Jaeger "Foxy" fur-trim coat--Any brave souls care to join me?

[natashafatale]

I guess it's weird that I'm starting my first gigantic sweater/jacket project now, but I figure this way I'll have almost a whole year to mess up/start over/perfect it by the time next winter gets here. It's the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen:

http://www.theknittinggarden.com/patterns/jb23/foxy.htm

The yarn it calls for is pretty expensive, so I'm ordering Lion Brand Homespun as a substitute for the body and still looking for a cheap big-big-fur to use for the trim. According to the gauges given on the pattern and Lion Brand's website, Homespun knits up a bit bigger than Jaeger's natural fleece, which works out well because the XXL-42" bust is still a little too small for me.

Unfortunately, the pattern isn't free, but the book where I found it has lots of great patterns in it, so I think its worth a splurge. (Are we allowed to "share" patterns?) Here's a link to where you can buy it--Jaeger's JB23 collection: http://www.theknittinggarden.com/ja-magjb23.htm

[juniperl13]

BOUX! for a moment there I was like " *gasp!* how did i miss this free pattern!"

but it's not free. but i love it..........

[Flannigan]

Oo that's really nice. I just ordered the pattern book, so will start this after I get the pattern and yarn!

[natashafatale]

It's a good thing I decided to buy my yarn at the store instead of ordering it over the net. Not only was Homespun on sale at Joanns for $4 a ball, but the color I wanted turned out to be really ugly so I changed my mind. I went with pink body/black fur:



I'm having lots of issues with gauge, though. I'm thinking I should have sprung for the $140 worth of fur it suggested, because double stranding this Nordica stuff is having strange results. I already had to start over 3 times because what I thought was going to be 25" wide across the bottom turned out to be 30". I guess 2 gauge swatches weren't enough  (But that's why I'm making this a year in advance, right?)

[xXcherrie-lynnXx]

that jacket's hot!  I'd be all in for the sharing thing.  Some people might say no, but then you find the people who don't care and do it anyway.     So who's sharing?!   

[juniperl13]

i agree with Pink Kitty.

then again, i should probably sew something like this instead of knit it or it's going to make me look chunky.........

[natashafatale]

This is coming along much faster than I thought it would. (I'm double-stranding both yarns.) Progress so far on the back panel:

[juniperl13]

sooo.......i think this needs a hood. i think i will rip off SNB's "under the hoodie" hood and attach it to this. i'm not quite sure how to modify the collar so that it accomodates a hood though...........

[Flannigan]

Just got my pattern book today, will be venturing out into the cold tomorrow to look for the yarn.

Your's looks fabulous! I love pink and black together. It's just a bit too bright for a coat for me, though lol. Would make me look even chunkier than I already am. A black main with pink fur though... that might work for me lol.

Will update on yarn tomorrow

[juniperl13]

i rediscovered one of those wrap sweater things with a waist tie in my closet. i also rediscovered why i've never worn it. it looks HORRID on me. however, it Is a nice mellow shade of blue and the yarn is chunky enough to work well for this pattern. Not sure what color fur i'd get to go with it, but i'm sure i'll work it out eventually. still have to figure out how to modify the collar to be a hood though....

[vysews]

This is coming along much faster than I thought it would. (I'm double-stranding both yarns.) Progress so far on the back panel:

Natasha, how's it coming so far?

[greenchick]

Just as a little FYI about the fur substitutions. The Jaeger fur is extremely different from the fun furs that are out there. I bought five balls in England last November because it is so different from all the others. This one has a drape to it that you don't get with Lion Brand's stuff. It truly reminds me of Cookie Monster from the Muppets (if you could unravel a Muppet and then wind it into a ball, you would have Jaeger's stuff).

Your project looks amazing, BTW  . I wish I had the time to knit like I used to before I started teaching full time.

Jill

[natashafatale]

Okay guys, here's my oh so exciting update. I've got the back panel completely finished, and the front left panel done not counting the collar addition.



My gauge is way off, so I kind of had to do some finagling with the pattern. I just chopped out an entire 10 lines of the pattern on each piece so they'd match. I hope it works! I tried it on as a little half-vest and it seems to fit fine so far. Whoo!

[vysews]

Natasha, that's great progress! How much yarn are you using up so far?

[shrtcke]

i love this jacket. it's very vintage looking. i'm ordering the pattern today. i don't have a clue what yarn or colors to use though. i need to find some that is not too expensive.  i have a black velvet jacket that is the same style that is my favorite but it doesn't fit too well anymore. so i'm excited to start this cause i haven't found me one that i like as much (or would fit ) since. if anyone has any suggestions for some yarn it would be much appreciated.
    happy knitting everyone

[natashafatale]

I'm a bit worried about this project. I've got the vest part done, now I just need the sleeves and collar. I made a makeshift temporary seam to try it on, and it's the biggest, heaviest, bulkiest thing I've ever seen. The armholes go down to my waist because the homespun is so weighty. Maybe a sleeve seam will help a little.

I took a haitus from it for a little while so I could calm down, and I'm about to tackle the sleeves next week. Hopefully when it's finished it will be slightly less of a disaster than I fear it might be.

[shrtcke]

i've decided on violet or a plum color (not sure which one u would call it) for my jacket. i ordered the yarn for the main color. hopefully it will be in soon. it was a really good deal i bought a bag of 10 for $15.00. which only ends up being $1.50 a ball.  i haven't found the fur i'm gonna use yet. i want the fur to be a darker plum than the mc.  hopefully i can find a good deal on that too. but i have a feeling i'm not gonna be that lucky. 
   -happy knitting everyone-

[natashafatale]

How's everybody doing on this? I've taken a long break from mine, I keep saying I'll pick it back up again as soon as I finish ____, but I always start some new exciting thing instead. I think maybe I'm not cut out to make such huge projects!