Monica Knits

Coat PlacketDesign Features: A Cabin Fever Design, this classy A-line swing coat, featuring garter stitch detailing is knitted top-down in the round with Lamb's Pride Bulky Yarn. This garment had simple, though striking styling with knitted-in I-cord front edges, and slip stitch ridges on the sleeves and on either side of the front placket. The underarms have panels that match the front placket styling. The front slip stitch ridges and center front I-cord edges accent each other and create a great focal point for the frog closures. This is a warm jacket, ideal for cooler Michigan weather. My desk at work was in a drafty area, so this kept my cozy. I completed the jacket in 6 days over the Christmas vacation.

I love the jacket and it elicits many complements, which I credit to the styling and color. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to photograph this lustrous yarn and accurately reproduce the color. It is Amethyst colored, but the red highlights don't photograph well.

Pattern Instructions:
Swing CoatI selected this pattern for it styling and to learn top down knitting. The experience level is rated "Adventurous Intermediate Knitter" and the instructions are detailed and thorough. The version of the pattern I purchased had a pattern error on page 4, 2nd column.
As written: Next Row: (RS) K13, Sl1, slip marker, K27 (31, 35, 39......
Should be: Next Row: (RS) K14, Sl1, slip marker, K27 (31, 35, 39......

Quality Tips: These are actually error correction tips to save you time. This is a pattern that you can knit in auto-pilot, but sometimes if talking, watching television, and knitting concurrently, the auto-pilot does unexpected things. Since there are a lot of stitches on each needle, you wouldn't want to have to undo even a single row. I mention these tips because one of my friends didn't realize you could undo such a limited part of your garment to correct a flaw. These are also quick corrections.

1. If you accidentally slip with the yarn on the right side (incorrect) of the fabric, don't back track. When you come back on the return row, just pass the slipped yarn over the needle to the correct side and knit as instructed.
2. If you make a mistake on a single P or K, undo rows at the stitch only. Then use a crochet needle to correct the stitch by picking up the "run" from the back or front of the garment depending on whether it is a K (RS) or a P (WS) stitch.
3. If you forgot to slip a stitch, on the next round just undo the stitch, then K or P the "just slipped stitch" as required.

Changes Made to Pattern:
Coat CollarI stayed pretty true to design intent and only modified the pattern for my proportions and to speed construction.

1. I made the coat a few inches longer, because, as written it ended at the widest level of my hips, not an area I cared to emphasize. Plus I wear the jacket to work, and the longer length is more versatile.
2. I knitted the sleeves in the round, because it knits up faster this way and I don't like sewing seams together at the end. When I'm done, I want to wear the garment, not sew it together. Also, this let me try it on for fit (circumference, length and proportion) as I knitted.

I knitted the sleeves before I had completely finished knitting the body. Since I lengthened the body, this gave me the safety margin of having the rest of the garment completed so I could just knit the body length until I ran out of yarn or reached the desired length. I had a couple of yards left over, when I completed the garment.

Supplies:
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Bulky, Ten 4 Oz Skeins (Brown Sheep Co.), color M-62, Amethyst, Source Patternworks
Pattern: Top Down Swing Coat #603 by Cabin Fever, Source Annie's Attic
Frog Closures: Source JoAnns Fabrics & Crafts (7, 4 visible, 3 hidden)
Stitch Markers: Clover, Split Ring
Needles: Knit Picks, Circular Options Needles & Cables, two 6.0 mm circular needles (40" with cables)

Gauge: