Finally!

Finally back with some knitting!

I feel like I've turned over a new leaf now that it is June. This happily coincides with the last day of classes, and a week (mostly) off before work starts. Thank goodness! It's a week I will spend catching up on cleaning, crafting, and reading. I can't wait.

It's 90 degrees Fahrenheit out today, which does not bode well for the rest of my air-conditioner-less summer.

Convenient time to finish a cabled, worsted weight wool sweater, no? I thought so.

Luckily this sweater is destined for greater things than languishing in my wardrobe in Kalamazoo, while the cats shed in desperation, and I wipe sweat from my brow. We live in a very dramatic household.

Forecast, by Stephanie Japel, has been on my radar for a while. I love cables, buttons and cardigans, and the marriage of the three has always intrigued me. It was one of those things I've been meaning to knit since way back when, but just never got around to starting.

But after the tragic death of the pinwheel sweater which came about as soon as I tried the work in progress on and saw how badly it fit me, I was left with several balls of a tweedy, worsted weight yarn, an itch to knit a sweater, and conveniently, a sister graduating from high school and starting at University in the fall.

She's tragically hip, always wears high heels, dyes her hair incessantly, and would probably tell you she's way cooler than me. (One might not disagree with that statement.) I wanted something for her that didn't scream handknit, but that was unique, funky, and versatile. Forecast seemed to be all of those things. Plus, it was easy to knit, and an excuse to go to the fabric store and pick out the amazing buttons. (I love them. Mmm, buttons.)

I think this sweater is best kept a present for later. Her birthday is in October, so just as the Chicago weather begins to turn, this sweater may come in handy. I doubt she'll have any use for it until then.

Like many other knitters, (212 on Ravelry!) I made some heavy modifications to the pattern. I think if I were to knit it again (perhaps for myself) I would go so far as to change the cabled pattern to an aran-style braid, but overall I am incredibly pleased with this sweater. What a lovely little thing she is.

Forecast:

• 3 skeins Plyouth Encore Worsted. The pattern calls for more yardage than I had but my sister is tiny. I ended up with only a small ball left over.
• Size 6 DPN's and Denise interchangeable circs. Not my favorite, but so convenient that I am forever loyal to them.
• Took me about a week to complete. Once you get started, this sweater just rips along.

Modifications:

• Notice the lack of bobbles? This seems to be the most frequent mod i've seen, and I agree. I think they look like a ton of little nipples.
• Bigger buttons = less buttonholes. 5 instead of 10, but I like the look of the bolder, wooden buttons.
• Started the body ribbing several inches higher, as many other knitters have done.

I'll make sure to get some pictures of the sweater in action, but like I said, it may be a while.



Until next time, which hopefully won't be too far off, now that I have clearly found my camera charger. (It WAS in a great place...)