FO: "GROVE": My malabrigo, mid-calf, hooded coat

[ArtLady1981]

Hi! Well, I finished it in time for a 3 day air-conditioned event that we must attend this coming Fri-Sun! Then we are off to the wilderness for a week!

The Yarn: Malabrigo Merino, 10 full skeins
The Color: "natural"...undyed, and very very soft because of it
The Pattern: "Grove"
The Designer: Elsebeth Lavold
The Book: Out of the Woods Book#13

Comments about the yarn: Malabrigo is warm, without being hot. I wore this coat outside today (sunny!) for a quite a length of time ...and I wasn't hot or uncomfortable! Nice, huh?

This pattern, for all it looks easy...was a nightmare filled with pattern errors and language ambiguities. And what made it worse, the designer doesn't include schematics in her books. Not one. Not even little ones. Fortunately, she will respond quickly to pattern questions that revolve around pattern errors. But not before I was yanking out my hair. Was the pain and agony worth it? Definitely! It fits wonderfully, and for the most part, the knitting went quickly. I blocked the pattern pieces before seaming. I was shocked how much dirt washed out! I use Unicorn Fiber Wash and Rinse. I don't know if the dirt embedded in the yarn while I was knitting it, or if it came pre-installed! But I am certainly glad I washed, rinsed and blocked the pieces! Phew!



I am blocking out that little crease at the top of the sleeve now.


BACK


SIDE


I love my buttons! Seven in all!

[auburnchick]

Wow, wow, wow!!!!! It looks terrific on you!!!

How long did it take you to make this?

[ArtLady1981]

Wow, wow, wow!!!!! It looks terrific on you!!!

How long did it take you to make this?

Thanks Nathalie! I cast on for this coat on May 1st. The knitting was done quite a while ago. The washing, rinsing and blocking took forever. My blocking board would only hold so much at a time...so I had to to the BACK by itself, the FRONTS by themselves, and the SLEEVES by themselves. Then, the HOOD had to be knitted onto the seamed coat. Then it had to be blocked. Then the seaming, then the buttons, then the tinkering around with the blocked seams. But, this coat had to be just so.

I am glad it's done! It was a pain, but worth the effort.

I posted a lot of notes in my Ravelry notebook. Anyone who is thinking about knitting this coat should read my notes. They may help you through the bumps-in-the-road. Wish someone at Ravelry had posted notes. One girl did knit the full-length version, but she doesn't post finished photographs. Nor does she include any notes. I know she MUST have had trouble with it. The full-length version had one less pattern error than the short version. But I discovered numerous pattern errors and ambiguities. The other girl doesn't utter a peep about her experiences with the pattern. I find that rather odd.

[scout52]

WOW that is AMAZING!!!!!! The fit is perfect and the stitchwork just perfect. I agree that the end result was worth the pain.

[mimi]

Magnificent, but why am I not surprised? Are you going to take a breather now, or have you already cast on for your next project?

[ArtLady1981]

Magnificent, but why am I not surprised? Are you going to take a breather now, or have you already cast on for your next project?

Already cast on for a new project! A charcoal grey tweed jacket for my brother!

[bethany]

oh my. That is just beautiful. I'm amazed every single time!

[boo1]

You're our knitting mentor. I can only aspire to be 1/10 as good as you are. Beautiful work and beautiful effort.

[sue in canada]

That looks fabulous. Everything you make always looks perfect.

[Debkcs]

Once again you've raised the bar for the rest of us, that is such a beautiful piece!

BTW, did I read that you knit every night between 9 p.m. and 0300, or was it just my imagination?