Knitting Machine Green Jacket (2007)

Pattern: DAK-based interpretation of Jean Frost Tremont Jacket
Yarn: Dale Svale yarn, light green
Method: Machine knit with crochet trim
Completed: June 24, 2007.

I was inspired by Jean Frost's "Tremont" jacket, but wanted to do the bulk of the knitting on a machine. My first attempt failed miserably -- because my Bond (plastic) knitting machine produced WILDLY varying gauges in different parts of the sweater. The gauge was not just off, it was off in different ways in different places. That, in fact, moved me to buy a metal-bed knitting machine! This is knit on my second metal knitting machine (Studio SK-890), using the yarn unravelled from the failed attempt.

As with "Tremont", the trim is crochet. I started at one side seam and did a row of single crochet around the whole sweater -- bottom edge, around the opening & neck and back to the seam. I figured that's probably about 2.5m. Next, a row of double crochet clusters, and finally another row of single crochet. Same finishing on the sleeve ends. (The "Tremont" pattern uses "bobbles" instead of the double crochet clusters, but I'm not a huge bobble fan).

The stitch gauge turned out to be pretty much what I'd gotten off my tension swatch, but the row gauge was off: I'd gotten 26 rows/4 inches on the tension swatch, and this is more like 29 1/2 rows/4 inches. A noticeable difference! However, it was at least *consistently* different (so all matching pieces are the same length), and the biggest effect is that the jacket is shorter than intended. On the other hand, I had not particularly allowed for the trim in the measurements, so that helps lengthen things a bit.

One other thing I particularly noticed with this jacket -- I ought to have allowed for seam allowances. As the yarn produces fabric of reasonable thickness, the seams wind up being of non-negligible widths. This is particularly an issue when you're trying to shape the garment -- this version actually tapers to the waist (although the trim flares out the edge again).

	Jacket front
	Jacket back
	Profile view
	Detail: crochet trim around the neck and top of opening
	Detail: bottom trim
	Detail: the jacket front & cuffs