We are knitting coats on the Swiss Knits Group. Come join us!
This project will be my biggest entry in the « 4km de Lausanne » kal.
I have selected a few cones from my Colourmart stash and need to swatch tons to figure out if I can get a good fabric using these.
I have one more cone with a mystery 3 ply dark blue yarn that could be classified as light fingering by Colourmart. And another one ply green cobweight probably cashmere…
(yardage per cone grossly estiimated to get total yardage for the project)
Let the swatching begin!
24.12.2018
Swatch 1:
Half 1: all six yarns. Gauge before washing. 12x16 Strong, somewhat rigid fabric. Very intense mottling with the high contrasting yarns.
Gauge BW: 12x18
Gauge AW: 12x18
Half 2: took out the white mohair and the dark mystery yarn. Easier on the hands for stitching.
Gauge BW: 14x18
Gauge AW: 13x18
25.12.2018
Swatch 1 is dry. I uploaded close ups to show both textures.
By removing the very fine white and a slightly larger dark blue I have grosso modo the same hue, but with a different contrast.
The electric blue speckles in the light blue yarn are showing more on the 2nd half.
I am unsure that I want such a variegated fabric for my coat. Pros and cons:
- Knitting from the stash would be great.
- The fabric would be strong with these yarn.
- I think I like the colour combination
BUT
- Al already bashed the blue speckles.
- I like my coats on the classic side (because my other clothes tend toward the strange and the colourful, coats are expensive and they must last ten years at least with heavy wearing.)
- I must let go of other possibilities with these yarns (that last argument is very, very stupid I reckon.)
Maybe I should take the green out? It is annoying while knitting and I don’t think the gauge would change.
04.01.2019
Rows are getting long. I still have three increases until the sleeves separation. I put the thing on two long needles to take a picture, verify the neckline, and keep up the motivation. I cannot knit on this too many rows at a time but the big gauge means it still grows. So everything is fine.
05.01.2019
I have separated the sleeves, but after knitting two rows my fear of the depth of the armholes being too short is confirmed by the trying on. I will take out the rows, but the sleeves back on, do three more increase rows (six rows total), and then separate the sleeves.
But I will keep the buttonhole somewhat high by making it on the first of all these added rows.
As I am increasing stitches I will not cast on when I separate the sleeves. I will decrease once a couple of rows after separating to get back to the correct stitch count.
07.01.2019
I HAVE increased when separating the sleeve. Then I knit until the second increase marker, joined the left sleeve in the round and knit only on the sleeve stitches in the round. The three supplementary stitches get decreased as a gusset.
Knit two rows straight. (On the body stitches one will decrease the additional yo at the pick up row.)
Decrease row
Knit one row
DR
Knit three row
DR
Gusset done
Knit straight 38 rows from last dec row.
Dec row.
18.01.2019
My coat has one sleeve! Yeeeepeee!
Laid over my favourite everyday coat, it is the perfect length. I am hopeful.
I will have to count everything to make sure the second one is identical as I kept changing my mind while knitting this one.
24.01.2019
Two sleeves done and the body stitches are back on the needle. These rows seem looong with these big needles and multiple threads.
I hope I didn’t add too many stitches. I tried it without a sweater so it seemed big.
05.05.2019
Body finished!!!!!! I stitched in mini sessions as this is not very ergonomic. The fabric is gorgeous I only hope it is not too heavy.
Weight 1117g. (Hoping to be able to calculate the yardage/métrage after stitching the collar.
Weight of the baby blue cone: 207
Blue alpaca: 394g
Turcoise yak: 101g
I will compare the yardage for each and calculate the total after the collar is done.
I need to do the collar, then wash it to remove the industrial oil. Then I will ses if I add pockets and maybe I will sew a lining, buttons and will probably need to do a belt.
07.05.2019
Weight with neckband 1167gr. D=50g
Baby blue 194 d=13 44m
Alpaca 385 d=9g 48m
Yak 91 d=10g 45m
Ok, let’s say the neckband took 45m
50g=45m
1167g=45x1167/50= 1050 mètres of each of my 6 yarn! =1148 yards per 6 yarn
Total almost 6300 m = 6900 yds!
More if I do pockets. We will see. It is in the wash now.
12.05.2019
Sewed in buttons. I consider it finished until I decide to add pocket or change someone else.
I will probably wash it again as soon as the weather is warmer as my swatch is remarkably softer than the coat.