During the week between
Christmas, 2012 and New Year’s Day, 2013, I spent my spare time viewing the
1987 three-part Lord Peter Wimsey TV mystery series. In the middle episode,
“Have His Carcass”, Harriet Vane wears an astonishingly beautiful collection of
handknits while she roams the lonely northern coast of Britain. My jacket was designed
with her tweedy, romantic style in mind. Although it in no way resembles any of
the actual garments worn by her character, it looks as though it would be at
home in the same setting.
The construction is based
on an idea sparked by Carol Anderson’s “Babies and Bears for Grownups” jacket,
a design which I loved making, but which never quite worked for me in terms of
fit or style. I’ve taken the same basic concept, starting at the cuffs and
knitting toward the centre, but I’ve made the arms slimmer, changed the
neckline to a flattering V-neck with a graceful shawl collar, and added shape
to the body by knitting down after the centre-back join to create a short
peplum. Great fun to knit; just as much fun to wear!
You have no idea how difficult it is to coerce an otherwise busy computer science student to take half an hour to walk a couple of blocks (no more!) for a few photos. After a few pouty shots, and the promise of a burger meal at The Works, I managed to squeeze these photos out of Isabel.
On our way home from the restaurant, we stopped to rent a couple of videos (The Hobbit and the first season of Homeland, the latter of which which neither of us has seen), then started to walk home. "Look at that!", exclaimed Isabel.
Truly an amazing cloud over the city. No storm, though, and we ended the evening in comparative peace (emotionally as well as meteorologically).
P.S. A quick look on Ravelry will tell you that I've suggested three possible wools for Harriet. It's good to have options. More on that next time.
