FO: Nell, a cabled winter coat

Finally finished this puppy! It took just a couple weeks for the knitting, [I]but I stalled for a long time with blocking, and finishing. [/I]

Anyway, I had a [B]heart attack[/B] when I tried it on after it was seamed, and the collar was knit.
The coat fit like a hot mess, mostly having to do with the seams.

Back to the blocking table. I pinned down all those seams…side seams, armhole seams and shoulder seams. I pinned them down but good. Then misted them all, then laid soppy terry cloths on top. Let it all sit there for a week, lifted the terry cloths, and allowed the seams to air dry from there.

Tonight I pulled up my boot straps and tried the coat on. Voila. Everything was perfect. Of course, I have to roll up my sleeve cuffs one turn. I was hoping I had shorted the sleeves enough, but I guess not. The fit of the shoulder seam it sorta ‘dropped’, and it let the sleeves fall farther down. But, this kind of coat looks perfectly fine with the cuffs.

This coat was knit with a very inexpensive bulky weight yarn from www.elann.com. It’s their house brand “Peruvian Highland Bulky”. It’s a single ply. I do love it. This grey is really nice, it’s sorta heathered.

I love my buttons. I made a 23 mile trip to a LYS that is famous for having great buttons. My buttons are wood. I like the shape. I chose black because they are more rustic looking than any silver or pewter button I saw. The metal buttons all looked too dressy for this coat. The shop girl was very helpful in giving me feedback to base a decision on. The buttons are black, but that’s okay, because I’ll wear this coat with a black skirt and boots, or black jeans. Black scarf, black cabled hat.

The collar lays down the back of my neck. I just couldn’t figure out how to pose it laying on the floor.

This is the Back of the coat:

Hereare my project notes if you care to learn more about the pattern, etc.[B]
Nell[/B] is a design in the Rowan book called AMBER, A Winter Gathering.

Beautiful in all its cabled glory. Yes, the wooden buttons are in the spirit of the coat. Enjoy wearing it with the contrasting black clothes and accessories. That’s a striking combination.
Another work of art!

Truly a winner! Beautiful work :heart: :heart: :heart:

Judy

[B][I]Everything was prefect. Of Course.[/I][/B] said she, "Well OF COURSE it was. Artlady always ends up with a perfect finished item. I wish I should be so great at knitting. :slight_smile:

All of the above was stated in good humor so please don’t think otherwise. It marvels me how you continue to churn out so many finished items while I seem to get so little done. As always, this jacket like everything else is beautiful.

It sounds trite to say it is lovely as everything you do is always lovely. I love the grey color it will go with so many things. You did another fabulous job.

Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing your knitted works of art with us!

To have that not fit would be a heart attack inducer! I wouldn’t want to be that coat when you said: Time out in wet towels until you fit right! LOL Lovely, beautiful, and very useful. What more could anyone ask?

That is beautiful!! I’m glad you got it to work out by more blocking. :thumbsup:

I’m glad you were able to get it to behave. It looks just beautiful and would be a pity if it didn’t come out the way you wanted it to. You are definitely the cable queen. You do such great, and prolific cables. The black buttons look just right.

Beautifully done as always!!!
How did you keep the sweater from getting smelly with wet towels over it for a week?

I wondered the same thing but since I don’t block things, using acrylic yarn as I do, I thought maybe that’s why I don’t know.

[B]
That’s a good question. [/B]:thumbsup:

All I can come up with is this: I thoroughly soak my pieces in a very high quality fiber wash and rinse before blocking them, before seaming them. I allow each piece to soak in the fiber wash for about 15 minutes, then gently squeeze the water through them. Then repeat the same thing using the fiber rinse. So, I’m thinking…being so [U]thoroughly clean[/U], free of contaminants…perhaps that’s why my wool coat didn’t become smelly. Plus, the terry cloths that I plopped on top of them have [U]never been used on the human body[/U]. No residue of human skin cells, or oils, etc. They are white, and I do not use them on anything but my knitting…like to block the seams and buttonbands, if needed, after the fact. IMO…[B][I]Finishing[/I][/B] is as important as the knitting itself.

Here’s a write-up about the Unicorn (brand name) Fiber Wash and Fiber Rinse:

[COLOR=Navy]Created to protect and maintain the beauty of all fibers…from raw fleece and yarns, to your most cherished hand-knit possessions.[/COLOR][ul]
[li][COLOR=Navy]Gently deep cleans embedded dirt and staining[/COLOR][/li][li][COLOR=Navy]Optimizes cleaning with less tangling and matting[/COLOR][/li][li][COLOR=Navy]Softens scratchy yarns[/COLOR][/li][li][COLOR=Navy]Removes odor-causing contaminants trapped within fiber[/COLOR][/li][li][COLOR=Navy]Non-yellowing – No fillers[/COLOR][/li][li][COLOR=Navy]Biodegradable – Earth Friendly[/COLOR][/ul]You’ll notice it mentions: “removes odor-causing contaminants trapped within fiber”. [/li]

You should see the wash water after soaking [U]undyed natural cream Malabrigo[/U] sweater pieces! What you thought was cream yarn…renders enough filth to make you ill. I knit this Malabrigo sweater several years ago, and I was so shocked at the state of the wash water I just had to take photos of it!

Can you even believe it? I knit fast and furious, so my yarns didn’t become
dirty from knitting something over two years.

This Unicorn Fiber Wash really does clean, without injuring the fibers. Right now, the Unicorn people seem to be offering free samples. You’ll see the offer on their Home Page. Click here.

My wash water from the Nell (grey coat) also rendered dirt…although not as much dirt as that undyed natural Malabrigo! I have read that the dying process itself removes a lot of dirt. But only something like a quality fiber wash will remove the unseen contaminants and icky stuff from animal fiber yarns.

Another factor in behalf of using a quality fiber wash prior to seaming: if you left this ‘unseen’ dirt and filth in the yarn, it has to grind on your yarn. Wouldn’t you think so? :think:

Here is the Malabrigo set:

Here is the matching cami-tank, before I had soaked it in the fiber wash and rinse.
It looks clean, doesn’t it? But it also rendered just as much filth! Unbelievable.

I knit the jacket from beginning to end, then decided to knit a matching cami-tank to wear with it, using the same cable for the band, then seaming it into a band, then picking up stitches along one edge, and knitting down in-the-round, then knitting the ribbing. Then the i-cord straps.

Thanks for the info about Unicorn. It cost $2.07 for the shipping, but that’s a small price to pay to try it.

Great! I’m glad you’re going to try it, Jan!

You see that photo of the wash water from my cream Malabrigo sweater pieces…well, even more dirt came out in the rinse water! But, despite the powerful cleaning abilities, the Unicorn Wash and Rinse is very gentle on the yarn!

I know you’ll love it. Psst: it just takes a small quantity. Follow the directions. Don’t be tempted to use too much.

I’ve been using Woolite before blocking things. Guess I’ll try the kind you use to see if there is a difference.
Thanks for the info.

@ ArtLady 1981 Your cabled sweater is stunning.You do superb work !

I have the same yarn sitting here waiting for me to knit DH a Basketcase Jacket but I know he would rather have this one. Is this an Elizabeth Zimmermans? I made three jackets so far and each one of them needed a ‘Garment Stitch’ in the shoulders. This will help with them growing when it’s a heavy piece. I use a matching color in a strong cotton yarn.

I agree wholeheartedly about time spent finishing a knit project. You’ve already invested money and precious time in the knitting. Why skimp at the finishing, blocking and washing?

Phenomenally beautiful work, ArtLady! You’re a knitting goddess!:knitting:

Are you asking about my Nell pattern, or the Viveca pattern (the white one I shared as reference about the dirt that comes out of a project).

My Nell is in a Rowan Book.
My Viveca is in a Elsebeth Lavold book.

I don’t knit Elizabeth Zimmerman designs. Not saying she’s not great…just sayin.
I just haven’t found an EZ design that beckons me.

Hmmm…[B]garment stitch[/B], eh? Wonder what that is? Never heard of it in contemporary patterns. Maybe it’s just plain mattress stitch?

Well, now I’ll have to google it! :thumbsup: It sounds very interesting!

PS: Garment Stitch looks like it’s Mattress Stitch by another name. Click here.