Cotton linen classy fitted top

Hello again,

Need some inspiration on what to knit next? Why not let the yarn do the work?

How

What do I mean by that, you may well ask. Well, when I'm dithering about what to knit next, I often start by seeking out a yarn. 

As I happened to be at the woollinn yarn festival in Ireland lately, I just looked around, got over the 'child in a sweetshop' phase and had a proper look around at all the beautiful yarns around me! What bliss.

Finally forced myself to settle on one which was from Apple Oak Fibre Works called Lincot. They named this shade Kissed by Roses. What a beautiful name. It is in between DK and aran weight ...  88 stitches across the hip, so it won't take me too long to knit it up.

What I like about this yarn is its mix of textures as well as its mix of shades. It doesn't need any complicated stitch - the yarn does the work!

This Lincot, yes, you got it - a linen and cotton combination, made in Germany and dyed in Ireland using all natural dyes. It is actually a vegan yarn, for those of you that are interested.

What to knit

This time, I decided that my wardrobe needed a classy and not-so-warm top. So, to me, that meant fitted. And short - well, short for me as it is to the top of my hip.

Short sleeves - as far as my elbows.

Round neck. Deep though not too deep.

Set-in sleeves of course, to complete the look!

I am well pleased with the results.

Oh, fitted rather than straight sides. This takes only a little extra concentration when knitting it up.

Where to buy this pattern

The pattern for this sweater is available on my Ravelry store to fit bust size 86cm / 34". Click here. 

Better still, I suggest that you design your own pattern as the odds of you and me being the same size are pretty slim! No, it's not difficult to do this - not difficult if you are a knitter.

Make it fit your body shape

To get this body-hugging shape, measure your bust, waist and hips and reduce these measurements by 3cm (1") in your design. For your upper arm (bicep), use the exact measurement. I measured against some of my other tops to decide how deep I wanted the front neckline to be, and also to measure the overall length.

Tension gauge

Go on. Invest 20 minutes in knitting a tension square. It'll be worth it.

With this sweater, I used 4mm (US 6) needles.

In cm, 20 stitches and 26 rows knits 10.25 cm wide and 10 cm long.

In inches, 20 stitches and 26 rows knits a 4 inch square. 

This top used just over 3 skeins - so I have enough of my fourth ball left over to knit a hat, or a headband, or another sweater for my mother once she sees this one!

It used 690 meters, which is 750 yards.

Conclusion

One way to decide what to knit is to start with a yarn which has texture. Knit a plain stitch.

I wanted a classy style, so I made it body hugging.

Use your own body measurements when generating your knitting pattern.