Cambridge Jacket #2

It is finished. Finally. This sweater has caused more angst than any other pattern I have knit. From the gauge issues in November, 2006 to the zipper issues of November, 2007 it has been one long not-fun knit. But it is finished, it fits, and it was well-received. My work is done here.

Details: (modeled by CD home on break for Thanksgiving)

Pattern: Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd from IK Summer 2006

Yarn: Galway by Plymouth in some now unknown shade of red

Needles: Addi Turbo size 7 ( I think)

Start date: November, 2006

Finish date: November 20, 2007

Recipient: Dad for his 77th birthday (totally ignoring the fact that it was initially knit as his Christmas gift for 2006)

Modifications and thoughts:

• I knit the sleeves from the top down (twice) using Barbara Walker's directions in Knitting from the Top, with further help from Jared Flood's Jarrett (since added to my Ravelry queue. I may just knit this sweater for myself in the second cone of English Tweed I scored from WEBS.) Check out that shoulder--pretty good, if I do say so myself.
  
• Blocked the size 44 to a size 46 or so because my dad has increased in girth since I started this project a year ago.
• I took the zipper and sweater to a local tailor to be sewn in due to the issues I had with the last zipper I put in, and also because of the time that has been consumed around here by the installation of hardwood floors in the downstairs of our home. When I went to pick up the sweater on the date and time promised it was not ready. Only one part of the zipper had been sewn in, and even that was done incorrectly. With just 4 hours until the birthday party I had to put the zipper in myself--never mind that I was supposed to be getting the house ready for Thanksgiving visitors. Sigh. I came as close to crying over a knitting project as I ever have on the drive home from the tailor's. I got home, sat down at the computer and did some quick surfing through some of my old zipper links, when I recalled that Grumperina had a good entry on zippers after my first attempt on the CJ #1. I followed her lead and have a much better zipper on this go round than I did on the first.
• Shorter collar because I think that tall collar is just plain annoying for the wearer.
• My knit and purl gauge are way different, so I have to do a modified purl to shorten up the amount of yarn consumed in that stitch and then knit into the back of the knit stitch on the next row. I'd like to tidy up my ribbing a bit, and to that end, I'm considering embarking on the TKGA's Master Knitter program. I said considering.
• Edited to add: I also modified the cuffs by knitting a k3p2 rib to match the ribbing on the rest of the sweater. Thanks for the reminder, Dorothy!