The Dressage Jacket

I am usually pretty good at not having sewing UFOs hanging around the house, of course there is the odd exception but whatever I start usually ends up either in my wardrobe or my bin pretty quickly. I am generally on a schedule which motivates me to finish what I start before going on to the next project and I am able to walk away when things aren't working out (even if I love the fabric and/or pattern).


That is certainly not the case with my knitting projects. I tend to have at least two or three things on the go at any given moment and some projects can hang around for ages waiting for me to be motivated to finish them off. I think one of the reasons for this is that I like to have a challenge in all my projects but in knitting especially this doesn't translate particularly well.


Challenging myself by making a beautifully finished dress with unusual seamlines results in a garment I'll get a lot of use out of, not so much for complicated knitting patterns (see for example the meatball cardi!). On the other hand acres upon acres of plain stocking stitch is not stimulating enough to keep me interested, just like making simple tees and pyjama pants would not keep me sewing long term. This is just me, others are rewarded by different aspects of crafting and I am not making a judgement on the relative merits of one over the other.


So anyway, I am always on the hunt for knitting patterns that have an aspect of trickiness to keep me interested but that are fairly simply styled so they mesh with both my body type and personal 'look'.


Enter the Dressage Jacket, from the Third Sublime Aran book. My featherweight cardigan is still on the go but it's currently blocked in by flood stuff and therefore I can't work on it right now. Desperate for something to knit (as if I ever needed an excuse to buy more yarn!) I picked up some of the Sublime Aran in Wicker at 10% off. Originally I had in mind to make the Peacoat (sorry I can't find a picture of it - it's really cute) but I decided it would be too boxy for me and finally settled on the Dressage Jacket.

(http://www.englishyarns.co.uk/sublime_book_615.html)
The pattern is quite nifty. A single cable runs along the front edges, and the side seams are shaped to form the diagonal wrap fronts. Here is the first front I completed.

Since I took this picture I have finished the other front and am up to the armholes on the back, but you get the idea. Between the relatively thick yarn (10 ply, whereas I generally prefer 4 ply) and the simple-but-interesting pattern I am flying along! The yarn feels beautiful and I have had no problems working with it. I did read one review that complained about the yarn not wearing well - apparently it pilled with only light wear - so i am a little apprehensive, but so far I am loving it.