So this is the main reason for our little soirée around Kirkstall Abbey yesterday: to get some pics of my Isis Tailcoat. It's a Purl Alpaca design -
HERE on Ravelry, which I made to wear at a winter (on the Thames) wedding, and a ball the week after. You can see my Ravelry project page for it
HERE if you should fancy having a nosey.
The yarn is Whitfell Chunky in Steel, which is
HERE (with an automatic 10% off more than 500g). Actually the pattern is meant to be worked in DK on 6mm needles, but since it didn't go up to my bust size and I wanted it really warm I went for chunky - my gauge is the same unblocked but I knew there'd be more give in the fabric; just the right amount to block it to my size. It worked perfectly.
I made a couple of changes: my edging is moss stitch, not blackberry stitch (which I just couldn't get on with); and I knitted the sleeves in the round. The shoulder seams and set in sleeves really give this garment the structure and fit that it needs. I had to look up how to do mattress stitch as it's years since I've seen anything. But once I got going it was super-easy. I just pinned the sleeves into the sleeve holes, then started sewing.
Finally, I used a medallion as a button - the hoop at the top has been filed away, and I've sewn at different its spokes to fix it in place.
So hopefully I'm gong to be nice and toasty on a boat on the Thames in winter! I'm thinking I'll smuggle in an emergency chunky baby alpaca hat in my clutch bag too.
