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.