In Praise of the Bed Jacket

It’s taken me ages to get out of my mum what she wants for Christmas.  I have already knitted her a pair of Estonian mittens from a kit I bought at Ally Pally but was really stuck on what else to give her.

While we were talking she mentioned she would love a bed jacket for her 80th Birthday in February.  She has really started to feel the cold at night and has a bit of arthritis in her shoulder. It set me to thinking about the garment itself. Very much of its time the bed jacket was an incredibly practical creation, when most homes had no central heating.  In my imagination it is also a glamorous garment, worn by movie stars wafting around in their boudoir. Soft, fluffy, with ribbons and in pastel colours. It’s a shame it has fallen out of fashion.

A quick scout around Ravelry and I was amazed to find how many bed jacket patterns there were available.  Some are vintage patterns that can be hard to find but this one is available free from the Australian Woman’s Weekly archive here.

But my mum is not a twee person and I wanted something a bit more stylish.  At the moment she is wearing just a normal cardigan so I searched out some lacy cardigans and found this little beauty called Pergola by Maria Magnusson which I think fits the bill with its delicate lace and three quarter sleeves.

In order not to break my yarn diet in the New Year I though I’d better get the  yarn now. She wants something luxurious and made from natural fibres and I have chosen Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk 4ply in a suitably soft blue called Paddle.

So I’m all set. I’d love to think I was glamorous enough to wear a bed jacket but I’m more of a onesie kind of girl.