The lace on this little top is from a pattern by Dani Sunshine called “Apple Tee.“
I’m using lace weight yarn rather than sport weight - hence the tiny needles and stitch gauge. Ravelry classifies this yarn as “fingering”, but it’s definitely on the light side of fingering, if not lace weight. There are several shades of beige/grey in this cake. I always use each shade separately because the color changes are abrupt, rather than gradient. I’m using the middle hue for this little top.
I’m also using a combination of knitting/steeking and sewing for this garment because I don’t enjoy knitting flat very much. Front neckline and armholes were cut from the tube knit to 13” high. Then sleeves and the neckline finish were added.
Body (Bottom-Up):
I cast on 208 sts using size 1 US needle, so 13 repeats of the lace border stitch pattern (28” circumference). Each repeat of the scalloped border is 16 sts (2.15”) after blocking. Just steam press to block.
Sleeves (Bottom-Up):
I cast on 80 sts using size 1 US needle for each sleeve (5 repeats of the chart).
Sleeve depth is 5.5”, so that’s the length of the cut/opening on each side. I cut and then reinforced with a sewing machine and overlock machine. Sleeve circumference = 11”.
Picked up 80 sts around each armhole before attaching each sleeve with kitchener stitch.
Shoulders and Neckline:
Did a 3-needle bind-off for each shoulder (27 sts each side).
Put 100 held sts back on needles for neckband.
Did 6 rounds of 1 x 1 ribbing using same size 1 US needle.
(I decreased 2 sts each side on a couple of rounds.)
I probably should have switched to a smaller needle, but I was feeling lazy.
Bound off with Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off.
Measurements:
Chest circumference = 27.5” (70 cm)
Shoulder to bottom edge = 13” (33 cm)
Length of lace border = 2.5” (6.4 cm)
I really love this yarn. It’s very soft and has good drape. I don’t particularly like the color combos it comes in. However, if I buy two cakes, I can make an adult or child size summer top or a couple of baby/toddler garments out of the individual colors. Wish they sold this in single color cakes because yarn this weight is difficult to find at affordable prices. Also, it would be nice to have more solid colors available.