Finishing the Global, Part 2

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!

I'm back, as promised, to show you the completely finished Global Cable Coat from Brave New Knits by Julie Turjoman.

First, I laid her out on the guest bed and pinned like crazy. I was very pleased with the way the Kerry Woollen Mills yarn eased out into a pliable fabric when washed. I put the fan on her and left her to dry completely. I ended up leaving the coat on the blocking board completely pinned out for three days. Nothing like making sure. Fred helped me ceremoniously remove the pins and try it on. Perfect!I have to say that I am the most pleased with this project of any I've ever done. The yarn made it turn out just as I wanted. And I even found these clasps from Twin Roses Designs that exactly matched the image I had in my head of how I wanted to place the closure on this coat--literally. I'll show you a close-up of these beautiful Celtic pewter clasps.
I'll try to model it for a picture soon, so you can see how well it fits. I tried that self-portrait-in-the-mirror thing and it just didn't turn out well. I'll ask Natalie to snap a picture when we have our knitting group this week. Wish us luck!

Also, as promised, here are my notes on improvements to the pattern as it appears in the book.

• BO center back neck stitches in pattern, even if it means turning cables as you BO.
  
• When returning to front stitches after finishing back section, left front piece begins on RS, but right front begins on WS. The book says both begin on RS.
• In right lapel shaping, the third "next row" should state, "K1, M1, k1, pick up...." instead of "knit to last st," which conflicts with the next direction to work the M1 after the first stitch on RS rows.
• The pattern should tell you to increase the lapel until you have the required number of stitches, and then to continue working the lapel in pattern without increase until you reach the shoulder join.
• You can place one set of lapel stitches on scrap yarn while you work the other lapel. It makes it easier to handle the piece, in my opinion.
• The first 8-row section on the back part of the collar is called the "stand," by the way. That is a part of the Cowichan collar construction.
• When coming to the end of the sleeve pattern repeats and just before starting the garter stitch cuff, stop the cable pattern on row 1 or row 11. The book adds row 13, but there is no row 13 in the pattern repeat.

Yep, I know some of this is picky, but that's my job. Knitting pattern writers have to be extremely detail-oriented.

That's all for today--gotta run to the store for ingredients for Fred's yummy Valentine's dinner, which include Cognac. Mmmmm.