This shawl / jacket was inspired by a Miyake Pleats Please garment. That was light, pleated and cool. This is light, fuzzy and warm.
Below is a schematic diagram (not to scale) that shows the very simple design of this garment. In this example the two rectangles are approximately 144cm x 45cm. You might like to vary it according to the length of your arms, whether you want to incorporate fold back cuffs, your preferences as to where the lower edge of the jacket falls, and your sense of pleasing proportions.
This example in the photos (thank you model Jenny) is machine knitted in mohair using an open stitch pattern. But it is just as suitable for other fibres and stitch patterns, would be excellent hand knitted and could even be quickly constructed from bought fabrics.
Below the diagram (not to scale) are directions for machine knitting this garment.
This was knitted on a Singer 329 single bed punch card manually operated machine.The yarn is mohair. The complete garment weighs about 175 gms The stitch pattern uses Card 2, Tuck stitch, using every second needle on the machine and loose tension (T10)
**Select every second needle in the range on the needle bed. 53 - 0 - 52, then select one extra needle on each side
Insert Card 2, Set Tension dial to 10
Make a small stocking stitch hem or use your favourite way to cast on.
Select Tuck setting.
Knit 660 rows,
Finish with a stocking stitch hem or your favourite cast off method**
Repeat from ** to** for the second rectangle.
Take one rectangle for the back and sleeves. Join sides together at each end for about 40cm to form sleeves. - see the red lines on the diagram.
Join the centre section of one side of the second rectangle, the shawl section, to one of the free sides of the body section of the jacket - see the blue lines on the diagram.
Note that it is worth considering whether to join the pieces with the surfaces matched or reversed. If there is any contrast between the faces of each piece, the appearance of the garment will be affected by your choice.
Pattern by Christine Durbridge
As far as I know, the stitch pattern I used in this design was developed by Angela from the Moonee Ponds club of the MKAV. Being a tuck stitch, the knitting will lie flat. The light open nature of the stitch is excellent used with mohair and any other fuzzy yarn. Knitted loosely with smooth yarns it is inclined to catch. It is good for yarns that will felt. Lightly fulled it makes a lightweight, stable fabric. Heavily fulled it makes a close thick fabric with a pleasant surface. It is my favourite stitch at the moment. Almost everything I knit uses it, Angela says I should move on.
