From time to time I will test knit for pattern designers. I enjoy doing it when I have long deadlines, especially over the summer, so when Stephen West asked if I wanted to test knit the Painting Columns Jacket (Ravelry link), I said sure!
This is one of those projects that is great for scraps or using up a dk weight yarn advent, which is what I did! It’s also a fun project to work on over a long period of time, this was done over a month and what took me the longest part was figuring out what yarn to use.
I decided to use my Pineapple Yarns 2021 yarn advent mini skeins to do an ombre effect across this jacket because it is knit sideways! (FYI – she still has advents available for this year). You start at the sleeves and work across the body and then repeat on the opposite side and seam it together down the middle back. I didn’t use the green parts of the fade and have saved those for another project but I used up 17 mini skeins between the front and back with three skeins of Miss Babs Yowza Amethyst, a deep dark purple as my main color. I decided on the dark purple as the main color because I was pulling out one of the speckles I saw in the yarn and I really wanted to make the mini skeins pop against a dark color.
This jacket is definitely a lot of yardage. I made the smallest size and used over 2,500 yards of yarn! But I knew that going into it and still wanted to cast-on and I’m glad I did, it was a really fun knit. I will say it’s a cozy shawl collar jacket that I’ve already been throwing on when I take the dogs out in the morning now that we’ve finally hit sweater weather and I like to just throw it on when I get chilly. I also added a belt and made belt loops on the side panels because I felt with this much coat I wanted to close it. I used every last piece of yarn I allocated for this piece.
For another little bit of contrast, I knit the connecting side panels in Queen’s Yarn Boutique in the color High Voltage. It works well with all the pink and purple in this project. I love the subtle ombre effect from my advent skeins as it goes from a really pale pink to a deep turquoise blue! It’s knit one side and then the opposite side and seamed together. I decided to do a three needle bind-off to join the back together instead of seaming and it’s a beautiful join you can’t see and doesn’t require you to seam it up.
I love knitting sideways, I just find these kinds of projects really fun. Plus it was a fun project to plan and work on over the summer when my husband was traveling and I took over the entire kitchen table with mini skeins and the huge cakes of Yowza. Definitely a labor of love project but if you’ve got the time and yarn in your stash, do it and get creative. I went for a solid MC but the original pattern has two main colors alternating with all kinds of different scraps of color. It’s definitely a great project to get wild on.
Yards of Happiness 
Gorgeous! Adding the belt was a great idea. So cozy!
Really enjoyed the pictures that showed your process and Kiwi. Admired the little icord or braid on the bottom edge. I can imagine the switching in and out of the mini skeins and the second purple. In photos the fabric looks corded. Admire your knitting pace too!
It is really STUNNING 😍 BREATHTAKING!! Dana you are a true Artist. Your eye for colors are just fantastic. I think you should teach a Color class 😂😂😄😄 when Kiwi is 2yrs old because you might have time then unless you get a another 🐶 puppy🤩🤩🤩🤩
What an amazing work of art!! 😍
Wowza! Just stunning. And the belt was a perfect touch.
Gorgeous sweater! Love the colors and details.
You really brought this design to life with your amazing color choices! 🌟
It is gorgeous! 😍😍😍 As always, your color choices are beautiful! I love the added belt. 🔥
I’m always inspired by your color choices and tips! Looks like you’ve got icord cuffs-great choice for sideways knitting! The belt gives it a bit of a 70s vibe. Clever!
I love that you did that with mostly mini skeins. It came out great!
This sweater is beautiful! Congratulations!
You’re such an inspiration, Dana. What a fun sweater! Thanks for a great blog post.
That is just gorgeous!
That sweater is Electrifying! Wow! The colors are amazing.
this is fabulous!! i somehow fell off your blog’s email list, and only found my way back via MDK – and I am so glad I did! i have missed your pops of color, big smile and of course the doggies. thank you for continuing to share wonderful knitting adventures with us.