Here is my latest Forecast, knitted with eight balls of Debbie Bliss Felted Tweed (I think), on the needle sizes recommended in the pattern. My first Forecast was knitted in Cascade 220, which is very soft and springy, compared to the Felted Tweed, which is much rougher and stiffer. I actually prefer the stiffness of the Felted Tweed for Forecast - it makes quite a robust fabric and the ribbing on the cardi is more flattering in the Tweed, as it holds everything in slightly! Heaven knows what will happen when it's washed (I haven't blocked it). Anyway, half way through the first sleeve, I realised I wouldn't have enough yarn. It was pretty easy to suss this out, as I'd had two balls left with which to do both sleeves, and as I'd got through three-quarters of one ball before the first sleeve was half done, it was safe to assume I wouldn't have enough for two long sleeves. That is why I knitted them to just above the elbow. Having done that I realised the shape needed balancing out, by adding more "weight" at the edges, hence the frills. So, on to the button bands - again I didn't have enough yarn and decided that the cardi would look quite cool with buttons on the lower half only - and that's what I did. It was so quick to knit such a tiny button band, and very rewarding when I saw how much I liked the result. I think this is my favourite knitted item. By the way, I'm wearing my sunglasses because I looked pretty frightful without them.
The neck warmer I'm wearing in the photo is knitted on 7mm needles, from one ball of Sirdar Vegas (which is representative of the type of yarn available where I live - you know what I mean?) Anyway, I was suffering from yarn deprivation when I bought it. I intended to knit a scarf but didn't have enough. That's why it turned into a neck warmer (I sewed the two ends together). Putting prejudices aside - I really like it and will probably make another in a different colour. Where so many knitters dislike the boredom that results from knitting the same thing twice, I seem to like the known territory. I must be so boring.
ADDED LATER...........Sorry everyone - it's Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed, not Felted Tweed, (what a donkey I am). £1.77 a ball from Jannette.
'Necessity is the mother of invention' LOL and you have certainly made use of it & its very much your 'own' Forecast now & I love it .
ReplyDeleteI love these neck warmers and I have made some as mobius and I think they are more practical than a scarf.
I too love doing some patterns again especially if I just need a 'comfort knit' Which remind me I NEED another Ella :)
Your Forecast is beautiful! I love the colour and the sleeves - you can show the sleeves of the blouses underneath with these (that's my latest fashion obsession... ^^)
ReplyDeleteooo i like the arm mods! I guess you'll find the tweed softens up A LOT when you wash (yet probably keep it's shape), but maybe the felted one'll be slightly different.
ReplyDeleteYou clever thing, you made Forecast your own, it's great.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the yarn that's available, but you made something good there!
Forcast looks good! I agree with artis-anne, not only are Mobius more practical than scarves, they use less yarn for the same effect. I knitted one with just two balls of Noro ...something wonderful & its made a big warm neck warmer that wraps two or three times around my neck. I bought Cat Bordhi's book 'A Treasury of Magical Knitting' which is wonderful although mind blowing at first! You have to just go with it!
ReplyDeleteI think you look so fashionable with your dark sunglasses on - very glam! And even better that you are wearing your own design!
ReplyDeleteIt looks great on you, and I really admire your ability to leave the pattern and make it your own.
oh my! this version is much better than the original! looks gorgeous on you. very flattering. I also love the neck warmer. I'm really into those this year.
ReplyDeleteI love what you did with the Forecast. Especially the buttons only on the bottom half - it looks totally different. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great color, too. :)
Wow, you look fantabulous in your Forecast. I love the shortened sleeves, I am really into cropped sleeves at the moment. This is definitely my favourite Forecast so far, gosh if your 3rd is even better I might well try to steal it from you! I might have to give this pattern a go now because I am coveting badly....
ReplyDeleteMy word, you look glamorous. Not at all boring, just confident that you've found something you like and it looks fantastic. Rest assured, if I had a sweater pattern that worked for me as that works for you, I'd knit it *lots*!
ReplyDeleteYet another success! I love the colour and such great inventiveness in the face of a yarn shortage - I think I'd have grudgingly bought more yarn but I love the adaptations you made! I agree with Mrs J about Cat Bordhi's book which is well worth reading to make more Moebius neckwarmers - worth figuring out!
ReplyDeleteLooks awesome as usual, and so glamorous with the sunglasses!
ReplyDeleteIt's gorgeous. The colour looks really good on you. I can't believe how reasonable the wool was!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's boring to knit the same pattern twice, I think it gives you a lovely feeling of security although your second forecast is so changed from the first that I think it must be classed as a different pattern with all your mods.
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely
Your new version of Forecast looks wonderful, very stylish indeed. The Aran Tweed has certainly got some "oomph" about it, I am very into tweed yarns at the moment.
ReplyDeletei love it, and you look tres chic in that photo. i'm going to start wearing sunglasses in all my pics, too.
ReplyDeleteClever you, adapting the pattern so successfully. It looks lovely - and nice and warm I bet.
ReplyDeleteI really like what you did with this, the sleeves are really great.
ReplyDeleteyou are so damned cute!
ReplyDeleteOh, another knitter who makes the best out of Glampyre's cunningly flexible patterns, despite a shortage of yarn! Thank you very much for your lovely comment on my blog. I love the way you write, and I'll be back.
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