Pattern Scout
The Transom Cardigan: There’s a New Shoulder in Town
Dear Ann,
Carol Feller’s Transom Cardigan marks a first in the history of the MDK Field Guides. It’s the first Field Guide sweater to feature a saddle shoulder.
A saddle shoulder is not a super-common feature of sweater construction, at least in these days of the round, patterned yoke. A saddle shoulder is special. It’s tailored. It lets the diagonal rib motif of the Transom Cardigan’s sleeves carry all the way up to the collar, with no interruption.
The saddle shoulder may be new territory for some of our readers, even those who have knit a lot of sweaters. Carol Feller will guide us through her process for working this snazzy little bit of knitting derring-do, so stay tuned for that. Today, we will just look upon the Transom Cardigan, and its saddle shoulder, and sigh with admiration.
What is a saddle shoulder, anyway? I knew what it was, sorta-kinda, and I’ve worked at least one saddle shoulder sweater in my lifetime, but I was hard pressed to define it.
Luckily, Ann Budd explained it, in her indispensable guide, The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: a saddle is “a rectangle of fabric worked at the top of the shoulder that extends into the sleeve cap.”
Isn’t it gorgeous how the diagonal ribs of the sleeve go up, up, up, until they flow elegantly into the collar?
And that little faux seam along the edge of the saddle? Genius.
The saddle shoulder is my new favorite shoulder. I’m going to need a little hand-holding, but I can’t wait.
Love,
Kay
My skein of Nua arrived yesterday. I thought I would test drive it by making the Arcade Cap. The yarn has exceeded my expectations, now I need to decide on the next project before the yarn is gone. I see some colors have already been depleted, including the gorgeous deep blue I ordered.
Hi Pam! So glad you’re liking Nua–we have more on the way, so please know that we’ll be stocking this yarn for the long term.
I learned how to do this via Knitting Ganseys. It is awesome. I’ve never used it in a cardigan though….. now’s my chance. 🙂
Received my order yesterday of NUA Unexpected Macaw. It’s beautiful, and is set asked for a FG14 project. Ordered not NUA today for another TH 14 project. So excited.
The elegance of the collar has me making this for sure !
Count me in! Just ordered my FG14 and Nua skeins in that versatile close-to-black shade.
I got my field guide 11 for socks and Monarch Meadows yarn. The yarn is beautiful!I love it. The little book is so cute and handy. But the packaging and presentation when you open the box along with the post cards is so awesome. I will definitely order again. You can tell you love what you do. Thanks again. God bless. Gloria
I knit socks with the Monarch Meadows colorway. Barnyard Knits yarn is just lovely to work with isn’t it?
I love this cardigan. Do you think I can make it longer without too much difficulty? I’ve never tried to knit a sweater so it will be a true growth experience. I’m excitedly waiting for my Nua sport skeins and the Marling book. MDK is grounding during this time of change, a true blessing. Thank you. Be safe.
As the sweater is worked top down, oh golly are you in luck for lengthening. Nua is entirely covet-worthy, I am so in a state of covet.
I think it can! But I won’t weigh in definitively until I’ve really started knitting it.
Oh my gosh, I am in love with this cardigan! The elegance of the sleeves to shoulder flow has take my heart.
I love a saddle shoulder! Tricky to write a pattern for, but I trust Carol Feller to do it. Also, the Nua yarn sounds dreamy!
Will you bet getting more Figment? I see you’re taking back orders, but while I need 12 skeins, it will only allow me to add 10 to my cart.