5May2012: It took more than a year, but it’s finished!

I made the belt and hated it. It wouldn’t stay closed, it was too high-waisted, and the knitted part would shift around the inner part. I tried to replace it with a regular belt, but it would just hang awkwardly when I wanted to have the coat open. So finally I scrapped the idea entirely. Yes, it’s too hard to include shaping in this entrelac pattern, but it doesn’t mean I can’t just sew the silly shaping into the seams, duh… So there we go, a bit of waist shaping and I have a perfect spring/fall coat, warm but not too warm. I haven’t cut the waist shaping seams off inside, just sewed them down with leftover ends. Since it’s not a fitted coat, you really can’t tell at all.

I had to add a bunch of snaps between the first three buttons to make the button band stay nicely closed. It makes it pretty fiddly to take on and off. Truthfully, sometimes I just put in on over my head… but don’t tell anyone. =)

Some thoughts on lining vs. knitting: the two don’t ever match, no matter how much you try. 1) A blocked knitted piece never stays that way, 2) knitting has too much stretch. To make is so that the lining wouldn’t be too tight to prevent the drape from the knitting, I stretched the knitting when sewing in the lining. This makes almost a gathered or runched seam on the inside, and gives the coat a lot more movement.

All in all, a huge learning experience!

12Nov2011: I was scared to make a lining for a knit -- knitting has so much stretch that it really isn’t clear how to use it as a ‘pattern piece’. That being said, I managed something! Bright pink, and I like how it shows in the pockets from the outside. The lining is kept separate until the end when all the facings have been knitted and attached.

I have some big respect for this pattern. Most knitters would think… why do I need to do it THIS way, what a waste of time! But in reality this is sewing, translated to knitting. For instance, the sleeve is in 3 pieces! Why not two? Well, because in sewing, the sleeve wouldn’t sit quite right for a coat, and I believe the same will be true for the knitting. So, I’m following all instructions!

There are, of course, errors and well, a total lack of explanations in this pattern. Only the most advanced knitters should attempt it. And knowing sewing can only help. There’s no way I could outline the changes I made, but if ever anyone in this universe is ever going to make this after me, PM me with questions, and I’ll be happy to give some thoughts.

What is left? Tons. 1 sleeve, 2 sleeve linings, the double-sided collar, the button bands and the belt.

big>25April2011:</big> I never managed to do Entrelac until now. Not bad, I like it.

I plan on lining the coat, though let’s see how much it weighs. I would love to change the drop shoulders to set-in sleeves, but it seems like a nightmare to design that with entrelac.

Weirdly, every WIP of mine, right now, demands reverse or backward knitting (2 intarsia projects, 1 entrelac) and my hands hurt! Clearly I’ve developed my knitting ‘muscles’ for knit and purl, but I’m weak with a subtle difference in movement. So, I’m actually turning the work to purl. Fine now, but when the piece is coat size, who knows.

Fisherman’s wool? I don’t mind it. With a lining, it would be quite warm and wonderful. I think that a coat is the perfect use for this type of yarn, actually. Especially to save $$$!