The pattern was great, although the cable chart was difficult to read so I used the one from Café Bastille Cables by Leigh Radford. I made the medium size, but kept the body an inch shorter and the sleeves an inch and a half shorter than in the pattern. I used the smaller needle (size 6) for the ribbing, but did both the cabled and the garter stitch portions of the body with the bigger needle (size 7).
Cabling without a needle made everything faster and it was particularly useful not to deal with another needle when I was working with dpns on the sleeves.
I knew I wanted a collar instead of a hood, and I wanted to incorporate the 4x4 rib so it wasn't lost at the bottom of the sweater. So I started casting off at the neck, and kept going until it looked good.
Here's what I did :
Put 8 stitches (each side) garter stitch button band on holders. Cast off 2 sts at the neck edge every row 6 times (24 sts). Continue pattern decreases until 58 sts remain on front and back. With smaller needle, knit 8 from holder, pick up and knit 19 from cast off front edge, knit 58 from front and back, pick up and knit 19, knit 8 from holder (112 sts). Continue in garter stitch on button band (add buttonholes if desired) and 4x4 rib on front and back sts for about 7 inches.
I added the extra buttonholes at the top of the collar so it would have the versatility of becoming a neck warmer on especially cold days.
I went to JoAnn for buttons, and after trying at least 15 different ones, I found these, and thought they were perfect! I like the way the curvy-edge diamond inlay mimics the center of the cable design.
An added bonus with this jacket is that it only cost a little over $20 to make! Patons Merino may not be the softest yarn ever, but it is very affordable for larger projects, it shows cables well, and it is durable. My cabled hoodie, which I made from it 2 years ago, still looks great. It has pilled a bit, but takes very well to being scraped with a sweater stone. That said, I would love to make a jacket like this in luxurious Malabrigo!
Speaking of luxurious, sweet G did bring me back some goodies from his trip to Montreal. He stopped by Mouliné Fine Yarns
and got these
and this.
G said the store had so much beautiful yarn that he didn't know if I would be happy that he got me some stuff or jealous that I didn't get to go. I think it is a mix :). But I am excited and thankful for my gifts!
Happy Fall!
