Helaine

Back in 2013, I designed a cowl using the stitch that I used for this sweater. I thought the stitch looked rather heraldic, and so I thought I’d name it after Lancelot’s mother. Turns out that was easier said than done. While some of the stories in the Authurian legends are very clear cut, apparently Lancelot’s parentage doesn’t fall into that category. I found four different names associated with Lancelot’s mother: Helsin, Clarine, Helaine, and Elaine. I used Clarine for the cowl, and chose Helaine for this little sweater. In retrospect, perhaps I lucked out as I had plenty of names to choose from.

Helaine has details that Lancelot’s mother, regardless of her name, would have loved: it starts with a folded hem, it’s worked straight up from hem to armholes without shaping, a handful of stitches are added for the cute little sleeves, it has a square neckline, and it has proper clasps to hold it together in front.

• Yarn: light fingering weight; 850, 975, 1125, 1250 [1425, 1575, 1750, 1850] yards held double; about half the yardage for sport weight yarn held single.
• Model: Teresa Ruch Designs Tencel 5/2 held double; model size: 35.75 in; 520 yards in 4 ounces; 100% tencel.
• Gauge: 20 sts and 30 rows to 4 inches (10 cm) in stitch pattern.
• Needles: 1. US 5 (3.75 mm) needles; 2. Second needle of same or smaller size for folded hem; 3. Long circular needle of same size for bands and neckline
• Finished size: 29.5, 32.5, 35.75, 39 [42.25, 45.5, 48.5, 50.25].
• To fit bust: about 2 inches smaller than finished sweater.
• Stitch instructions: Charted and written.