Aran Designing and Edwardian Knitting // Casual Friday #51

In this week's podcast, I show you how I approach designing an Aran sweater, and also the progress I've made on an Edwardian sweater pattern from 1904/1906 that I couldn't resist knitting.
Support me by buying me a coffee on Ko-fi! www.ko-fi.com/roxannerichardson
To jump to a specific point in the video, click on the timestamped link
Introduction 0:00
Aran sweater design Part I: 0:26
Edwardian knitting Part I: 13:56
(updates to my progress will be tracked in future videos)
FLAK (Follow the Leader Aran Knitalong Workshop Tutorial): www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr...
The Columbia Book of the Use of Yarns (c. 1904): archive.org/stream/columbiabo...
Books mentioned in this video
Aran Sweater Design by Janet Szabo: amzn.to/2Sl7bTr
Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore amzn.to/2VfDhlr
Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times: amzn.to/2BJReze
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Ravelry Group *Rox Rocks*: www.ravelry.com/groups/rox-rocks
Facebook: / roxknits
Twitter: / roxmpls

[@danbev8542]

Wow. Fantastic video! Sooo interesting!

[@mixedandknot5911]

I am about to start knitting an aran sweater for my daughter. Nerve wracking project for me because I am not a designer. Anyway, this is the best start-from-scratch video to design your own aran sweater that I have found on KZbin. Fantastic! Thank you very much.

[@eliedgecomb4903]

Very interesting! Your mind is an interesting place to visit-part artist, part architect, part computer logic, all awesome. And your enthusiasm for understanding is contagious.

[@andreamcadam2822]

Tickled by your use of Fibonacci numbers. As a maths teacher I love it when maths is used creatively. This sequence occurs so often in nature that it is no surprise that it is so aesthetically pleasing. Can't wait to see the next step.

[@juliaalvares7563]

You're an incredible researcher and teacher. I'm loving your channel.

[@NinaKeilin]

I look forward to your stories every Friday. I'm so glad you are willing to knit that old-style sweater just for us to see how it turns out! I think the zigzag rib is a really nice stitch pattern, and I could see using it on a modern sweater design. Seeing your aran chart makes me want to try that charting software again.

[@teresameyer4574]

Very timely and helpful as I’m preparing to make my own Aran designed sweater.

[@TheDollyce]

This was very EDUCATIONAL and interesting, both parts! Thanks!

[@lisarametta9977]

You’re always so interesting . I love that you’re knitting something historical for learning experience. There’s many patterns I’ve looked at and wanted to try knowing I wouldn’t wear them ,yet never did . I think the word I’d use is “awe “ when you’re using this complicated pattern to keep you knitting while you work on designing the complex cabled sweater ! Most of underlings would be picking up a mindless knit to clear the cobwebs 🕸 and make space for all that serious design work 😂👍🏻kudos !

[@norachilders8930]

Very enjoyable, very interesting! I love the technical material you share. Thank you. On another note; while I am not overly concerned with knitting speed, I am BLOWN AWAY either with how fast you knit OR how slowly I do!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

As I've mentioned in previous videos, I average about 2000-2500 sts/day, but when I start a new project, I frequently work double that number. What I showed in this video was about 7000 sts, knit in 2 days. It helps that this sweater has a stitch pattern that's easily memorized, but which still keeps me on my toes, and the shaping is quite different, as well. Creates lots of interest for the knitter!

[@dysle4406]

Love your historical look back & thank you for your honesty as well. I rarely return anything either..... Lol! It's not a character flaw, we've already moved on to the next best project! Your love for knitting is amazing.....do you ever sleep???

[@sheryltisdale]

How cool that you are knitting the sweater you found in the paper! Love it, you inspire me, I am 'trying' to knit a sweater from 'Yarnspirations' . It has no video tutorials and you knit the back bottom up and then go over the right shoulder and knit the right side, with the left side on hold and it has pockets (yikes!) should be interesting when I get to the shoulder! ha I am using lifelines! Really enjoy your videos, thank you Happy New Year Roxanne!

[@rtongcn]

The Edwardian sweater is so interesting! I can’t wait to watch the upcoming updates!

[@maureen.otterson5940]

Rachel T

[@solomonorion6879]

you all probably dont care at all but does anyone know of a tool to log back into an Instagram account..? I was stupid forgot my password. I love any tips you can offer me

[@laynelane9080]

@Solomon Orion instablaster ;)

[@solomonorion6879]

@Layne Lane Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site on google and I'm in the hacking process atm. Takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@joanndeming3467]

Thank you , You are truly a wonder lady. I enjoy your videos. I have learned so much Thank you again. JDEMING

[@freeman-dz1163]

I learned to do this sweaters by myself,just à book and à lot of practice ,iam a professional today,and I have eny relation whithe your countries, I am leaving far far in the south Frome northern africa ,I praticeto the Irish crochet.

[@theseamstress6315]

Thanks good information

[@annamamo3645]

Just ordered the book you mentioned and another one. Hope there are complete patterns in them.

[@MrsIceT]

Thank you so much for posting! I'm trying to knit your widest panel from the chart you show, but I'm fairly new to knitting. Could you tell me please what the symbol means that looks like a horizontal line spanning 4 stitches?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

It looks like I was charting wrapped stitches (working yarn wrapped some number of times around a set of sts before they are worked).

[@CM-xn6xc]

So, in other words an Aran sweater is a cabled sweater, right? Are there other features that are typically used in Aran design? I love your designs. Thanks for showing your thought process as you work out the details. This is very helpful.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

An Aran sweater is cabled, but a cabled sweater isn't necessarily an Aran sweater. Typical features are the broad cable panel in the center front, flanked by additional cables on either side (symmetrically placed), with a filler stitch at the sides. The back is cabled identically. The sleeves typically have at least one cable running down the center, but could have more, and also has the filler stitch. Saddles at the shoulder are common, and sleeves are typically drop shoulder or modified drop shoulder (peasant sleeves). That doesn't mean you can't do raglan sleeves, or that you have to do saddles. Certain types of cables are commonly used, as are certain types of filler stitch, but again, that doesn't mean you can't vary those. The green swatch I showed used a closed cable I found in Elsebeth Lavold's Viking Knits books. There are lots of books on Aran knitting and Traditional Knitting that can help you understand what a "typical" Aran sweater would look like. You could also use the Ravelry advanced pattern search Attributes filters to find patterns tagged as Aran in Regional/Ethnic.

[@kristaatkeson6692]

Thank you so much for sharing your design process. May I ask what software program you used to chart the cable patterns? I always look forward to Tuesdays and Fridays!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I use StitchMastery's Chart Editor. I find it particularly helpful for charting cable designs, because there are so many options, plus the ability to customize. The creator is very active and helpful on Ravelry, as well.

[@kristaatkeson6692]

Thank you so much. I do follow stitch mastery on instagram, but I have not yet tried her program. Happy New Year!

[@sarahhicks7241]

I've just found you, but have you discovered fellow KZbinr Bernadette Banner? She is a costume historian who concentrates on historical methods of clothing construction, particularly the Edwardian period. I haven't seen her knit...but if you were to collaborate, she could help explore via modeling some of these garments designed for corseted silhouettes since she wears the full undergarments appropriate.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Yep, I have been following her, and I have mentioned her and other CosTubers in my Casual Friday videos at various times this year. You might be interested in how the sweater turned out. I did not expect to ever finish it, nor did I expect it would ever be worn. My 20-something daughter claimed it once it was finished. www.ravelry.com/projects/Rox/columbia-sweater

[@CM-xn6xc]

Does “aran” in the name of a yarn have any significance or relationship to aran design? I have long wondered. Tx again.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

In the UK/Ireland, DK is the standard yarn weight for sweaters, while Aran is a bit thicker, and is traditionally used to knit Aran sweaters. In the US, our standard yarn weight is worsted, which is right between the two (DK is sometimes called "light worsted" and Aran is sometimes called "heavy worsted")

[@LadyGecko]

I would like to have a better understanding of the needles sizes because of the size differences between ‘bone’ and ‘steel’.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

The booklet has a photo of actual-size needles for both bone and steel. I have found various needle charts that convert old needle sizes to contemporary sizes. The bone needle sizes are apparently the same as today's US sizes. A steel 15 would be a 000 (1.5mm). What puzzles me is that the patterns that are calling for a yarn that is the equivalent of today's worsted weight calls for a size 4 (3.5mm) bone needle, and yet the gauge is 5 sts/in.

[@LadyGecko]

Roxanne - I went through the booklet and didn’t see any needles or hooks other than in the illustrations for how to knit and crochet. As for the gauge, considering the size of needles for cuffs and collars, they would have to be knitting really tight. I love vintage patterns, but they are a lot of work to convert to contemporary knitting. It’s not just the terms, it was a different style of knitting.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I printed out the page from one of the books -- looks like it was the 1907 edition.

[@ritasmith2314]

Please help how do you keep your aron pattern correct when shaping your armholes