XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X] (shown in size S)
To fit up to 30[34, 38, 42, 47, 51] inch chest

Chest: 25.25[28, 30.5, 33.25, 36, 38.5] inches
Length: 13.25[13.75, 14, 15.25, 15.75, 16.5] inches
Note: The fabric is very stretchy. See “Sizes” above to select correct size.

Caya Colour Yarn IVY [50% Silk / 50% Merino Wool; 665yd/608m per 150g skein]; color: Cornflower; 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2] skeins
Note: This yarn can easily be substituted with another yarn with a recommended ball band gauge of 28 sts = 4 inches using a US #4/3.5mm needle. Approx. 490[540, 590, 640, 690, 740]yd/448[494, 540, 585, 631, 677]m are required.

Recommended needle size:
1 US #4/3.5mm circular needle, 24 inches or longer
1 US #3/3.25mm circular needle, 32 inches or longer
1 16 inch US #3/3.25mm circular needle OR set of US #3/3.25mm double-point needles
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]

Stitch markers
Split ring marker or safety pin
Stitch holders or waste yarn
Row counter
Tapestry needle

24 sts/36 rows = 4 inches in Bird’s Eye Lace on larger needles, lightly blocked
26 sts/56 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch on larger needles

Directions for the Long Tail Cast On can be found here.

Yo2: Yarn over twice

Bird’s Eye Lace Pattern: (from Barbara Walker’s A Treasury Of Knitting Patterns)
Row 1 [WS]: [K2tog, yo2, k2tog] to end.
Row 2 [RS]: [K1, (k1, p1) into yo2, k1] to end.
Row 3 [WS]: K2, [k2tog, yo2, k2tog] to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 4 [RS]: K2, [k1, (k1, p1) into yo2, k1] to last 2 sts, k2.
Repeat these 4 rows for pattern.

Short Rows in Garter Stitch:
It is not necessary to pick up wraps when working short rows in garter stitch.
At turning points of short rows, wrap and turn (W&T) as follows:
W&T: Slip next st purlwise with yarn held to back of work, bring yarn around slipped st to front of work, slip st back to left needle and turn work.

Three-Needle Bind Off:
Hold both pieces of knitting with right sides together.
Insert needle into first st on front needle and first st on back needle, and knit them together. *Repeat this for the next st on the front and back needles. Draw the first st worked over the second st.*
Repeat from * to * until all sts have been bound off. Break yarn and draw through remaining st.

Lower Band and Ties
Using US #4/3.5mm circular needle and Long-Tail Cast On, CO 248[264, 280, 300, 316, 332] sts.

K 9 rows. The last row is a WS row; place split ring marker or safety pin in work to indicate RS of work.

Shape Ties:
Rows 1 and 2: K to last 10 sts, W&T.
Rows 3 and 4: K to last 20 sts, W&T.
Rows 5 and 6: K to last 30 sts, W&T.
Rows 7 and 8: K to last 40 sts, W&T.
Rows 9 and 10: K to last 50 sts, W&T.
Rows 11 and 12: K to last 60 sts, W&T.
Row 13 [RS]: K to end.
Row 14 [WS]: K all sts. Break yarn, leaving a tail.
Place first and last 60 sts of row on st holders or waste yarn.

Rejoin yarn to remaining 128[144, 160, 180, 196, 212] sts with WS facing.
Work Rows 1-4 of Bird’s Eye Lace Pattern 3 times, then work Rows 1-2 once more; 14 rows have been worked.

Front Edge Shaping:
Row 1 [WS]: K2tog, [k2tog, yo2, k2tog] to last 2 sts, k2tog. 2 sts decreased.

Row 2 [RS]: K1, [k1, (k1, p1) into yo2, k1] to last st, k1.

Row 3 [WS]: K1, yo, k2tog, [k2tog, yo2, k2tog] to last 3 sts, k2tog, yo, k1.

Row 4 [RS]: K3, [k1, (k1, p1) into yo2, k1] to last 3 sts, k3.

Row 5 [WS]: K1, [k2tog, yo2, k2tog] to last st, k1.

Row 6 [RS]: K1, [k1, (k1, p1) into yo2, k1] to last st, k1.

Row 7 [WS]: K2tog, k1, [k2tog, yo2, k2tog] to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 2 sts decreased.

Row 8 [RS]: K2, [k1, (k1, p1) into yo2, k1] to last 2 sts, k2.
124[140, 156, 176, 192, 208] sts remain.

Sizes XS, S, M Only:
Work Rows 1-4 of Bird’s Eye Lace Pattern 4[4, 5, -, -, -] times.

Sizes L, 1X, 2X Only:
Work Rows 1-2 of  Bird’s Eye Lace Pattern.

Work Rows 1-8 of Front Edge Shaping once more. -[-, -, 172, 188, 204] sts.

Work Rows 1-4 of Bird’s Eye Lace Pattern -[-, -, 4,5, 6] times.

All Sizes:
Break yarn, leaving a tail.
Place first and last 24[28, 32, 36, 40, 44] sts on st holders or waste yarn. 76[84, 92, 100, 108, 116] sts on needle.

Upper Back:
Rejoin yarn to remaining sts with WS facing.
Work Rows 1-4 of Bird’s Eye Lace Pattern 17[18, 18, 19, 19, 20] times (68[72, 72, 76, 76, 80] rows), using row counter to keep track of rows.
Break yarn, leaving a tail, and place sts on hold on long US #3/3.25mm circular needle.

Right Front:
Place held sts of right front on US #4/3.5mm needle with WS facing and rejoin yarn.
Work Rows 1-4 of Bird’s Eye Lace Pattern 17[18, 18, 19, 19, 20] times, as for back.
Transfer sts of right front to short US #3/3.25mm circular or double-point needle and, with RS together, join to sts of right back shoulder using Three-Needle Bind Off.
52[56, 60, 64, 68, 72] sts of back remain held on needle.

Left Front:
Work as for Right Front. Once shoulder sts have been joined, 28 sts of back remain on hold for back neckline. Transfer these sts to short US #3/3.25mm needle or double-point needle.

Neckline and Front Edging:

Note: When picking up sts along front edges in the next step, do not worry about picking up exactly the right number of sts. Instead, pick up and k 3 sts for every 4 rows, then count your sts to see if any sts need to be increased or decreased to obtain the correct number. Any necessary sts can be increased or decreased as you work the next row. You may wish to place a marker at the base of each front edge when picking up sts, to help with counting sts accurately.

Place held sts of left tie on US #4/3.5mm circular needle. In the next step, these will be knit onto the US #3/3.25mm needle.

With RS facing, place held sts of right tie on long US #3/3.25mm circular needle and rejoin yarn. K all sts of right tie, pick up and k 80[83, 86, 93, 96, 101] sts along right front edge, place marker (right shoulder marker), k held sts of back neckline, place marker (left shoulder marker), pick up and k 80[83, 86, 93, 96, 101] sts along left front edge, k all sts of left tie. 308[314, 320, 334, 340, 350] sts.

K 2 rows, increasing or decreasing if necessary to achieve the correct number of sts. If you have placed extra markers at base of front edges, remove these markers.

Shape Neckline:
Row 1 [WS]: K to right shoulder marker (second marker), k20[20, 21, 23, 24, 25], W&T.
Row 2 [RS]: K to left shoulder marker, k20[20, 21, 23, 24, 25], W&T.
Row 3 [WS]: K to right shoulder marker (second marker), k40[40, 42, 46, 48, 50], W&T.
Row 4 [RS]: K to left shoulder marker, k40[40, 42, 46, 48, 50], W&T.
Row 5 [WS]: K to right shoulder marker (second marker), k60[60, 63, 69, 72, 75], W&T.
Row 6 [RS]: K to left shoulder marker, k60[60, 63, 69, 72, 75], W&T.
Row 7 [WS]: K to right shoulder marker (second marker), k80[83, 86, 93, 96, 101], W&T.
Row 8 [RS]: K to left shoulder marker, k80[83, 86, 93, 96, 101], W&T.
Row 9 [WS]: K to end.
Loosely BO all sts using US #4/3.5mm needle.

Armhole Edging:

See Note under Neckline and Front Edging re. picking up sts.

Using short US #3/3.25mm circular needle or double-point needles, with RS facing and beginning at center of underarm, pick up and k 51[54, 54, 57, 57, 60] sts along armhole edge to shoulder, place marker, pick up and k  51[54, 54, 57, 57, 60] sts along armhole edge to underarm. Do not join; armhole edging is worked back and forth in rows.

K 2 rows, increasing or decreasing if necessary to achieve the correct number of sts.

Shape Armhole Edging:
Row 1 [WS]: K to marker, k12[13, 13, 14, 14, 15], W&T.
Row 2 [RS]: Work as for Row 1.
Row 3 [WS]: K to marker, k24[26, 26, 28, 28, 30], W&T.
Row 4 [RS]: Work as for Row 3.
Row 5 [WS]: K to marker, k36[39, 39, 42, 42, 45], W&T.
Row 6 [RS]: Work as for Row 5.
Row 7 [WS]: K to end.
Loosely BO all sts using US #4/3.5mm needle.

Gudrun originally comes from the Shetland Islands in Scotland where back in the '70s her mother designed Shetland knitwear. She has been busy coming up with new creations since her first publication in Knitty Summer 2007.

See more of her designs on her blog.