4.24.2006
The Urban Aran Cardigan
here it is, the post you've been waiting for. the big unveiling. it is with great pride and excitement that i give you ... the urban aran cardigan.
Pattern: Urban Aran from Paton's 'Street Smart' (heavily modified)
Materials: Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky in Malt Heather
Needles: US 10.5 for body :: US 10 for ribbing at base :: US 9 for collar
Start Date: 4.3.06
Finish Date: 4.23.06
other modifications - added length to the pattern and changed most of the proportions/measurements, as they are written for female sizes. i increased the length of the sleeves to match my own personal preferences, ending at the knuckles. because of the ribbing and sleeve length, the cuffs can be rolled up (helpful if i'm at work, or knitting) and still look great! I added overal body length to add to the "jacketness."
although the zipper was always in the cards, i had an epiphany and decided on a last minute whim to furnish the sweater with a 2-way zipper. this is my favorite part of the whole thing! for one thing, because i am sewing an inelastic zipper onto an elastic knitted fabric (the thought of which already makes me cringe), the 2 way zipper is a perfect way to help these things work together. when i'm sitting or crouching, i raise the bottom zipper and alleviate major (negative) tension, stretching, warping and puckering on the bottom half of the sweater. over time, i think this will preserve the fit and quality. also, the dual zipper action helps me more precisely control the ventilation and temperature. very important. oh yeah, and it looks pretty cool i think. yes. really digging the zipper solution.
laid out flat :: from the side
final thoughts: this sweater is awesome. its a quick knit (20 days!), and an instant comfortable addition to the collection. i'm a big fan of lounging around in my apartent(always with coffee and yarn) and this sweater fits that bill pretty well. the yarn softened up a lot in eucalan, and because of the cabling and ribbing, you get a lofty and thick piece that isn't overdone.
what can i say? i'm happy with it. i'm wearing it right now... probably won't take it off till i have to. and i can't complain, because i beat the heat! (the recent spell of gloom and rain has never been more welcome.)
thanks for all the support throughout..... now go make one of these!
¶ 8:03 PM
Pattern: Urban Aran from Paton's 'Street Smart' (heavily modified)
Materials: Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky in Malt Heather
Needles: US 10.5 for body :: US 10 for ribbing at base :: US 9 for collar
Finish Date: 4.23.06
back central panel
Extensive Modifications: the most obvious alteration - i made it into a cardigan. The original pattern is written for a regular sweater. because i get hot very *very* easily, cardigans make more sense. not to mention they're stylish (in my opinion). and come on, this pattern is just begging to become a cardigan - the symmetry. the center panel. i think the first time i saw it, i was surprised that it wasn't a cardigan. i split the front panel into two pieces (worked at the same time for accuracy's sake) adding a 2 stitch selvage to both sides, with a slipped stitch border for camoflauging the zipper sewing. i wanted to give myself a new challenge - adding a zipper was a great learning experience. i treat the sweater more as a jacket now anyway. other modifications - added length to the pattern and changed most of the proportions/measurements, as they are written for female sizes. i increased the length of the sleeves to match my own personal preferences, ending at the knuckles. because of the ribbing and sleeve length, the cuffs can be rolled up (helpful if i'm at work, or knitting) and still look great! I added overal body length to add to the "jacketness."
unzipped
i ended up rewriting the collar portion of the pattern, adding strategic p2tog decreases to follow the shaping from the shoulders to the neck, since the collar is picked up at a pretty shallow point. i also 'stopped down' (photography terminology, although i think fits the context) 2 needle sizes to stiffen the collar and make it more shapely. it worked very nicely.although the zipper was always in the cards, i had an epiphany and decided on a last minute whim to furnish the sweater with a 2-way zipper. this is my favorite part of the whole thing! for one thing, because i am sewing an inelastic zipper onto an elastic knitted fabric (the thought of which already makes me cringe), the 2 way zipper is a perfect way to help these things work together. when i'm sitting or crouching, i raise the bottom zipper and alleviate major (negative) tension, stretching, warping and puckering on the bottom half of the sweater. over time, i think this will preserve the fit and quality. also, the dual zipper action helps me more precisely control the ventilation and temperature. very important. oh yeah, and it looks pretty cool i think. yes. really digging the zipper solution.
final thoughts: this sweater is awesome. its a quick knit (20 days!), and an instant comfortable addition to the collection. i'm a big fan of lounging around in my apartent(always with coffee and yarn) and this sweater fits that bill pretty well. the yarn softened up a lot in eucalan, and because of the cabling and ribbing, you get a lofty and thick piece that isn't overdone.
what can i say? i'm happy with it. i'm wearing it right now... probably won't take it off till i have to. and i can't complain, because i beat the heat! (the recent spell of gloom and rain has never been more welcome.)
thanks for all the support throughout..... now go make one of these!
¶ 8:03 PM
Comments:
your sweater looks awesome, I love it as a cardigan (why isn't it a cardigan?!) and the alterations came out perfect. the fit and color are amazing on you...can you tell I'm jealous over here?!
seriously, great job bringing your own vision to bear on this pattern. you rock!
WELL DONE.
How did you like the yarn choice?
I put the pattern down the other day...now I am going back!
I love two way zippers, they are so convenient!
Once again, Bravo!
I have been thinking about cardiganising an aran sweater that I have been admiring for a long time and your cardigan has shown me that it can be done indeed.
I'm stunned at the excellence of this knit. And your modifications are PERFECT. Hope you're still enjoying it now!
I was looking for handspun sweaters people had knit (someone's knitting me one out of tweed yarn I spun-I'm a B grade knitter) & I found your blog.
I combed thru' the rest of your blog too.
I shall now retire to bed feeling very inadequate.
:)
Manasi
I was wondering if you could tell me a little more specifically about the modifications to fit a man and, if it's not too much trouble, the ones for making it into a jacket/cardigan.
You can reach me at:
arsenic_creed@yahoo.ca
Thanks.
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Wow! Your sweater is awesome. Good call making it into a cardigan. All those little touches (sleeve lengthening, etc.) are such good ideas. It looks so cozy. I might take your advice and make one, too! I love it!
MUST. KNIT. ONE. NOW!!!
your sweater looks awesome, I love it as a cardigan (why isn't it a cardigan?!) and the alterations came out perfect. the fit and color are amazing on you...can you tell I'm jealous over here?!
aaaaah! i love it! do NOT be surprised if you see another handsome man (my boyfriend) sporting a similar cardigan around park slope in, oh, about two years or however long it will take to get around to it ;)
seriously, great job bringing your own vision to bear on this pattern. you rock!
Brilliant! I can't believe you knit that in 20 days! Your modifications came out perfectly... way to go on a completely wearable FO - one that no one would believe that you DIDN'T buy in the store!
whoa, it looks awesome! great job on the sweater! This one is on my wish list, and your finished version is totally inspirational.
I am so impressed! Great job!! The cardigan looks awesome on you, and congrats on coming up with a good zipper solution!
Wow what a great sweater!!! For some reason, my bf refuses to wear cardis but I have no such problem and definitely want to make this for myself.
That is absolutely amazing! I've only been knitting since Nov. '05, and haven't tried zippers yet. Seeing what you've done has definitely inspired me. Fab work!
It looks sooooo good. You did an amazing job. I'm salivating. I'll have to remember the 2-way zipper when I make mine. I must go look for some yarn now.
YOU ROCK! That looks awesome, awesome, AWESOME (gosh can I sound more annoying?) You really did a great job. 2-way zipper, awesome! pullover into a cardi.. I definitely like the cardi version better! What did you end up doing for blocking the collar?
Really, really impressive job, Jared! And you look super hot in it! I just have to make one for my hubby! What a great zipper idea! I wouldn't have thought of it, but it's definitely the most logical solution!
Now that is fantastic. Your mods are perfect. It fits you so well. I'm going to show yours to my husband to see if he wants one because I want to make it!
I always thought this sweater should be a cardigan too. Yours looks great, and I am totally inspired to ditch my other projects and cast on. I was considering making the body in one peice. Do you think that would be an easy modification?
It's fresh! I'm thinking I may try it. I've got all summer by myself..in the mountians....with wild animals....hillbilly neighbors....and some yarn to keep me from freaking out. I love it.
WELL DONE.
Gorgeous sweater, and you look HOT in it! Way to go for modifications on it, you've truly made it your own.
gorgeous. I thought the pattern was a cardigan the first time i saw it also - you did a great job at getting the pattern to live up to its potential.
OMG it is absolutely fantastic! Just stunning! I am loving it for myself and my brother would really dig it...
How did you like the yarn choice?
I put the pattern down the other day...now I am going back!
It looks perfect on you! Great fit and style. I enjoyed reading about your modifications and process. Well done!
It's absolutely great! Now I have to make one for my husband, and then steal it for me. The mods are perfect, good job with the zipper. And you look cool, cool!
My god, it's *amazing*! I love all the mods you made. I'm going to show my boyfriend; I've been dying to make something for him like this. Congratulations on a fantastic job, Jared!
Very cool! I've always thought this pattern would be great as a cardi for all the reasons you mentioned. But I'd never have though of using a two-way zipper, nice, gotta keep that in mind.
Your take on the Urban Aran is really great! The knitting looks good and the cardigan looks good on you. The 2 way zipper is also a plus.
Wow that sweater looks fantastic! You did such a great job with all those modifications.
I love two way zippers, they are so convenient!
Once again, Bravo!
Your sweater is fabulous! This knit has been sitting in my queue of projects to start, but after seeing your version I think I'll bump it to the top of the list.
I am here via Absinthe Knits, that is one awesome cardigan. Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us!
That looks beautiful on you! Such a great knitting job, and the fit is just perfect -- nice work!!! I am so impressed, and feel like such a slug knitter, barely able to finish a sock these days. Oy vay.
fabulous fabulous fabulous. congrats on a great FO - i bet you're going to wear and wear this, it looks so comfortable and the fit is perfect.
This is some cardigan - borrowing the phrase from Charlotte's Web by EB White - have never complimented a gentleman (other than my hubby) before so not sure of appropriate phrase to use :)
I have been thinking about cardiganising an aran sweater that I have been admiring for a long time and your cardigan has shown me that it can be done indeed.
Greetings from Malaysia! I just came across your blog and absolutely love it. You did an amazing job with this cardigan and yes, it looks much better than a sweater :)
You look gorgeous! Everything about your sweater is wonderful, the fit, the color, the cables... You knit pretty fast.
That sweater is WONDERFUL! You did such a great job, and it's obviously perfect for you. Oh, and you finished it in 20 days?!? You're my hero...
What a great job you did! I'm not gifted enough yet in knitting to deviate away too much from a pattern. Someday maybe.
OK. Your cardigan looks great - I can see my husband and I fighting over who gets to wear it when. Congratulations on your modifications - you made the perfect call converting this pattern. It was MEANT to zip up the front!
Question - i know you lengthened yours, so you'll have used more yarn to begin with, but do you think changing it into a cardigan required more yarn? I've got just exactly as much yarn as the pattern calls for, but the yarn I want to use is discontinued (boo!) and so finding more might be a challenge.
wow, i'm so impressed with this cardigan! perfect fit. does it bellow out at the back? i have been wanting to make my husband a sweater but he likes it form fitting. and not many patterns out there are form men.
Wow! You did an absolutely amazing job. I've been looking for a cardigan pattern like that for a while with no luck: all sweaters, no cardigans. Thanks to you, I now realize that modification may be the perfect solution. :)
That is one heavily sexy piece of knitting... well worth sending to me if you want to me have a merry Christmas this year!
Ordered the pattern last week _was actually a bitch to find it_. This will be my first sweater and I'm totally excited to try it. I love all the cableling and ribbing and I'm a big fan of your zipper choice. As I'm sort of short and slight, most patterns for guys don't fit me without major modifications, or have shoulders that drop to my knees so I can't wait to get started. Just in time for the heat of summer, but hey it'll be ready for fall.
Wow! That is just extremely supreme...the diagonals at the waistline, the cables down the middle, love the zipper addition...excellent, excellent job!
You (and your Urban Aran Cardigan) rock my knitting world! Thanks for being such an inspiration. It's always a treat to browse your blog and see what you're up to.
Heard about your cardigan while I was down from Scotland in a really good new knitting shop in London. I was looking for a smart aran for my husband as we wereon Arran and bought some wool ( as you do) back. I can't wait to start...another project !! It is really cold in Scotland now so a log fire and loads of wool and needles are in order. Thanks for this . Wendy
What a very handsome jacket (can you say that about a jacket) it suits you so well, and you were very smart to turn it into a jacket/cardigan. I totally understand the overheating thing too, I suffer from that as well so usually I wear one that can be undone easily for ventilation. 20 days is a great effort as well, so congrats on creating such wonderful work.
I've been looking to make a zippered cardigan myself. I'm so inspired by this lovely one you made that I'm going to try to make my own version. I love how yours look. Now, off to rewrite the pattern and look for the right yarn for it.
Found you in a random web crawl.
I'm stunned at the excellence of this knit. And your modifications are PERFECT. Hope you're still enjoying it now!
Thanks for posting your specifics. Great idea for the 2-way zipper. I just started my Urban Aran today and will be making it into a cardie as well. I think yours looked way better than the photo in the pattern and shows more details too.
i love the sweater... i've a few that are similar... you do great work... i envy that you're going to ireland... hope you enjoy... take tons of pics to post...
I love what you have done with this pattern! And thank you sooo much for e-mailing me the detailes. My husband will be very happy :-) Love to read your blog! Keep knitting!
Fantastic jacket,I really must see if I can get this pattern from somwhere. My son will look really cool in this, and I will keep your comments about lengthening etc. Great to read about a male knitter. Don't think there are many in my country!
Well, of course, everyone has said it already, but I wanted to add my own "wow." This looks so good! And BTW, the photography on your site is beautiful.
Beautiful!
I was looking for handspun sweaters people had knit (someone's knitting me one out of tweed yarn I spun-I'm a B grade knitter) & I found your blog.
I combed thru' the rest of your blog too.
I shall now retire to bed feeling very inadequate.
:)
Manasi
I know you posted this long ago, but my fiance's mom just finished making this sweater for him, and it's GORGEOUS. I sent her the link to this page and she eagerly took up the project. Thank you for making my man look so freakin' hot through this cold Chicago winter...
Olá. Não falo ingles, só o básico. Não adianta voce me responder, pois não vou saber ler, só se eu pedir para alguem ler para mim. Beijos. Therezinha. Hello. I no speack english. Básic. Cardigan beautifool. Kiss. Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. Shalom ( Peace) http://www.tf.bento.zip.net
請問我自創品牌一個商標，要如何申請商標註冊呢？申請商標註冊會不會很複雜？申請商標要多少錢？另外，若我有一個專利，想專利申請的話，要向哪個單位辦理專利申請呢？申請專利會不會很複雜？專利申請，要多少錢呢？須否先寄發存證信函來保存證據資料？我有先去ptt查詢資料，但只找到ptt名人誌。
Hey, (I'm very late...) I was looking back through your projects and saw this jacket/cardigan and am inspired. Honestly, I feel a little dumb for it but I've never thought of modifying a women's pattern despite the fact that men's are always too small...
I was wondering if you could tell me a little more specifically about the modifications to fit a man and, if it's not too much trouble, the ones for making it into a jacket/cardigan.
You can reach me at:
arsenic_creed@yahoo.ca
Thanks.
Oops! That's me above. I happened to glance back and realized that I said that men's were too small. That is incorrect, they're too big!
Hi, I just stumbled upon your site - and totally fell in love with your gorgeous cardigan. I'm living in Europe and would like to know where I can find the pattern? Your adjustments worked really beautifully and I'm so inspired - I would just love to knit this one for my son.
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