06-09-2020

Needles/Cables:Use either 16” needles (with the shorter tips) or just use 40”, with regular length tips, and magic loop. 32” cable is a bit short for magic loop (though that’s what I find myself using this time…

07-09-2020

In this version, preblocked…:

Rib length - 2.5” (F)
Under bust to bust apex - 6.25” (G) - KM specific
Top cup length: Use the instructed dimension of 3.7” (C)

08-09-2020

Upper cup Section:

OK - I’ve decided to make the front body cups wider and longer than the back cups - given that I need more coverage on the front but I may not have enough yarn for all upper cups and because I want to be able to tell the front from the back garment easily - and I want to be able to see the diff between my front cup alterations and the back cup (which I’ll knit as the pattern instructs).

Front Upper Cups:

First 8 rows: I’ll do the lengthening cup height method (1 decrease row on row 1 of 4, the remaining 3 worked without decreases x 2) described on page 9 because I want to get a bit more height at the base of the upper cup before beginning the decreases every right side row.

Following the first 8 rows, just follow the directions for Working the top of each cup (from pg 5) until you get to 11 st remaining (because I want wider straps than instructed for this size).

On Front Upper CupsAt my gauge, to get an upper cup that’s 4” tall, I’ll need to work 32 rows (16RS / 16WS). I should have done 4 instances of lengthening the cup height - aka 1 dec row in 4 - at the beginning (to maximize coverage) but because I didn’t, and I only just realized I’d be short in length by 4 rows given my gauge (at 27 stitches remaining). So I’m just going to add in those 4 non-dec rows at that point (see chart of 32 rows below). Make sure you follow this pattern when you make the other 3 upper cups…

R1 - Dec 2 (33 st)
R2
R3
R4
R1 - Dec (31 st)
R2
R3
R4
R1 - Dec (29 st )
R2
R1 - Dec (27 st)
R2
R3
R4
R1 - Dec (25 st)
R2
R3
R4
R1 - Dec (23 st)
R2
R1 - Dec (21 st)
R2
R1 - Dec (19 st)
R2
R1 - Dec (17 st)
R2
R1 - Dec (15 st)
R2
R1 - Dec (13 st)
R2
R1 - Dec (11 st)
R2

Back Upper Cups: Knit per pattern instructions

Double Knit strap (which the designer refers to as non-standard icord):

To get to 3” (where I’ll stop on each strap, at least for the first 2 straps, to figure out final necessary length without over knitting):

K 40 rows (WS = R1 / RS = R2) End at the end of the right side. This gives 20 “long” knit stitches (effectively, each K = 2 rows of knitting). Note that this was spot on

I did put the straps on waste yarn and pinned them together to simulate the desired length when trying on the garment. I actually had to rip back 4 rows on the back body strap because it was too long given that the yarn is hella stretchy. Note that those 4 rows brought the back strap to 24 “long” knit stitches in length so, when I ripped back, the 20 per strap worked well for both the front and back straps.

Amazingly, I was pretty spot on in suspecting that I’d need only 3” length for either side of the strap, even though the back body in my version is less tall than the front. The back strap appears to be an inch shorter than front strap (see photo) but that’s cuz the upper cup is shorter. The strap top (where grafted) will sit at the top of my shoulder, not that it matters because the graft will be invisible.

Thoughts after Making this Garment:

• Were I to make this again, I’d have make the under bust ribbing longer - at least 5” long. 2.5” - even at my smaller than instructed gauge, knitting the size small, produces a very loose rib band (well, at least pre-blocking).
• I’d also consider, were I to make the bra version again (instead of tank length), using a smaller needle for the ribbing and maybe even casting on fewer stitches (though I’d need to work the small for the body given the volume of my breasts). Maybe start with XS and move to S when you start the body?
• I do intend to make this at tank length and, for this purpose, I will not make the torso smaller than the 140 stitches for this size. I’ll confirm once this version finishes blocking that the 140st circumference will work for my full torso. As I am fuller at lower stomach, I might want to do a bit of waist shaping, but I hope not. I love the simplicity of making this. Not so interested in a serious fit project…
• Before starting the upper cup, confirm how long you need the upper cup to be. The straight S dimension of 3.7” works for me, but note that I did knit the body to a length that’ is somewhat above my bust apex (nipple) when not wearing a bra. I also have high-set breasts and a very short armscye (aka short span from under arm to top of shoulder). Having said this, my breasts are fuller on bottom so I wanted the extra body length to ensure that the boobs wouldn’t fall out from under the ribbing, given that the ribbing isn’t (pre-blocked) firm enough by my estimation. This version is an experiment…
• To make the tank top/shirt version, make the straps a) slightly longer (I’ll be wearing a bra so no need to go tight for support) aka 3.2” per strap half (or about 0.5” more length in straps over all) and b) 13 st in width when starting the double knit straps. A slightly wider strap will work better with my bras.
• Consider making the upper cups, on the front of the top, slightly taller (so that the front bra, at place where it meets upper cup, is not visible at all).
• It’s hard to size down too much. My dimensions are listed on this page and I still felt that the 3rd size is on the roomy side. I wouldn’t go smaller - because the dilemma with a bralet made of yarn is that the stretch factor is always going to be an unknown (though I intend to make this again with the same yarn) and bralets are not designed for support, even the RTW ones. If you are a narrow-framed, small-boned person with an underbust of 32” and a full bust of 40”, the small will work (inasmuch as it’s going to work).
• If I’d known what I do now, I’d have been able to add another 2.5” to the band, even though I had only the exact amount of yarn recommended. This does not take much yarn AT ALL, even given that I altered the cup height on the front upper cups.

This bralette construction is ingenius and, while I can’t recommend the bra version for those with a 9” differential between under bust and full bust measurements (unless the person has totally self-supporting boobs), it’s great with a bra underneath. As wearing a bra under a bra seems silly, I’d make this again in a tank top style for more use.

I’m once again so impressed by the designer for the following reasons:

• She really gets body positivity and supports a wide range of sizes, even if (in this instance, I posit - as a nut for bras that fit breasts at all sizes well) a knit bralette is just not going to provide much support or lift when one has a wide underbust to full bust differential, or pendulous breasts, or heavy breasts or highly projected breasts. I didn’t expect otherwise so I am not disappointed. Even with sewn in elastic, this isn’t going to work for most who fit the categories mentioned above. Mind you, everyone is free to decide what is beautiful on them and I love that this is available in so many sizes.
• She is so clear about everything in her directions. Some knitters hate 10 pages of text but I love it when I’m advised WHY I’ve been instructed to do something.
• She provides lots of options (which is why I hope she provides an update for peeps who may want to make this bra in tank top length - not that it’s difficult to do this given the degree of stretch in the rib/body pattern.
• The thing I learned when making this was that using double knit (what the designer refers to as icord) makes a great, stable, wide, clean strap. I will def be using this technique again. I do recommend that, for those who will wear a bra with this garment, in a size that is beyond matrix (for example 32G), the straps (even if your bra is chic and “delicate”) will probably warrant making the 13 st strap. I went with 11 st and, though my gauge was off and smaller, I wish I’d done the strap at 13 st. Note however, for the tank, the post blocked 11st would provide an adequately wide strap, as there won’t tension placed upon it…

09-09-2020

The one thing that doesn’t work IMO:

Kitchener stitch on double knit fabric doesn’t work the way kitchener stitch does with stockinette. I grafted the first straps as directed and the result was messy (I expected it would be) because, effectively, you should only be grafting every knit stitch to every knit stitch (those purls on either side get in the way and make for a clunky end result).

The second time around, I followed some instructions I found on TECH knitting about grafting. I actually took all of the purls off the needles, prior to grafting, and put them on holders while I grafted the 5 knit stitches on each strap (I had a 10 st strap on each side - 5 knit st and 5 purls aka knit st on the other side of the fabric tube). Then I turned the garment inside out, made sure that all of the purls on the holders were on that side, and put them back on the needles. I then grafted as per the first stitches, only from the interior side of the garment - and they became knits on that side. It created a much neater end result - and it’s not overly stretchy.

If you’re not going to do this - and it’s super fussy, be warned - then I recommend that you just 3-needle bind off. It’ll likely look cleaner than the grafting method suggested. It’ll also provide more support.

Final Blocked Dimensions:

Rib length: 2.25”

Rib circ (unstretched): 11” x 2 = 22”

Rib circ (stretched): 16” x 2 = 32”

Body length: 5.5”

Body circumference (unstretched): 11.5” x 2 = 23”

Body circumference (stretched): 16” x 2 = 32”

Strap length (front): 3”

Strap length (back): 3.5”

Strap width: 0.75”

Upper cup height (front): 3.75”

Upper cup width (front): 5.5” at widest point / 1” at narrowest point (just before starting the strap)

Upper cup height (back): 2.75”

Upper cup width (back): Same as front

In the end, were I to make this a a bra again AND I WON’T, I’d:

• Use a smaller needle and cast on st for xs and consider going down a needle size for each part
• Rib for 5” length
• Make the body length 8” (as opposed to the 5.75” I got post blocking), my boobs literally fall out of this thing due to it being a) too short and b) massively unsupportive in rib. With a bra, the rib comes to the intramammary fold, so I can tell I need the depth of the rib plus a smidge to cover full bust length. Part of my issue is that I made the straps quite snug to give the high armscye fit that works on my frame. I think the pattern, as drafted, is prob designed to sit a bit lower at the underarm than mine does, which may account for some of this discrepancy. Nonethless, I want a high armsyce…
• Widen straps to 13 st before beginning the double knit.

11-09-2020

When you make the tank version:

To make the bra, I used

• 56g for the ribbing and body section (I’ll do this again to get to 7.75” length)
• 13g forthe upper cups and straps section (I’ll do this again)
• 17g of the yarn left after project

Given that I’ll need to make the equivalent of 8 more inches in length, to get to desired tank length - and the original body, for 7.75” of rib plus body took 56g AND given that I have 17g remaining to put towards that additional 8 inches, I should be able to make the tank with 17g remainder plus 1 additional ball of 56g.

Just make sure that you have 65g remaining when you get to the underbust because, at 65g, you’ll need to start the bust portion in order to have enough yarn to complete the tank.

Notes from Queue before you deleted the project (may be repetitive):

Bought an extra skein of this yarn to make the tank top length version of this fun pattern… (See lots of notes on my previous version for details on how to approach the next version - there are more things to note than provided in this note section…):

When making the tank, remember to do the following:
Rib for 3” (0.75” longer than on the bra sample you made)

Knit torso for 5” to get to underbust (given overall length of top desired)

K the bust portion of the body for 8” (the part that I only got 5.5” on post blocking when I made the bra)

Given that this will not be a bra, do not change needle sizes and maintain all of the cast on and other dimensions determined when making the bra - make the front and back cups same heights and width, front and back straps same length and width, v depth maintained

Preblocked Gauge

Rib: 28st x 36R in 4” - US3
Stockinette:26 st x 34R in 4” - US 4

I decided that I don’t want a more open fabric than this (or there will not be enough support given my dimensions) so I’ll rework gauge, as necessary.

Post-blocked Gauge

Rib: 28st x 34R in 4” - US3
Stockinette: 23st x 32R in 4” - US4