Black Rider Saddle

My friend Heather asked if I'd been working out. "No, it's definitely this sweater." I said as I ate my slice of pizza. My Black Rider saddle sweater is finished! The saddle structure makes for very broad shoulders and a closer fit to the body. Initially I made it for myself (mens medium), but it turned out a bit snug around the chest (boy-rexic XL) — looks like Stephanie is getting a black sweater.



I think this pullover wears better on a woman. Here's my favorite sweater model, Brandy, demonstrating my point. Black Rider is knit on US 8 needles with 9 balls of Berroco Cuzco (merino/alpaca) — from the chest down US 6 for a slight taper. It's very soft, warm, and spongy, perfect for those blustery damp days.



Dragon bones are flanked by ram horns adorning the chest like hunting trophies while cables on the back roam freely like a running stream. The collar, hem and cuffs are finished with a simple 1 X 1 rib, ending in a 2-row knit roll for better definition.



Gauntlets arms frame the body like arcane wrought iron gates. They start at the forearm twisting down to the cuff. Cuzco has great stitch definition which makes for deep ribs and sharp cables. Although similar, the sleeves are not identical — cables twist at different rates ending in varying rib patterns.



Black Rider is knit down from the shoulders. The sleeves are picked up from the body and knit to the cuff. Back in April, I started this sweater as an exploration of cables on a knit ground. It's been ripped out over the course of months many times but the yarn has held up well. This is a testament to Berroco Cuzco's integrity and quality.