26-03-2021

I’ve printed and assembled the pattern, and then marked out the 5/8” seam allowances (which I don’t need, for knitting). I also marked out where ribbing needs to go, and reduced the templates by that much as well -- 1/2” at the neck and front edges (I expect I’ll do 1” or more of ribbing, but there’s room for that, and I don’t want to cut away too much there) and 2” at the bottom hem. I also decided that, although I like the curved front corners at the hemline on the sewn pattern, the knitted version will be better with 90-degree angles. Bearing in mind that there will be stripes, and then that the ribbing will be a contrast… better to keep the design elements simple. Likewise, I think I will do away with the pockets, which would also clash with the stripes (and knitted pockets are less functional anyway).

08-04-2021

Cast on a few days ago (during the Rav walkout) and got underway. Before that, I did another larger swatch, measuring gauge before and after blocking, and determined that my gauge is virtually unchanged by blocking -- which is good news for following a template!

I decided to work from the bottom up, starting with a provisional cast-on, so that I can get the stripes running evenly and straight long before I get to the shaping. I’m working the two front pieces and the back piece at the same time, but separately, so that I can keep track of colour consumption and make sure that all the stripes match up. The two sleeves are on one long needle, and the back is on another. (I could work seamlessly, but that makes matching up to the template much harder!)

19-04-2021

I got both front pieces to the start of the neckline shaping, and then decided to work just the right front from that point. If I had to rip back, at least I’d only be ripping back one piece, not both! The shaping worked out very well, as it turns out. I did a combination of dec-1, dec-2, and binding off. I think the dec-2s are a little bulky in this yarn, but it’s not worth ripping back out. I did debate doing short-rows instead, but wanted to maintain the striping as if I had actually cut the pieces out of fabric, since I’m mimicking a sewing pattern. Now to reverse that shaping with the left front piece!

03-05-2021

Bound off the back neckline today! I’m happy to say that the math worked out there…

I’m trying to work out what the best way to approach the sleeves will be. They’re the most different piece from what you’d usually do in a knitting pattern -- they’re kind of arc shaped. So I’m wondering whether I should keep the stripes straight (as if I’d laid the pattern piece onto striped fabric and cut it out) or whether I should use shaping and maybe one or two short rows to curve the stripes along the arc of the sleeve piece. How much would the direction of the stretch/grain matter, given that this was designed for woven fabric in the first place? I’m leaning towards the latter, I think, but I have to do some math first.

Meanwhile, I think I’ll block the fronts and back, and maybe even seam them and tackle the ribbing, while I ponder…

18-05-2021

Working on the first sleeve. Slowly. I decided to curve the stripes, so I cast on for the whole top edge. I am using shaping at the edges to make the steep angles, and also scattering decreases along the length of the rows to make and maintain that gentle curve.

It’s all kind of guesswork — I was able to figure out the rates of shaping for the fronts and backs, but the sleeves, with their curve factor, are more tricky. I measured down every 5cm along the pattern piece, from shoulder to cuff, and worked out how many stitches across I needed at each interval, so that tells me how many decreases I have to play with at each stage, but then I have to work out how many of those decreases should be at the edge versus more in the middle. At this gauge, we’re talking about decreasing 4, 6, or 8 sts per 11 rows (and the decreases need to be mirrored to make the sleeve symmetrical) so there’s not a huge amount of room to maneuver. Still, it seems to be working!

I did, incidentally, block the fronts and back, and seamed them together. The resulting ‘vest’ is HUGE. I knew it was a boxy coat pattern, but I did size down from what I would have sewn, and I took off some width for ribbing, but it’s still enormous. I am thinking that I might do an applied i-cord trim at the front/neckline rather than adding more fabric with the 1.5” of ribbing I had intended. On the other hand, that makes it more open at the neck, which means I’m more likely to sort of bunch it up around me, which skews the coat, so… maybe it does need ribbing.

I’m also vaguely pondering buying some polar fleece to make a lining, which I would hand-sew into place. The coat would be more of a COAT at that point, instead of a maybe-sweater-maybe-coat thing. But then… what to do about a closure? I’m eyeing those Jul screw-in latch closures, but that wouldn’t work through a fabric lining. Hmm.

09-06-2021

Both sleeves knit (apart from ribbing at the cuffs). I’ve seamed one sleeve and sewn it on, and it makes a HUGE difference to the proportions of the sweater. Phew. I still think I might line it with fleece, to make it more of a coat, but will see (it’s hard to decide something like that in June when it’s hot and humid outside).

I did find the most perfect buttons in my stash. There are only 5, but they’re substantial enough that I think they’ll work perfectly. They do mean that I need to do an actual button band, but I think that’s probably best anyway — it’s VERY open at the neckline right now.

18-06-2021

Bottom edge and cuffs are done -- the last piece of knitting is the button band. I swatched for buttonholes last night, so now I just have to work out the placement and then find a needle cord long enough to pick up and work all those stitches.

Still considering lining the whole thing in polar fleece, but I’m not going into fabric stores just yet (COVID-wise) so that decision can wait.

25-06-2021

Altogether, I figure the yardage on this project was about 2036 yards. That’s a rough estimate because of the handspun, but close enough! I used the Regal for the edging and the Heritage and handspun for the body.

I actually managed to finish it on a very random cold June day, and once I put it on, I didn’t really want to take it off!