The jacket is handknitted in deep coral pink silk. The pattern is yellow silk thread partially wrapped with silver gilt strip. The design is worked in stocking stitch. The borders are worked as a basket-pattern border.
It is constructed of five rectangular panels, one for the back, one each for the two fronts and the sleeves. The seams are hand-sewn with silk thread and the whole garment is lined with blue linen. A series of regular stitch holes along the front edges of the lining on each front edge suggest that it originally fastened with hooks and eyes (since removed).
The jacket is belived to be from the 1630s due to the design of the pattern. The V&A has set the date between 1625-50.
The V&A site contains photoes of the jacket from the front, the back and a good detail of the pattern.
Museum number : 807-1904
or do a general search; knitting
Another similar jacket done in seagreen and yellow silk can be found on the V&A site. The pattern is made up of flowers done in green on yellow background. Origin is Italy and date set to the 17thC. The back is made up of twp pieces, similar to the the ones at the front. The back has the same green border up the middle of the back as at the front.
For better detail photos of the coral and gold silk jacket in the V&A, I recommend ;
The 17th and 18th centuries
Avril Hart and Susan North
ISBN 1-85177-258-8
