Knitty: Summer 2007

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by Cristiana Brenna

Do you know prickly pear fruit? It appeals but keeps you away, after all it’s sweet and agreeably colored…it loves sun and tastes of summer…just like my prickly-girl!

This pattern was knitted during summer holidays in a lonely country
spot in Puglia (south Italy), where I have experienced a simple
contact with nature without any technological intermediation. It has a wild appeal, and time flows naturally. You wake up without clock alarm at daybreak, and watch the stars before going to sleep. It is so simple as you can imagine, bright sun, impressive olive groves, deep blue sea and white masonry houses. This tank reminds me of that simple world.

I intended to knit a summer tank with a cool and fresh style, that could fit a girl who isn’t a child any longer and not yet a miss, so pattern details are partly naïf like flowers, and partly grownup, like the zig zag side motif. Sabrina really loves it.

model: Sabrina photos: Cristiana Brenna

SIZE

Child's 4[6, 8, 10] (shown in size 10

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 22[25, 26.5, 28] inches
Note: Chest measurement given with ribbing contracted. Will stretch 2-2.5 inches.
Length: 10.25[11.25, 13.5, 15] inches

MATERIALS

[MC] Lana Gatto Jaipur [100% Egyptian cotton; 109yd/100m per 50g skein]; color: #3753 Red; 3 skeins (approx. 2.5[2.5, 3, 3] skeins are used)

[CC] Small amount white cotton DK or sportweight yarn

1 set US 4/3.5mm straight needles

1 3mm crochet hook (Note: 3mm crochet hook is between US C/2 and US D/3 in size)

Stitch holders

Tapestry needle

GAUGE

22 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

Grafting
Instructions for grafting can be found here.

Crab Stitch
(Also called Reverse Single Crochet):
Tutorial with photos and a video can be found here.

Crochet
Instructions for basic crochet stitches can be found here.

Crochet Abbreviations:
Ch: Chain
Sc: Single crochet
Sl st: Slip stitch
Hdc: Half-double crochet
Dc: Double crochet
Tr: Treble crochet
Sp: Space

PATTERN

FRONT
*Using MC, CO 65[74, 78, 82] sts.
K 2 rows.

Row 1 [RS]: K3, p1[2, 2, 2], k2, p1[1, 2, 2], k2, p1[1, 1, 2], k45[52, 54, 56], p1[1, 1, 2], k2, p1[1, 2, 2], k2, p1[2, 2, 2], k3.

Row 2 [WS]: K1, p2, k1[2, 2, 2], p2, k1[1, 2, 2], p2, k1[1, 1, 2], p45[52, 54, 56], k1[1, 1, 2], p2, k1[1, 2, 2], p2, k1[2, 2, 2], p2, k1.

These 2 rows set pattern for Front.

Continue in pattern as set until work measures 6.25[6.75, 8.25, 9] inches, ending with a WS row.

Shape Armholes
BO 10[11, 12, 13] sts at beginning of next 2 rows. 45[52, 54, 56] sts.*

Work in stockinette st until work measures 7.5[8.25, 10, 11] inches, ending with a RS row.

Shape Neckline
Row 1 [WS]: P7[8, 8, 9], k31[36, 38, 38], p7[8, 8, 9].

Row 2 [RS]: K all sts.

Row 3 [WS]: P7[8, 8, 9], slip sts just worked to st holder for right strap; BO 31[36, 38, 38] sts, p to end.

Left Strap
Work remaining 7[8, 8, 9] sts in stockinette st until work measures 10.25[11.25, 13.5, 15] inches. Break yarn and slip sts to st holder.

Right Strap
Replace 7[8, 8, 9] held sts on needle with RS facing and rejoin yarn. Work as for left strap.

BACK
Work as for Front from * to *.
Work in stockinette st until work measures 8.5[9.5, 11.25, 12.5] inches, ending with a RS row.
Work Neckline and Straps as for Front. When each strap is complete, graft its live sts to held sts of the corresponding front strap.

Crocheted Flower (Make 2):
Make a ring of yarn around 2 fingers, with working yarn (length of yarn which leads to ball) leading off to right, from top of ring. Insert crochet hook into this ring and pull up a loop, then ch 1.
Round 1: Work 10 sc in ring, pull short yarn tail to tighten ring, sl st in first sc to join.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc, ch 3, skip next sc, [sc in next sc, ch 3, skip next sc] 4 times, sl st in first sc to join. Break MC, draw through last st and pull tight.
Round 3: Using CC, [sl st in sc, (hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc) in ch-3 sp] 5 times, sl st in initial sl st to join. Break CC, draw through last st and pull tight.

FINISHING

Using crochet hook and MC, sc in side front edge at underarm.
Ch 3, and sc in side back edge at underarm.

**Ch 3, sc in side front edge, 4 rows below last sc.
Ch 3, sc in side back edge, 4 rows below last sc.
Repeat from ** until you have reached the lower edge of each piece. Break yarn, draw through last st and pull tight.

Join remaining side in the same away.

Work 1 row of Crab Stitch around neckline and armhole edges.

Sew flowers to straps as shown in photo.

Weave in all ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Cristiana is Italian and lives in Turin where she works as a structural engineer, designing bridges and buildings, and knitting projects for her family. She discovered an army of knitters around the world, needles in hand, having fun, and now feels herself such a soldier too. She truly believes that the world-wide-web is made of yarn, a long virtual thread that binds us all. She blogs here.