The Forecast is for Completion

After two years (nearly to the week), I’ve finished my Forecast sweater. This is unprecedented finishing for me: four projects in the last three weeks, two of them garments and one a blanket. My mother suggested it’s hormonal. Not sure where that came from, but I’ll take it over PMS any day.

Specs:

Started: 11th February 2006 for the Knitting Olympics (remember those?)
Finished: 7th February 2008
Pattern: Forecast, by Stefanie Japel (Knitty, Winter 2005)
Yarn: Peace Fleece Worsted in Samantha-Katya Pink (this is my favourite yarn colour, ever.)
Needles: Size 8 and 9 Denise
Modifications: I worked 3-stitch bobbles instead of 5- and worked the sleeve ribbing from the elbows. Out of concern the armholes were a little too small, I crocheted a wee underarm gusset during seaming. I sewed the arms until about an inch remained, then I crocheted around the remaining opening and sewed it closed. I’m not convinced it was necessary, but there’s the perfect amount of room in the pits.

This sweater involved a multitude of firsts for me. I had never cabled before (and haven’t since, actually, though I plan to in a scarf I’m making for the man). I had never knitted bobbles before (and am now convinced bobble knitters are insane. Knitted bobbles flout the laws of all that is good about knitting. I’m tempted to make a t-shirt that says: Bobble knitters, crocheting will change your life). I’d never made a cardigan before, nor had I (consequently) ever knitted buttonholes. Again, crocheters have it made with buttonholes, though knitted ones flout no laws. Mine came out fine, but a little loose. I hear this is a drawback to the backward loop cast on. I’ll likely sew the holes a bit to make them tighter. Lots of firsts.

The sweater fits pretty much perfectly. I prefer my sleeves a bit longer; the next time I wash it I might try to stretch them a bit in blocking. The collar is huge. This is a good lesson: Even if the pattern calls for starting with the collar, I will knit it last. I’m no longer intimidated by picking up stitches (the button bands beat that out of me, at long last), so this will be no problem. Yes, I feel myself growing as a knitter, becoming more comfortable modifying patterns (my knitting self and crocheting self at times seem like two different people). I can’t say I anticipate I’ll wear this sweater too much; a looser-fitting cardigan is more my thing. But I love this sweater mostly for having made it at all. Oh, yes. It is love.

I enjoy cabling and love the look of cables. There will be more in my future. There will be no more knitted bobbles in my future. There will be knitted buttonbands, though I have no set plans for another cardigan.

Peace, man.