9 September
Added some photos of Willow briefly wearing the coat before tearing it off. These were the best I could do, even with my mum’s help to hold her ;)

8 September
Oops, didn’t keep up with the updates on this one! I’ve just sewn in the last stray ends and the coat is finished - except for closures, which I’m not going to bother with right away because Willow seems to HATE it. It’s actually pretty funny, she’s never reacted to a piece of clothing like this before. I’ll put it away for a few months to see if she changes her mind, and if so I’ll add some toggles or buttons.

I followed the pattern closely, except for deciding I needed more width. I shifted the armholes forward by 1” on each side, then picked up stitches all around the front edges, including the hood, and added a 2” wide band. It actually looks rather nice with the contrast between the horizontal and vertical areas of garter stitch, but the garment overall is too boxy even for a baby. This is apparent in the pattern photos, I just really wanted to make it, and I had a good time, so I don’t mind if it never gets worn.

5 August
Slow progress, as the pixie I’m making this for has been rather ill, but I’m getting there! I’m about to divide for the armholes. I’ve added an extra 20 ridges (40 rows) to the body to make it into a short coat length.

23 July
Swatched yesterday, washed and blocked overnight (no change, for the record, still 16 st/4”), and cast on today!

This is not a yarn I would usually be drawn to, preferring smooth textures and solid colours, but it was a gift from a generous friend who instructed me to knit something lovely for myself or my daughter. I had a lot of fun playing with it and working out what kind of pattern would suit, so I should probably step out of my comfort zone more often.

I decided it would be too chunky for me to wear, so I would knit something for Willow, and the slubbiness of the yarn lent itself to a simple texture like garter stitch, which made me think of the Elizabeth Zimmermann book I had out from the library, and as soon as I saw the Tomten Jacket I knew it was the one!

Willow’s current jackets are ~20” around, so I’m aiming for 22” to allow for a bit more growth. With my gauge that means 88 stitches, which handily fits into the anything-divisible-by-8 instructions.