FLAK - The back is done ...

Driving across Canada to Michigan and back was the ideal opportunity to knit the back to the underarm. The color is poor in this picture (it's supposed to be gray green), but I think the picture shows up clearly. I changed the center horseshoe to a cable I tried to copy from a picture. It isn't exact, but I like the way it gives the bottom of the horseshoe but also incorporates the baby honeycombs. I guess I'm fortunate in that I didn't have to add any filler stitches on the sides. The design as set up is exact to my measurements. The only thing I've done is to make the back just slightly longer to the underarm as I don't like snug sweaters when I layer them.

In order to knit this in the car, I came up with an idea for a shortcut chart. The first picture is the entire back, in chart form: Then I made up a much smaller chart, using Quattro Pro, in which I only show the direction of cable crosses, which also tells me if there IS a cable cross in a particular row.

This chart is printed out on a 4 x 6 index card. I put the entire modified horseshow in as it has too many crossings to be easily charted with my RL shorthand. I have to tell you that this worked beautifully! I put a blank index card over it, held in place with paper clips on the sides. I'd move it up one row at a time. It fit on the seat next to me, or on my knee, and didn't get in the way at all. But I had all the info I needed!!!

Now I can't wait for the next part.