAL, but the short list includes these possibilities:

• Knit a top down sweater. I'm thinking Knitting Pure and Simple's pattern #241, the Neck Down Shaped Cardigan, is a good candidate for this goal.
• Learn Fair Isle.
  
• Become proficient knitting socks.
  
• Become proficient at reading charts for cabled patterns.

I've begun the year working on that last one. My knitting group is doing a mini-KAL right now, and we're knitting Shedir. I'm up to row 13, and so far so good. Not much to show at the moment, but as soon as I work a little further I'll post a picture here.

Thanks to Melanie for hosting this KAL, and happy fearless knitting to all!

Howdy everyone!

So as we get closer to the new year, I figured I'd finally introduce myself and share some of the things I hope to work on this year through this KAL. I'm Rachel and currently a PhD student working in wildlife...thus finding time to knit has been a real struggle. I hope with this KAL, and a couple other things I've joined in on, I'll get the motivation to make the time to do more things I enjoy.

I've been knitting on and off for a couple years but there are still quite a few things that scare me to try! My initial goals for this KAL are:
1. Socks. I started my first pair and am about 3/4 done with them but I don't think I am willing to call myself a sock knitter (or even be comfortable with the process) until I get a few pairs under my belt. A specific pair I want to aim for: Chuck's cabled socks...two-color knitting, cables, and socks all in one! Intimidating!

2. Complete a full sweater...that fits! Again, I am one sleeve from finishing a very simple sweater. But thinking about the seaming is scaring me so that's one reason this sleeve has been sitting there for months. I'd like to finish that one and start another, more complicated pattern. Got many in mind, just need to buckle down and pick one. I'll post when that decision is made!

3. Finally, I'd like to make this -- the stag bag. I'm ignorant enough that I don't know if this is fair isle or just color stranded but regardless, I really want this bag (I'm an elk biologist...so you know, even though it's a stag, not an elk, I gotta make it!).

I'm excited to start working on these projects and seeing what everybody else is coming up with!
Happy New Year!