My take on Wool and the Gang’s Cross Country Coat combines chunky knitting and hand embroidery.
I added colorful running stitches to pieces of scrap fabric (the fabric from a pair of shoulder pads I removed from a thrifted romper), and created two pockets by hand-sewing the reimagined scraps to wool felt. I was pretty pleased with the pockets, even though I didn’t know what to put them on when I finished them.
The Cross Country Coat seemed just right for these random pockets. I used Lion Brand Thick and Quick in black to knit up the whole jacket in about five days. The result is a super soft, kimono-inspired, afghan-like cardi. Though my yarn choice isn’t luxurious, I like the machine-washable quality of the wool blend.
With about five skeins used, I spent around $30 on yarn. The romper probably cost me less than $10, and the floss was probably under a dollar total. Altogether, I made a cozy, oversized cardigan you may find at a small batch boutique, but for under $50. The whole kit, pattern plus yarn and needles, on WATG costs almost $200. So, if you’re willing to go with synthetic-blend, big-box-store yarn, it’s super easy to make yourself a unique and trendy piece!