Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Surprise, Surprise!!

Remember this?


The start of The Adult Surprise Jacket?


It's finished at last!!


It was supposed to be finished for daughter Simone's birthday, 26th June, but it wasn't, so bought her some gold earrings instead for the actual day. ( The jeweller's had a sale!!)

This is what she will receive in a few days' time!

It's hard to believe that shapeless blob metamorphasised into this elegant jacket!




I am very proud of it - I actually used attached i-cord from cuff to cuff and around all the edges!



The neckband was mitred as were the top and bottom corners of the fronts. Next time I do one though - I shall knit the i-cord twice into each corner of the front bands to stop that curve.

See? And thanks to Marilyn in Texas who gave me some great tips and advice I finally girded my loins, and gathered up my courage in my hands, and after weeks of procrastinating - I did it!











And loooooooook! how good it looks.




I remembered a tip from someone on the knitbabysurprise group too - that you make the i-cord from the wrong side and it rolls to the front. Sure enough, I tried it from the right (public) side, and it rolled to the back. So frogged it and re-did it from the wrong side.

I found the best video of attached i-cord technique on http://www.knittingatknoon.com/

Here is yet another picture of the finished article. I made nice long ribbed cuffs that can fold back. And if the sleeves are not long enough for Simone - well, I can just undo them and knit down to make them longer! Yes, the sleeves are lengthened downwards after the body of the jacket is done! And I defy anyone to find where the stitches were picked up to do that!















The buttons ? Well - anyone who knows me knows that I have hundreds of buttons! But after an hour of searching I could not find the exact right buttons for this jacket! Then - light bulb moment - I remembered a button-through linen skirt in the wardrobe that I never wear - being calf length, it had about twenty buttons in a bronze metal. Voila!!! Perfect !!

12 comments:

Petpig said...

I still can't make heads or tails of the construction of that jacket. It came out very nice. So sorry you had to sacrifice a skirt for the buttons, I think it was worth it.
I have been checking your blog every day, now I see you are trying to catch up. Well done!

Hungryfroggy said...

Hello! I am a member of the knitbabysurprise group and just visited your blog. I love the way the jacket came out. I live in the US but my parents just moved to the Mackay area for a few years!

Anonymous said...

Oh how wonderful Yvette! I'm so glad you finally took up the challenge of the ASJ and seeing how wonderful it turned out I bet you're glad too.

You did a great job and I'm sure you dd will love it. I wear mine all the time. ;o)

Pooch said...

The ASJ is very elegant with the soft colors you chose. Very pretty!

:)

Anonymous said...

What a wonderfull achievement, very well done, I bet your daughter will just love it.I still havnt been game enough to try the baby one yet, let alone one that size.
Keep up the great work.
Regards Marlene.

ferda said...

Hello! I am a member of the knitbabysurprise group and just visited your blog. I have been wondering how it would come out and the result is wonderful. I have just finished a BSJ but scared to cast on an ASJ . You gave me strength but I still need the number of stitches. I'm nearly on that size you have knitted.
nice to meet you grandma (me 27 years old)

Knitcrazy said...

LOVE your adult version of the BSS..... Your colors are really nice ..It looks Great Yvette!!!!

Penny

ICJ said...

It is gorgeous! Very stylish! :-)

narcise said...

Hello! I'm am working my first BJS right now and I'm planning to do an adult one for my DH when I'm finished with this little one. I've heard great things about the knitbabysurprise group and would love to have the invite to join.
Looking at your blog and the gorgeous pics has me totally inspired to get through this pattern (but I'm sure the files in the group sure wouldn't hurt!)

Thanks!

Jenny in St. Louis, MO, USA
narcise (at) narcise (dot) net

Cara said...

Yvette,
Just found your blog and think your work is fantastic.

Have just completed my first BSJ and want to tackle an adult version sometime this fall. Could you please send me the contact information for Marilyn in Texas so I could get a copy of her notes?
Thanks so much.
Cara

Yvette said...

Cara I need your email address to be able to contact you about anything at all!!

Write me on no1grandma@gmail.com

Yvette

Bev said...

Hi Yvette
Great job!!! Must say I have done 5 BSJ's and am really thrillled with the way they turned out. I definately will not be doing an adult size though. I get so much more from doing the smaller size and that way am able to do far more in the same space of time. Am I making any sense?

Bev
South Africa