Carstramon Top
The Carstramon Top is named after an ancient oak wood in Dumfries and Galloway which is renowned for its spectacular springtime bluebell display. The design is inspired by Scottish bluebell woods, walking along a path in amongst the bluebells and weaving in and out through the woodland trees. These ideas translate into the design of this sleeveless top through the garter stitch lace sections, and their contrast with both the strong vertical and meandering lines of stocking stitch.
As a top-down slipover top with a drop shoulder, and slightly cropped length, it’s perfect for wearing over dresses or with a light layer underneath.
CONSTRUCTION
Carstramon is knitted from the top down, with both back and front worked separately and knitted flat,
then joined in the round at the armhole base and worked in the round to the hem. Simple short rows are used to shape the Back Neck and Front Shoulders.
Instructions to work the whole garment flat are also included.
This type of construction makes adjusting the length of armholes or overall length easy: just work the front and back to the desired length below the armhole (be sure that the motif rows match on both sides), then keep working the body, flat or in the round, to the desired length.
YARN
Ginger’s Hand Dyed, Sweet Flax 4-ply (4-ply; 50% Baby Alpaca, 25% Linen, 25% Silk; 400 m / 437 yds per 100g)
2 (2, 2, 2, 2) {2, 3, 3, 3} skeins in Bourbon And Water
Blue sample: Birdie on the Shoulder
Orange sample: Melon Balls on Fire
Approximate yardage required:
560 (600, 640, 680, 720) {780, 840, 880, 920} m
613 (656, 700, 744, 787) {853, 919, 963, 1006} yds
GAUGE, NEEDLES & NOTIONS
Gauge
18 sts x 32 rows = 10 cm / 4” measured over broken rib pattern, after blocking
Needles
4 mm circular needle, 80-100 cm / 32-40 in, or size needed to match gauge
Notions
Stitch holder or scrap yarn
Stitch markers: 8 regular markers & 2 lockable markers or safety pins
SIZE AND FIT
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5) {6, 7, 8, 9}
To fit chest: 73 (82, 91, 100, 109) {126, 135, 144, 153} cm / 28.75 (32.25, 35.75, 40, 43) {49.5, 53, 56.5, 60.25} in
Designed to be worn with around 20 cm / 8 in positive ease around bust, and around 15-25 cm / 6-10 in overhang at shoulders. Choose a size based on both desired chest circumference and cross shoulder width of finished garment.
See schematic and table (in photos to left - click photo to view all measurements) for further details.
Size 4 (Bourbon and Water) sample shown with around 20 cm / 8” of positive ease across the chest.
PATTERN ATTRIBUTES
adult size, charts, eyelets, in-the-round, lace, modular, one-piece, positive ease, seamless (also option to work flat and seam), simple short rows, top down, worked flat, written pattern
Pattern includes full written instructions (including written equivalents for charts), photographs, a schematic and has been professionally tech-edited and preview-knitted.
