Deedee's Coat

Well, I've started Deedee's winter coat. Yay. Last year I bought a pattern for a Reversible Cuddle Coat that I thought looked adorable and I'm finally getting around to using it. It originally calls for a Plymouth Encore worsted. It's a lovely synthetic wool blend but then I found Plymouth Jelli Beanz. It's also a synthetic wool blend and I fell in love with Grass Green. It would look awesome with Deedee's copper hair.

Unfortunately, I couldn't afford it. :( Since this is a double sided coat, I just couldn't handle over $50 for one side. Needless to say, my husband put his foot down. He told me to find a cheaper alternative so I did some research and got it down to only $30 which is what we could reasonably expect to pay for a child's winter coat anyway. I'm not going to knit both sides. I'll knit only one side, and line it with a heavy polar fleece so Deedee will be quite warm and snug this winter, and perhaps even next winter as well.

I wanted Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease since it's the same weight needed, as well as the synthetic wool blend that I'm looking for. They even had some beautiful fall colors that would look gorgeous with Deedee's coloring. So I picked out what was needed, but with shipping it was too much since I still had to have enough to get the fleece lining. So I tried the local stores, but none of them had the colors I wanted! They both had only 4 or 5 colors to choose from and neither had even one that I needed. :(

So I wound up with Lion Brand Vanna's Choice, which is a full synthetic. Grrr........ I do have to admit though that I'm quite pleased with the colors and the price was the same so I still have $12 in which to play with for the fleece and buttons.

Since I'm only doing one side, I chose the striped pattern vs. the solid since I'll be buying a solid color fleece. I'm also doing the basket weave pattern that was supposed to be used for the solid side and I'm really liking the ways it's turning out.

So here's my color line up. Charles has informed me that he really likes the blue and wants a coat too so perhaps I'll make him a sweater. I love the way this is coming together with the basket weave pattern. It's not just straight stripes across, as it would be with a stockinette stitch. Instead, the basket weave splits the colors up in a way I hadn't expected but really looks awesome. It's hard to explain so I'll try to take a picture later.

This originally called for four colors: purple, orange, yellow, and blue. But I had a hard time sticking to just those four colors and I consistently had six that I was looking at. So then I got the bright idea to just stay with those six and do a tree. That doesn't mean I'll actually knit a tree on her coat. It's how I linee up the colors for the stripes. So, I started with blue (sky) then down through yellow, orange and red (leaves), on to brown (trunk) and then green for grass. The colors lined up beautifully and really compliment each other.

And while no one else will see the tree in it, I will and I can always think of Deedee when I see the coat and it's colors. Not only do the colors look great on her but Deedee is my little tree hugger; I wish I had a picture of it. She's always running up to a tree and giving it a big hug and kiss; she's so darn cute when she does it.

Now, to fix the tangled mess my yarn is in. A friend recommended to put yarn in baggies, and put a hole in one end for the yarn to come out which made total sense to me since it would keep the yarn clean and not all over the place. But she put two balls per bag so now everything is just a mess. :( I'll have to take them out and either put each one in it's own bag or just forget them period.

The special little girl for whom the coat is intended.