Kusinen (the Danish word for a female “the cousin”) – which is in reality a wearable summer blouse – does not deny its kinship with the Oldtimer series (also my designs). Family characteristics such as side panel and boat neck do not hide themselves. Neither does a significant pattern remain hidden. But one senses that other ideas have entered into it. Ideas born from the fact that summer yarns are difficult to make look nice in stranded knitting. And that it is easier to knit pattern back and forth when the WS each time simply repeats the pattern row, which is so easily established on the RS.

Precisely because summer yarns can be more difficult to make look nice in stranded knitting than a good solid and “grateful” wool yarn, necessity is made into a virtue and instead of working against it, “Kusinen” works with it. With an alternation between knit and purl, a shimmering element is created in the otherwise streamlined pattern.

The Kusinen is worked top down. First, the back is shaped, then stitches are picked up for the fronts. The fronts are then joined, and the stranded pattern is worked. The body is worked in the round. The sleeves are shaped with numerous short rows. The edges are worked in twisted rib. A chain stitch line is crocheted around the neckline and around the armholes.

7-11 skeins are needed depinding on size. 1 of them is a CC. The rest are MC

It is meant to have 10-25 cm positive ease according to the actual bodymeasurement. The shown model has 13 cm of positive ease

Its an fast and easy project. The stranded pattern repeats over two rows. This makes it very easy to work, even though it is knitted flat. In addition, you should be able to pick up stitches, increase stitches (in different ways), read a chart, and work short rows.

The test knitters were very enthusiastic about the fit, and the pattern includes tips on how to adjust it to personal preferences. For example, there are three suggestions for different body shapes: an A-line shape, straight down, or with waist decreases.