It’s hardly spring, and I am already in L-O-V-E with this top super light and airy tee shirt, pictured here with Lissome, available here!

Worked on size 2 needles in lace weight linen, it is something of a labor of love, but the results are 100% worth it. It is perfect for sweltering summer days in the south when it is 100 degrees and just plain swampy outside, and I want to be as close to naked as decently possible.

The top is worked top down starting with the back, which uses short rows to shape the shoulders. Then stitches are picked up from the shoulders to form the fronts. Finally the front and back are joined at the underarm to be worked in the round. The back features a simple chevron lace design. It is easy to remember and keeps the pattern interesting.

I usually prefer working with stainless steel needles but I highly recommend using bamboo or driftwood when working with linen to keep it from sliding off your needles. I also recommend tightly winding a pull-ball by hand, as the yarn would just fly off my winder when I tried to ball it up that way.

All finished and blocked out, the piece measures about 46” at the bust. I’m wearing it here with 10” of positive ease, but it could totally fit anywhere from a 34” to a 46” bust, depending on how much ease you want. I wouldn’t recommend creating a piece with too much negative ease, as it doesn’t stretch as wool or other animal fibers do.

 

 

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MATERIALS

FibraNatura, Flax Lace, 2 skeins (I only used about 150 grams though)

US 2 24” circular needles

2 stitch markers

Tapestry needle

Stitch holder or scrap yarn

GAUGE

4” = 26 stitches and 38 rows on US 2 needles in stockinette stitch.

LACE PATTERN

Mutliple of 10 stitches + 1 over 8 rows

Row 1: Knit 1, *yarn over, knit 3, SK2PO, knit 3, yarn over, knit 1* Repeat from * to * to end of row

Row 2 and all even rows:

If working flat, purl all stitches

If working in the round, knit all stitches

Row 3: Knit 1, *knit 1, yarn over, knit 2, SK2PO, knit 2, yarn over, knit 2* Repeat from * to * to end of row

Row 5: Knit 1, *knit 2, yarn over, knit 1, SK2PO, knit 1, yarn over, knit 3* Repeat from * to * to end of row

Row 7: Knit 1, *knit 3, yarn over, SK2PO, yarn over, knit 4* Repeat from * to * to end of row

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PATTERN

Back

Cast on 145 stitches using the long tail cast on method.

Row 1: knit 3, purl 39, place marker, purl 61, place marker, purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

You now have 61 stitches between the two markers. On the next row, you will begin working the lace pattern over these stitches, keeping the shoulder stitches in stockinette stitch.

Row 2: knit 42, pattern 61, knit until 7 stitches remain. Wrap and turn.

Row 3: purl 35, pattern 61, purl until 7 stitches remain. Wrap and turn.

Row 4: knit 35, pattern 61, knit until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 5: purl 30, pattern 61, purl until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 6: knit 30, pattern 61, knit until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 7: purl 25, pattern 61, purl until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 8: knit 25, pattern 61, knit until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 9: purl 20, pattern 61, purl until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 10: knit 20, pattern 61, knit until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 11: purl 15, pattern 61, purl until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 12: knit 15, pattern 61, knit until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 13: purl 10, pattern 61, purl until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 14: knit 10, pattern 61, knit until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 15: purl 5, pattern 61, purl until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 16: knit 5, pattern 61, knit until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 17: pattern 61, purl until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 18: pattern 61, knit to end of row, picking up wrapped stitches as you come to them. Turn work.

Row 19: purl to marker, remove marker, pattern to marker, remove marker, purl across all stitches, picking up wrapped stitches as you come to them. You should have 145 stitches.

Row 20: knit 2, work lace pattern until 2 stitches remain, knit 2.

Row 21: knit 3, purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Repeat rows 20 and 21 for 8 inches, ending with a wrong side row. For me that was about 70 rows.

Break yarn and place stitches on hold to be worked later.

Left Front

With right side of back facing, pick up 45 stitches from the shoulder beginning at the neck edge of the wearer’s left shoulder.

Row 1: knit 3, purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Row 2: knit until 7 stitches remain, wrap and turn.

Row 3: purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Row 4: knit until 5 stitches before wrapped stitch wrap and turn.

Row 5: purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Repeat rows 4 and 5, 5 more times.

Row 16: knit across all stitches, picking up wraps as you come to them.

Row 17: knit 3, purl until 3 stitches remain, purl 3. You should have 45 stitches.

Row 18: knit 3, make 1, knit to end of the row.

Row 19: knit 3, purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Row 20: knit all stitches.

Row 21: knit 3, purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Repeat rows 18 through 21, 4 more times. You should have 50 stitches.

Then repeat rows 18 and 19, 22 times. You should have 72 stitches. Cast on 1 stitch.

Break yarn and place stitches on hold to be worked later.

Right Front

With right side of back facing, pick up 45 stitches from the shoulder beginning at the armhole edge of the wearer’s right shoulder.

Row 1: knit 3, purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Row 2: knit all stitches.

Row 3: knit 3, purl until 7 stitches remain. Wrap and turn.

Row 4: knit to end of the row.

Row 5: Knit to 5 stitches before wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 6: knit to end of the row.

Repeat rows 5 and 6, 5 more times.

Row 17: purl across the row, picking up wraps as you come to them. You should have 45 stitches.

Row 18: knit until 3 stitches remain, m1, knit 3.

Row 19: knit 3, purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Row 20: knit all stitches.

Row 21: knit 3, purl until 3 stitches remain, knit 3.

Repeat rows 18 through 21, 4 more times. You should have 50 stitches.

Then repeat rows 18 and 19, 22 times. You should have 72 stitches. Do not break yarn. You will now join the two front piece together

Join Fronts

With right sides facing, work across the right piece, then work across the left front piece, joining them.

Now work evenly in stockinette stitch, keeping the first and last 3 stitches in garter as you have been doing.  You should have 145 stitches. Work until the front pieces measure the same as the back piece, ending in a wrong side row.

Join Body

You will now work across the front and back pieces to join them and begin working in the round.

Knit across all front stitches, knit 3 stitches from back, place marker, work in pattern across back stitches until 3 remain, place maker to indicate the beginning of the round, knit to end of back and join to the front.

Row 1: slip marker, knit across front stitches, slip maker, knit 2, pattern until 2 stitches remain, knit 2.

Continue working evenly in the round keeping the pattern as set. Work until piece measures 10.5” from armhole. Then work 1/2” in garter stitch. Finally, bind off as follows: *bind off 3 stitches, yarn over, pass stitch over the yarn over to bind off 1. * Repeat from * to *.

Finishing

Weave in ends your ends. The lace will be very lumpy at this point. Block with a hot steamy iron or wet block, or even throw it in the wash to even out the lace.

Finally, share your work with me on Ravelry or Instagram and use #samsweaterz.

P.S. PDF version here: Summer Petrichor