September 29, 2003

Why, it's a bobbly jacket!
[Click me and I will give you another view.]

Finally! My pretty cotton jacket is finished! I've already worn it twice this week and I really like it. Knitting it was fun, too. Usually when I follow patterns I have to make modifications or rework them, but I didn't have to revise this pattern in any way and I didn't stumble upon any errors. There is a different chart for every size, and the shapings are calculated so as not to interrupt the pattern. The right and left front pieces are mirror images of each other, as are the left and right sleeves. And when I seamed the jacket, I saw just how nicely the pieces all fit together. Big thumbs up here, so there are lots of pictures today. Above are some "action" shots my husband took today at noon (we're having nice weather today and I was wearing the jacket when he came home for lunch), and here is an obligatory stand-still-like-a-mannequin shot taken yesterday afternoon. Of course, there are the customary whack dancing rabbit shots, taken with the spycam for no reason other than it's fun:




As one can see, I really am happy with this jacket! I think I'll get a good amount of wear out of it. I like it because it's a less casual alternative to my denim jacket and the bobbles at the sleeve cuffs create a neat little flare. Plus, I like how the front edges look with no visible closure. But! There were a few miniscule things I didn't really like about finishing this jacket:

1) Sewing on 12 hook-and-eye fasteners* to the fronts of the jacket is a long and tedious process that requires a glass of wine and good long movie on television.

2) Throwing the jacket in the cold rinse cycle in order to wet block it means that it's going to take, oh, about 50 hours for the jacket to dry.

*I was wary about using hook-and-eye fasteners, but I did it because I personally don't think that a zipper really goes with this jacket. However, I have no problem with the fasteners when I wear the jacket, and I didn't have any problems when I put it in the washing machine. Before putting the jacket in the washing machine I closed the fasteners and placed it in a pillowcase in order to keep the fasteners from getting caught on the jacket.

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