Henna

Henna is a top-down, colourwork yoked sweater. The stranded colourwork pattern is inspired by henna tattoo art. In the summer I attended a festival and received a beautiful henna tattoo featuring vines, leaves and swirls; this is my knitted interpretation of that art.

CONSTRUCTION

This garment is worked top-down, in the round. After the neckband, short row shaping is incorporated to optimise fit. The majority of the yoke features a stranded colourwork pattern. Once the yoke is completed, stitches are separated into body and sleeves, which are each worked separately and in the round. The stranded colourwork pattern continues into the upper body and sleeves, after which the remainder of each is worked in stockinette in the round. Twisted ribbing is worked to form the waistband and cuffs.

SIZING GUIDE

This garment is graded into sizes 1 (2, 3, 4, 5) (6, 7, 8, 9, 10). Recommended positive ease is 5+” / 12.5+ cm at the chest circumference.

Finished Garment Chest Circumference:

36 (38.75, 44.25, 47, 52.5) (55.5, 61, 63.75, 66.5, 69.25)“

90 (97, 111, 117.5, 131.5) (138.5, 152, 159, 166, 173) cm

GAUGE

Using 3.25 mm / US size 3 needles, or needle size required to meet gauge, 26 stitches over 34 rounds in both stockinette stitch and colourwork, wet blocked, creates a 4x4” / 10x10 cm square.

Neckband, waistband and cuff circumferences assume you are working 7 sts per 1” / 2.5 cm.

YARN

The sample has been worked using Life in the Long Grass’ fingering weight Singles base (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 366 m / 400 yds per 100 g) in the colourway Sister Chocolate KSS as the Main Colour.

The Contrast Colour is Knit Sister Studio’s Merino Lace Singles base held double (100% Merino Wool; 800 m / 875 yds per 100 g) in an unnamed colourway.

YARDAGE (includes ~10% excess)

Please note that the contrast colour yardage is given for both laceweight yarn held double (as in the sample) and fingering weight held single.

Main Colour:

947 (1014, 1106, 1178, 1304) (1420, 1533, 1593, 1692, 1733) metres

1036 (1110, 1209, 1289, 1427) (1553, 1677, 1742, 1852, 1896) yards

259 (277, 302, 322, 356) (388, 419, 435, 462, 474) grams

Contrast Colour (laceweight held double):

497 (536, 592, 628, 703) (778, 843, 880, 934, 960) metres

544 (586, 647, 687, 769) (852, 922, 962, 1022, 1051) yards

62 (67, 74, 79, 88) (97, 105, 110, 117, 120) grams

Contrast Colour (fingering weight held single):

273 (294, 325, 345, 386) (427, 463, 483, 513, 527) metres

298 (322, 355, 377, 422) (468, 506, 528, 561, 577) yards

75 (80, 89, 94, 105) (117, 126, 132, 140, 144) grams

TOOLS & NOTIONS

2.75 mm / US size 2 circular needles (to work neckband, cuffs and waistband; varying cable lengths would be helpful)

3.25 mm / US size 3 circular needles (to work yoke, body and sleeves; varying cable lengths would be helpful)

1 marker

scrap yarn

tapestry needle to weave in ends

SKILLS REQUIRED

-long tail cast on

-joining and working in the round

-working half-twisted ribbing

-working left and right lifted increases

-German short row shaping

-reading colourwork charts

-working stranded colourwork with two colours

-long tail cast on with two colours

-working a repeating pattern of decreases

-decreasing using K2tog and SSK

-standard bind off

-(optional) using the Ladder Back Jacquard technique for catching floats