SHAWL-BACK BOLERO IN PURE ALPACA by Michelle Ciccariello, knit by Shui Kuen Kozinski Experience Level: Intermediate to Experienced. Size and Yarn Requirements: 10 balls of elann.com Peruvian Pure Alpaca. Garment is pictured in color 0790 Hyacinth, with a finished bust of 38", and a finished length of 27" at its longest back point, exclusive of fringe. Sizing for lace garments is very fluid, and can be changed to suit at the blocking stage, keeping in mind that blocking will add more length than width. Size can also be changed as described in the knit-to-fit instructions and designer's notes below. If you knit-to-fit, simply increase or decrease your yarn requirements, according to the percentage you adjust the finished bust. e.g. if you were to make the bust 42" wide, rather than 38", you would calculate that 42" is 10% wider than 38" (42 divided by 38 = 1.1), so you would need 10% more yarn – i.e. 11 balls, rather than 10. Other Materials: - 4.0 mm (US 6) circular, or size necessary to obtain gauge - A second circular (or dpns) of same size for working sleeves - larger circular needles to use for bottom shaping - 4 ring markers, color A, to mark increase points. - Multiple ring markers, color B, to mark repeats of lace pattern. - Multiple ring markers, color C, to mark queue stitch sections. - Stitch holders (or narrow ribbon). Gauge: Measured over Quatrefoil Eyelet, using 4.0 mm (US 6) needles, 20 sts and 26 rows = 4". Lace Stitch Patterns: Quatrefoil Eyelet (mltpl of 8sts) R1 and all odd rounds: k for rounds, purl for rows. R2: k R4: K3, *yo, ssk, k6*, rep from * to *, end k3 R6: k1, *k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3*, rep from * to *, end k2 R8: Repeat R4 R10: k R12: k7, repeat from * to * of R4, end k1 R14: k5, repeat from * to * of R6, end k3 R16: Repeat R12 Little Lace Points Edging - This pattern reaches its max length (5 sts) on row 5. - Cast on 1 stitch, using cable cast-on (Insert rt needle between 1st and 2nd sts of lft needle, draw through a loop, and move loop onto lft needle to make new 1st stitch.) - This pattern will require a 1-time-only foundation row as follows: K1, K next st together with 1 st from garment's edge, knitting through the back loops, to make a k1toE-tbl (Knit 1 to Edge - through back loops). R1: K1, yo, k1 (3) R2 and all other evens except R10: k across to last st, k1toE-tbl R3: K2, yo, k1 (4 sts) R5: K3, yo, k1 (5 sts) R7: k2, yo, SK2P (4 sts) R9: k1, yo, SK2P (3 sts) R10: Bind off 1, k1toE-tbl (2 sts) Modified Primrose (Primrose without Faggoting) - This pattern reaches its max length (13) on row 5. - Cast on 6 stitches using cable cast-on (Insert rt needle between 1st and 2nd sts of lft needle, draw through a loop, and move loop onto lft needle to make new 1st stitch.) Repeat 5 more times. - This pattern will require a 1-time-only foundation row as follows: K3, yo, K2tog, K last st together with 1 st from garment's edge, knitting through the back loops, to make a k1toE-tbl (Knit 1 to Edge - through back loops). R1: k1, ssk, CO 4 sts, k2tog, k1 (8sts) Rows 2, 4, 6: k across to last st, k1toE-tbl R3: ssk, (yo, k1) x4, yo, k2tog (11 sts) R5: ssk, (yo, K1)x2, yo, SK2P, (yo, k1)x2, yo, k2tog (13) R7: k11, k2tog (12 sts) R8: Bind Off 6, k4, k1toE-tbl (6 sts) This Bolero is worked from the top-down. You will be knitting two sleeves and a back, plus partial fronts, which taper off very quickly. A medium-wide lace edging will build a short stand-up collar around the back of the neck and bring the fronts to a slight overlap. Cast On: You will be casting on 2 sleeves and a back. The back will be designated by 2 stitch markers. The stitches on either side of the back will become the sleeves. You'll also place a stitch marker one or two stitches in from each end. These designate the end of each sleeve and allow a 1-or-2-stitch edge on each side from which to grow the bolero fronts. CO 44 sts, place markers after 2, 10, 34, 42, and 44 sts. These markers divide your work as follows: 2 front sts, 8 sleeve sts, 24 back sts, 8 sleeve sts, 2 front sts. From Neck Down to Underarms (Knit to Fit): - All RS Rows: K-f&b before & after each marker, and every 4th row, inc 1 at the beginning and end of row. - All WS Rows: Purl or reverse-knit across, as required by lace pattern. - Knit the first 2-6 rows in plain stockinette, then begin lace stitch patterns wherever you have enough sts in any given section for a repeat of the pattern. Any sts that are left over will be worked in stockinette until you have built up enough increased sts to add another repeat of the lace pattern. - Continue knitting, watching the raglan increase lines grow towards the underarms (to determine correct length, measure the vertical distance from the neck to the underarm of the wearer, then add one inch for ease (this is usually 4-8 inches for kids and 10-12 inches for adults). Garment, as pictured, measures 9" from neck to underarm. - Continue knitting until stitches across back section (between your center two increase markers) equal half of total needed for chest measurement of the size you are making. (If you are using an open lace stitch, one with very little stockinette in the pattern, keep in mind that the lace will stretch when blocked, so stretch it when you measure.) Garment, as pictured, measures 19" across the back section from underarm to underarm, for a finished chest measurement of 38". - Move the back's stitches to a stitch holder or length of narrow ribbon, then move the front stitches on each end to a separate length of narrow ribbon or stitch holder. - You are going to finish the sleeves before returning to the back, because it is easiest to knit the sleeves when there is nothing else in the way. Sleeves: - Move sleeve-backs (underarm to back of shoulder) to one circular needle, and sleeve-fronts (underarm to front of shoulder) to a second circular needle (or use dpns and knit each sleeve separately). - Using a different ball of yarn for each sleeve, knit around once, casting on 2 sts at the underarm-side of each sleeve-half - Knit around, in the same lace pattern for about 5 inches, then begin decreasing 1 st ea side of underarm every 4th rnd. - Stop at three-quarter (or longer, as desired) length. Sample garment sleeves measure 22.5" from neck to bottom edge of sleeves, including edging. - Bind off with Little Lace Points Edging. Body: - Pick up and knit front sts from one side, underarm sts (the 4 extra sts you cast on for sleeve), back sts, the other underarm's stitches (the 4 extra cast-on sts), then the sts from the other front. You should have no underarm holes: ALL underarm sts should be on the needle with everything else, and the underarm sections should fit smoothly into your lace pattern. If more stitches are needed at each underarm, pick up and knit extra stitches at each underarm, or if fewer stitches are needed, knit some of the old queue sts on either side of the underarm together. - Knit back and forth, in pattern, for about 1 or 2 inches, with no increasing or decreasing. - Then K2tog at beginning, and ssk at the end, of every row, until no stitches remain. Sample garment measures 27" at its longest back point, exclusive of fringe. - Trim the back with fringe, beginning at one side (in line with underarm) moving down to tip of shawl-back, and up to opposite side (in line with underarm) Shoulder-Neck Edging: - Pick up all sts from one side (in line with the underarm) to the other. Beginning at one side, pick up all sts from one front, picking up an extra loop before and after the corner (where you began the decreases; it is not a very sharp corner, more of an obtuse angle, but to make sure it doesn't pucker, you need to pick up extra stitches before and after), moving up one front, towards shoulder, at a rate of pick up 3, skip 1, then pick up all sts around neck, continuing down the other front, resuming a rate of pick up 3, skip 1, again picking up an extra loop before and after the corner, all the sts across the bottom of the front, and ending at the opposite underarm. - From RS, knit across all (or from WS, purl across all), placing markers to show the front corners, where you will be increasing. - Work in rows, in a seed (or other) non-curling stitch, increasing on each side of each bottom corner, EOR (every other row). - To maintain the rounded look of the corners, do not make these increases in the same place each time, keep moving them one st farther away from the corner. - Work back and forth, beginning each row with a sl1-k2tog-psso (SK2P). - Continue until rib edge is 1-2 inches or as desired - With live stitches still on the needle, pick up the decreased stitches on each end - Bind off all stitches using Modified Primrose Edging. - In the sample garment, the modified Primrose edging was left unblocked to achieve a frilly-floral look. - Another option is to block the Modified Primrose edging and sew on a front button, using yarn to whip-stitch around one of the lace holes which lines up with the button (to stabilize a lace hole as the buttonhole). DESIGNER'S NOTES Notes on Gauge: This sample was knit in elann.com 100% Pure Alpaca, but is easily adaptable to other yarns. The neck is not fully constructed with the cast-on stitches; it is constructed as you knit, as are the chest size and length, so any gauge will work. Simply choose a gauge that gives you the amount of drape, fluff, or density you want with the yarn you are using. Notes on Choosing Alternate Lace Stitch Patterns: If you are substituting a lace stitch which requires an odd number of stitches, use an odd cast-on; if it requires an even-number, choose an even cast-on. This keeps the number of sts in each sleeve or back section odd or even, allowing the stitch pattern's motif to land in the center, which matters in some decorative stitches. For average sized woman, for an even number of stitches: CO 44 sts, place markers after 2, 10, 34, 42, and 44 sts (for child: CO 24 sts; place markers after 2, 6, 18, and 22 sts). For average sized woman, and an odd number of stitches: CO 37 sts and place ring markers after 1, 8, 29, and 36 sts (for child: CO 17 sts; place markers after 1, 4, 13, and 16 sts.) Notes on Resizing: Cast on on amounts above can be altered as much as you like; the vital thing is to keep the ratio the same. Sleeve-to-back ratio needs to stay at 1-to-3. If you add a few more sts to the back section, but not to the sleeves, the chest measurement will end up a little bigger; if you add a st or two extra to the sleeve sections, but not the back, the sleeves will come out more full. If you want to change the proportions on purpose, use this as a guideline. If you just want to change the total cast on amount, stick to the 3-to-1 ratio. Each sleeve should be 1/8 of the total, the back 3/8 of the total, and the fronts will eventually grow to join and equal the back for the remaining 3/8 of the total. Abbreviations: CO - cast on, dpns - double point needles, ea - each, EOR - every other row, inc - increase, k - knit, K1toE-tbl - knit 1 to edge, through back loops, k2tog - knit 2 together, kf&b - knit into the front loop and then the back loop of the same stitch, lft - left, mltpl - multiple of, R - right, rnd - round, RS(R) - right side (row), rt - right, sc - single crochet, seed stitch - row 1 - *K1, P1* across, row 2 – knit all purl sts and purl all knit sts, SK2P - slip 1 knitwise – k2tog - pass slipped stitch over, SSK - slip, slip, knit - slip next two stitches knitwise, one at a time, to right-hand needle. Insert tip of left-hand needle into fronts of these stitches, from left to right. Knit them together. One stitch has been decreased, st(s) - stitch(es), WS(R) - wrong side (row), yo - yarn over (yf for British & Canadian knitters). Please note this pattern is copyrighted material and the entire contents of this pattern are copyrighted as a collective work under the copyright laws of Canada and the United States. You may print a copy of this pattern for your own personal use and enjoyment, but editing, publishing, transmitting, e-mailing, posting it to a list service or database, or otherwise commercially exploiting this pattern is strictly forbidden. Copyright Michelle Ciccariello