This has been in time-out for 2 years. Once I ripped out the sleeves I had started and decided to knit them top-down without the zipper facing (but with the zipper) I am back on my way.

Had to order a special 23” zipper, as my right front is 23 inches, and the left is 25 inches. Apparently there is supposed to be a difference, as you pick up along the left front until you hit the top of the zipper, when picking up for the collar. Would have been nice of the pattern to note this at the point where I was getting ready to install the zipper, and noticed the discrepancy.

I have a motorcycle, and a number of motorcycle jackets, all of which have armour and reflective trim - great for riding but not so fashion-forward.

Knitting this so I can look look like the biker chick that I am, although I just can’t make myself knit it in black. I had a black leather motorcycle jacket that I gave away. I have a cream leather jacket and white and gray textile jackets now.

As much as I like to knit Erin with a 4.5 mm needle, this jacket will be better and more true to the pattern if it is denser, so using a 4.0 mm needle. I had both Erin and a lighter DK yarn in black (Onyx), but I chose this Manor, which is a teal/black combo. Found DK yarn in a very good match, although you can’t tell that from the picture (DK on top).

Mods

• thinner yarn so smaller needles and larger size.
• add an inch or 2 to body length, as I have a long torso. Still a very short jacket.
• use DK yarn for hem facings.
• knit in the round to armholes? Nope. Decided to do in pieces on the advice of the designer.
• short row shoulders with 3-needle bind-off, not stepped bind-off then sewn.
• knitting fronts at the same time to get the shaping on the same rows, as I’m adding length here and not following the pattern. Started neck shaping every 8th row 7 times then every 10th. My row gauge is 26 rows/4 inches plus I have extra length.
• knit the sleeves top-down. Cast off 2 stitches to make an insert for the 5-inch zipper in each sleeve, but no facing until the hem. Thought about doing a steek but the front zipper is just sewn on to the fronts, so no steek.
• the left facing was floppy, so I sewed it to the top few inches of the zipper. I can wear this fully-zipped with the collars up, partially zipped, or unzipped with the collars folded over.
• skipped the part of the left side facing that runs down the inside of the zipper. That NEVER shows, and I didn’t want the bulk. I did do it for the right side as that can show if it is unzipped past the collarbone.
• no vertical topstitching on the back. I was just tired by this point.
• didn’t use the Jul closures - bought buckle and fake leather trim on Etsy from Pacific something. $4.95 each. Glued to the sides.

Sleeves: 116 grams Erin starting sleeve. Other balls 58 and 84.

• pick up 67 stitches around the armhole. Knit 8 past the top center, w&t, then purl back 8 past the top center. Each turn w&t in the next stitch until 9 remain unworked, then start knitting in the round. (used German short rows, not actual w&t)
• on round 5 decrease 2. Round 10 decrease 2 more then every 10th row to 47 stitches. Knit to the middle and decrease 2. Keep decreasing then to 39 st. Next row (WS) knit to create a turning ridge.
• 16 rows of CC after increasing 7 on the first row.

This is the most expensive pattern I have ever bought, but there are lots of detailed instructions. I have to say, however, that the instructions could be clearer, and more pictures would have been helpful. I had to look to other projects to see what the left collar extension looked like, for example.

For example, you sew up the hem facing to the zipper for the left side only, when you are installing the body zipper. Somewhere hidden in the Close Collar Edges section when you are sewing down the right front facing, I assume you continue and sew down the hem facing as well.