Isle of Aran Afghan Pattern #B-379

A beautiful, sophisticated design for those who like a challenge when they knit.

COATS & CLARK'S "RED HEART" KNITTING WORSTED, 4 Ply (4 oz. "Tangle-Proof" Pull-Out Skeins): 12 skeins of No. 1 White.

Knitting Needles, 1 pair No. 8 and No. 10.

Afghan measures 49 x 67½ inches

GAUGE: End Strip–43 sts = 10 inches; Diamond Strip–15 sts = 4½ inches; Cable Strip–24 sts = 4¾ inches; Center Strip–41 sts = 10½ inches; All Strips–11 rows = 2 inches.

RIGHT END STRIP … Starting at nar­row edge with No. 8 needles, cast on 43 sts. 1st row: K 1, * p 1, k 1. Repeat from * across. Next 4 rows: Repeat first row for seed st border. Change to No. 10 needles and work in pattern as follows: 1st row: K 1, (p 1, k 1) twice—seed st border; k 3, p 5, * sl 1, k 1, p.s.s.o., k 1, (O, k 1) twice; k 2 tog, p 5. Repeat from * once more, k 3, p 3. 2nd row: K 3, with yarn in front, sl next 3 sts— rope started; k 5, (p 7, k 5) twice; start a rope as before, k 1, (p 1, k 1) twice. 3rd row: K 1, (p 1, k 1) twice; k in back loop of 3rd st on left-hand needle, do not drop off needle, k in front loop of first st and drop this st off left-hand needle, k in front loop of 2nd st and drop both loops off left-hand needle—rope com­pleted; p 5, * sl 1, k 1, p.s.s.o., k 1, (O, k 1) twice; k 2 tog, p 5. Repeat from * once more; complete a rope as before, p 3. 4th row: Repeat 2nd row. 5th row: K 1, (p 1, k 1) twice; complete a rope, p 2; in next st k 1, (p 1, k 1) twice—popcorn started; p 2, * sl 1, k 1, p.s.s.o., k 1, (O, k 1) twice; k 2 tog, p 2, start a popcorn as before, p 2. Repeat from * once more, com­plete a rope, p 3. 6th row: K 3, start a rope, k 9, (p 7, k 9) twice; start a rope, k 1, (p 1, k 1) twice. 7th row: K 1, (p 1, k 1) twice; complete a rope, p 2, p next 5 sts tog—popcorn completed; p 2, (slip next 3 sts on a cable holder and hold in front of work, k next 4 sts, k the 3 sts from cable holder—cable made; p 2, complete a popcorn as before, p 2) twice; complete rope, p 3. Next 5 rows: Repeat 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 5th and 6th rows. 13th row: K 1, (p 1, k 1) twice; complete rope, p 2, complete popcorn, p 2, * sl 1, k 1, p.s.s.o., k 1, (O, k 1) twice; k 2 tog, p 2, complete popcorn, p 2. Repeat from * once more, com­plete rope, p 3. Repeat the 2nd through 13th row for pattern 29 times more, omitting popcorns on last 3 rows, then repeat 2nd row once. Change to No. 8 needles and work 5 rows of seed st. Bind off in seed st.

LEFT END STRIP … Work same as Right End Strip until seed st border has been completed. Change to No. 10 needles and work in pattern as fol­lows: 1st row: P 3, k 3, p 5, * sl 1, k 1, p.s.s.o., k 1, (O, k 1) twice; k 2 tog, p 5. Repeat from * once more, k 3; k 1, (p 1, k 1) twice—seed st border. 2nd row: K 1, (p 1, k 1) twice—seed st border; start a rope as in Right End Strip, k 5, (p 7, k 5) twice; start a rope, k 3. Starting with 3rd row, continue to work as for Right End Strip, revers­ing border as follows: Start next and every right side row with p 3 (instead of seed st border) and end with k 1, (p 1, k 1) twice—seed st border (in­stead of p 3). Start every wrong side row with seed st border (instead of k 3) and end with k 3 (instead of seed st border). Complete as for Right End Strip.

DIAMOND STRIP (Make 2) … Starting at narrow edge with No. 8 needles, cast on 15 sts. Work 5 rows of seed st border same as for previous strips. Change to No. 10 needles and work in pattern as follows: 1st row: K 7, in next st p 1, k 1, p 1—puff started; k 7. 2nd row: P 7, p 3 tog—puff completed; p 7. 3rd row: K 6, start puff, k 1, start puff, k 6. 4th row: P 6, complete puff, p 1, complete puff, p 6. 5th row: K 5, start puff, (k 1, start puff) twice; k 5. 6th row: P 5, complete puff, (p 1, com­plete puff) twice; p 5. 7th row: K 4, start puff, (k 1, start puff) 3 times; k 4. 8th row: P 4, complete puff, (p 1, com­plete puff) 3 times; p 4. 9th row: K 3, start puff, (k 1, start puff) 4 times; k 3. 10th row: P 3, complete puff, (p 1, complete puff) 4 times; p 3. 11th row: K 2, start puff, (k 1, start puff) 5 times; k 2. 12th row: P 2, complete puff, (p 1, compete puff) 5 times; p 2. 13th row: K 1, (start puff, k 1) 7 times. 14th row: P 1, (complete puff, p 1) 7 times. 15th through 24th row: Repeat 11th, 12th, 9th, 10th, 7th, 8th, 5th, 6th, 3rd and 4th rows. Repeat these 24 rows for pattern 14 times more, then repeat first and 2nd rows once. Change to No. 8 needles and work 5 rows of seed st. Bind off in seed st.

CABLE STRIP (Make 2) … Starting at narrow edge with No. 8 needles, cast on 21 sts. Work 5 rows of seed st border same as for previous strips. Change to No. 10 needles and work in pattern as follows: 1st row: P 2, k 3, p 1, p in front and back of next st—1 p st increased; k 8, p 1, inc 1 p st in next st, k 3, inc 1 p st in last st—24 sts. 2nd and all even rows: K 2, start rope as in Right End Strip, k 3, p 8, k 3, start rope, k 2. 3rd row: P 2, complete rope, p 3, k 8, p 3, complete rope, p 2. 5th row: Repeat 3rd row. 7th row: P 2, complete rope, p 3, slip next 4 sts on a cable holder and hold in front of work, k next 4 sts, then k the 4 sts from cable holder—cable made; p 3, complete rope, p 2. 9th and 11th rows: Repeat 3rd row. 13th row: Repeat 7th row. Next 11 rows: Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows alternately, ending with 2nd row. 25th row: Repeat 7th row. Re­peat 8th through 25th row for pattern 18 times more, then repeat 8th through 19th row once. Last row: K 2, p 3, k 2 tog, k 1, p 8, k 2 tog, k 1, p 3, k 2 tog—21 sts. Change to No. 8 needles and work 5 rows of seed st. Bind off in seed st.

CENTER STRIP … Starting at narrow edge with No. 8 needles, cast on 41 sts. Work same as Right End Strip until seed st border has been completed. Change to No. 10 needles and work in pattern as follows: 1 st row: P 4, * k 1, p 1, k 1, p 7. Repeat from * across, ending with p 4 (instead of p 7). 2nd row: K 4, * p 1, k 1, p 1, k 7. Repeat from * across, ending with k 4 (instead of k 7). 3rd row: P 3,* k in front loop of 2nd st on left-hand needle, then p first st, drop these 2 sts off left-hand needle—right cross st made; p 1, slip the next st on a cable holder and hold in front of work, p next st, k the st from holder—left cross st made; p 5. Repeat from * across, ending with p 3 (instead of p 5). 4th row: (K 3, p 1) twice; * k 5, p 1, k 3, p 1. Repeat from * across, ending with k 3. 5th row: P 2, * make a right cross st, p 3, make a left cross st, p 3. Repeat from * across, ending with p 2 (instead of p 3). 6th row: K 2, * p 1, k 2, start a pop­corn as in Right End Strip, k 2, p 1, k 3. Repeat from * across, ending with k 2 (instead of k 3). 7th row: P 1, * make a right cross st, p 9, make a left cross st, p 1. Repeat from * across. 8th row: K 1, * p 1, k 3, complete popcorn, k 3, p 1, k 1. Repeat from * across. 9th row: P 1,* make a left cross st, p 5, make a right cross st, p 1. Repeat from * across. 10th row: K 2, * p 1, k 5, p 1, k 3. Repeat from * across, ending with k 2 (instead of k 3). 11th row: P 2, * make a left cross st, p 3, make a right cross st, p 3. Repeat from * across, ending with p 2 (instead of p 3). 12th row: (K 3, p 1) twice; * k 2, start a popcorn, k 2, p 1, k 3, p 1. Repeat from * across, ending with k 3. 13th row: P 3, * make a left cross st, p 1, make a right cross st, p 9. Re­peat from * across, ending with p 3 (instead of p 9). 14th row: K 4, * p 1, k 1, p 1, k 3, complete popcorn, k 3. Repeat from * across, ending with p 1, k 1, p 1, k 4. Repeat 3rd through 14th row for pattern 29 times more, ending with the 14th row, but omitting pop­corns on the last 3 rows. Change to No. 8 needles and work 5 rows of seed st. Bind off in seed st.
   Block each strip to measurements. Sew strips together lengthwise as fol­lows: Right End Strip, Diamond Strip, Cable Strip, Center Strip, Cable Strip, Diamond Strip and Left End Strip.