Robin Matinee Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

Robin Matinee Jacket

Knitting
DK (11 wpi) ?
11 stitches and 22 rows = 2 inches
in garter stitch with larger needles
US 5 - 3.75 mm
US 6 - 4.0 mm
Chest 18in/48cm
English

This was a free supplement pattern offered by post to readers of the “Stripes of Spring” article on pp.56-57 of the Sunday Times Magazine, around 1968-1969. The magazine had designed this UK version of Elizabeth Zimmermann’s BSJ pattern because her original design was not suitable for UK yarns. The free sheet was headed “Sunday Times Magazine (Robin) Matinee Jacket”. Because this was a Sunday Times adaptation, Zimmermann’s name is not on the free pattern sheet. This is a single sheet with photocopied typing on both sides.

The pattern uses 150g of the recommended yarn, in assorted colours, to be striped randomly; 1 pair of 3.75mm (UK 9) straight needles; a 4mm (UK 8) x 80cm circular needle; 6 buttons.

There are two line-drawings showing how to fold and seam the work. A photograph of the finished article would be necessary in a pattern for this project, but it is not provided with this printed pattern, which relies on the photographs in the above “Stripes of Spring” magazine article for reference. (It is unlikely that there were other sources for photographs of the BSJ in the UK at that time).

The idea of lengthening the hem of the jacket is not included, perhaps because it had not yet been developed when this pattern was printed.