cloudy

The cloud pattern is now ready, and you can find it here! To celebrate its release, I thought I’d show you some pictures (taken in a cloudy Edinburgh yesterday) which suggest the different ways that the sweater might be made and worn. Mel’s storm cloud (warning – rav link) is knit in a yarn (rialto 4 ply) that is both more drapey and more form-fitting than the bowmont braf that I used. The shift to a light, even yarn, together with the lack of pocket, turn the hoody from fuzzy and cartoon-like to sleek and sophisticated. The puffed sleeves make for a light and feminine summer sweater:

But you can still stick your hood up for some furtive window shopping. . .

i-cord (ah! the wonder!) gives a neat finish to the neckline. Check out the deep purple facings. Very stormy.

As you know, I love the finish on this sweater — the facings and edgings are what really make it for me — so the pattern takes its time over the finish, with stitching notes, and diagrams for clarity.

There are also instructions for an alternative, plain, lozenge-shaped pouch (if you don’t want a cloud, but do want a pocket on your sweater). I’ve written the pattern in nine sizes (covering girls 22 inch to woman’s 44 inch chest) and highlighted several points in the instructions at which you might modify the sweater to create the best fit for your body shape. Of course, the fact that the sweater is knit top-down makes it infinitely, and easily, modifiable. The neckline is nice without the hood, for example, and would look lovely with a different edging, (if one was, for some unaccountable reason, tired of all that icord). Hearty thanks to Mel for expert knitting and advice, as always. You can see some more photos of her looking fabulous in her storm cloud over on ravelry and acquire the pattern, if you are so inclined, above from the designs page. Cheers!

(thankyou, Gordon, for this great photo)