Right scarf, wrong jacket

Ever bought something online, that when you saw it, you were ecstatic, because it was exactly what you were looking for?  That's how I felt when I saw this courderoy jacket from Old Navy. I was looking for a plain jacket, in tan/natural corderoy, that makes you think of fall, and 70's college professors, the ones who wore patches on their elbows (or at least, this is always the image that these jackets conjured up for me).

So I ordered my jacket, and thought that I couldn't wait to wear it with the Endless Loop Scarf from Knitpicks. It'd be my fall outdoor ensemble, which I would wear to county fairs and apple picking, and out shopping, and it'd look great on me, and I'd be a vision against the fall foliage. 

Well, here we are, mid-September, and I've got a fan blowing on me to keep me cool. The jacket arrived a few days ago, and while I like it...it's got slightly puffy sleeves. I hate puffy sleeves. They remind me of everything my mother made me wear in the eighties, for one thing, and two, they take away my college professor vision. And the Endless Loop Scarf? The one that I thought was going to be cream? Doesn't have much of a color difference from my finished scarf.

(Please don't mind my no makeup, shiny face, and unfixed hair. I still have a bad cold, and couldn't be bothered. Sorry!)

In conclusion, I'll still be wearing both, and I kind of like the look, despite the things I thought were wrong. I'm NOT happy with a few things about this scarf. Besides the color, which I should have known better than to trust the Knitpicks catalog, or web page, the pattern was like one I'd done before. Remember the Airy scarf? It's basically the same thing, except on size 19 needles, bigger yarn. When I made the Airy scarf, it was with Alpaca Cloud, that I swear, is almost identical to this color. So, it felt like I'd made the same pattern, multiplied, and then sewed up the ends. I made mistakes on this, too. You're supposed to graft the ends in garter, but it was making me come close to weeping, even though I had an issue of Interweave Knits that shows pictures. What they don't tell you in the pictures, or written instructions, is when to drop the stitches from your needles, and I'm nowhere near experienced enough in grafting to know when to do it myself. So after several baffled attempts, I just did a half assed job of sewing it, and said that I'd just wear that part in the back.

Back to working on Andy's Christmas scarf.

Comments

[maryse]

i'm sorry that you're disappointed. but i hear you on the puff sleeves. didn't like the look in the 80's either. however, even with your cold, you look great in that color.

[Stephanie]

I like the jacket and the scarf, but maybe not together. Not enough contrast to make either shine. I think you look great, even without make-up - some people just don't need it!

[Amy]

I think you'll love very chic picking apples.
I just wanted to say that if that is how you look when you're sick I'd hate to see you healthy and made up. You're so pretty. I didn't see shiny face or undone hair. I saw a very pretty girl.

[Kathy]

Get yourself a chocolate brown turtleneck to wear under the jacket and with the scarf... it'll look perfect together, and great with your coloring.

[MJ]

I agree with you on colors online, but really there isn't a good way to gauge, unless you order yarn samples. :-( Maybe you can think of the scarf as your first hand dyeing experiment? Or, like Kathy said, wear a strong contrasting color underneath...

Puffy sleeves! What was ON thinking? Can you take it someplace and have them alter it?

[carrie m]

maybe the jacket is too big for you? you look very skinny. i agree with the other posters -- maybe they are destined to be worn seperately. i don't see flaws in the scarf!

[Lolly]

I think the scarf looks quite nice. I have a jacket similar to that--but I have to say yours looks better on you than mine down on me! :)

[Danielle]

I love the 'look.' You did good. I know i'm alllll the way in Los Angeles, but I think I caught your bad cold :<

[Dawn]

Your scarf turned out GREEEAT!
~ DAWN