Cabled Gilet.

Remember this?  I showed the lower back of this in my last post.

After about six inches, I realised that the piece was too wide for me, so I cast off some stitches at each side.  I was making it up as I went along.  I worked the rest of the back.  as I got near the neckline I realised that it would be good if the rope cable fitted into the shoulder, so I shifted the inside ones over by a couple of stitches to make this happen.

On to the fronts.  I knitted these both together.  Only when I was blocking the pieces did I notice that one of the cables had been mis-twisted pretty near the end.  This was an easy one:  I just raveled it back and reknit it.  Less easy to solve was the pronounced stocking stitch curl on the front edges.

Now I have seen people stitch ribbon to the fronts to give stability to an edge, but I have never done it before.  But I do have a hoard of antique textiles.  In it I found this: I had no idea it was there.  It was not very firm, so I cut a narrow strip of linen to go under it.  There was literally just enough to reinforce the two front edges.

The lower edges had started with ribbing, but this was pulling in so I took the ribbing off and knitted on applied i-cord.  I made the flaps from the back into little vents at each side.  Then I applied i-cord to the armholes and neck edging.  It took a little time but looks really neat.

Then, for the fastenings, I persuaded my husband to turn up some beechwood toggles.  Another length of applied i-cord up the front, incorporating buttonholes, and it was done.

I love it.  It's a great fit and a really wearable garment.