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Archive entry for July 2014

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July 2014

Sun Jersey or Sun Top

SunJersey3a.jpg

By the sea in 1950 - a quick (ish) knit in fine yarn.
"This intriguing affair is knitted short for a sun top or as long as you like for a jumper.
For evening wear decorate the lattice ribs of the sun-ray yoke with sequins or beads.
"

Instructions.

These instructions are for a sun top - which is essentially a cropped top ending at the waist, and a "jersey" version which is slightly longer. In both versions the front and back are knitted separately in stocking stitch (one row knit, one row purl) and then joined to form a patterned yoke with intergral cap sleeve.

Sun Jersey Front

With No 11 needles cast on 112 stitches and work 16 rows in stocking-stitch, starting with a knit row.

Continue in stocking stitch, shaping waist as follows:-
Next row: k2tog, k26, (k2tog) twice, k48, (k2tog) twice, k26, k2tog.
Work 7 rows straight, starting with a purl row.
Next row: k2tog, k24, (k2tog) twice, k46, (k2tog) twice, k24, k2tog.
Work 7 rows straight, starting with a purl row.
Next row: k2tog, k22, (k2tog) twice, k44, (k2tog) twice, k22, k2tog.
Work 7 rows straight, starting with a purl row.
Next row: k2tog, k20, (k2tog) twice, k42, (k2tog) twice, k20, k2tog.
Work 7 rows straight, starting with a purl row. [88 sts]
Purl one row.

Change to No 13 needles and work 1½ inches straight, ending with a purl row.

Change back to No 11 needles.

Next row: increase in 1st stitch, k27, increase in each of next 2 sts, k28, increase in each of next 2 sts, k27, increase in last stitch. [94 sts]
Purl one row.

Continue in stocking stitch, shaping sides by increasing 1 stitch at each end of the next and every following 6th row until there are 114 stitches.
Purl one row.

** With right side facing, divide for yoke as follows:-

Next row: k53; turn and leave remaining stitches on a spare needle.

Continue on first 53 sts, working 3 more increasings at the side edge on every 6th row as before; then, keeping this edge straight, at the same time start to shape the yoke by casting off 4 sts. at the beginning of the next 7 purl rows, then 2 at beginning of following 4 purl rows.
[20 sts]

With right side facing, shape armhole by casting off 6 sts at the beginning of the next row; then k2tog at this edge on next 6 knit rows, while at the same time continuing to shape the neck by casting off 2 sts at the beginning of the next 2 purl rows and then p2tog at the beginning of the following 4 purl rows.

Fasten off.

Return to remaining stitches and slip centre 8 sts on a spare needle or safety pin.

With right side facing, rejoin wool to last 53 sts and work to correspond with first shoulder, reversing all shapings.

Sun Jersey Back

Work exactly as for front until there are 114 sts, then continue in stocking stitch, increasing at side edges on every 6th row as before until there are 118 sts.
Purl one row.

** With right side facing, divide for yoke as follows:-

Next row: k55; turn and leave remaining stitches on a spare needle.

Continue on these 55 sts, working 1 more increase at side edge as before, then keep this edge straight, and at the same time shape yoke by casting off 4 sts. at beginning of next 5 purl rows. [36 sts]

With right side facing, shape armhole by casting off 8 sts at the beginning of the next row; then k2tog at this edge on next 7 knit rows, while at the same time continuing to shape the neck by casting off 2 sts at the beginning of the next 10 purl rows.

Fasten off.

Return to remaining stitches and slip centre 8 sts on a spare needle or safety pin.

With right side facing, rejoin wool to last 55 sts and work to correspond with first back shoulder, reversing all shapings.

Yoke

Back: With No 11 needles, cast on 32 sts, then with right side facing, on to this needle, pick up and knit 40 sts down right side of back, k8 from spare needle, pick up and knit 41 sts up left back.
Turn. (wrong side now facing)
Cast on 32 sts.
Next row: Purl across 153 stitches.

Now work in pattern thus:-

1st row (right side facing): k3; * wfd, slip 1, k2tog, psso, wfd, k6; repeat from * ending last repeat k3 instead of k6.
2nd row: Purl.
3rd row: Knit.
4th row: Purl.

These 4 rows form the pattern.

Work 6 more rows.

Next row (decrease row on 3rd pattern row): k8, k2tog, * k7, k2tog; repeat from * to last 8 sts, k8. [137 sts]

Continue in pattern, decreasing 1 stitch in centre of each stocking stitch panel as laid out above on every following 8th row until 2 sts remain in each panel.
At the same time decrease 1 stitch at each end of the 15th and following 16th row, then keep shoulder edges straight [85 sts].

[Editor's note: This is one of those things that is easier to do with the knitting in front of you than to explain. Each decrease row reduces the number of sts by 16. So on the 7th row following your 4 initial pattern rows, you do your first set of decreases as above [137 sts]; your next decreases are on the 15th row where you also decrease one stitch at each end of the row as well as in the panels so this decreases 18 sts in the row [119 sts]; on the next 8th row you decrease 16 sts in the panels only [103 sts]; and finally on the next 8th row you decrease in the panels as well as each end - 18 sts [85 sts remain]. Note that you have to place your decreases in the stocking stitch panels by centering them by eye rather than counting.]

Now work straight until the yoke is 4 inches deep.
Change to No 13 needles and work 4 rows garter-stitch.
Castoff.

Front: With No. 11 needles, cast on 32 sts, then with right side facing, pick up and knit 54 sts. down left front, k8 from spare needle, pick up and knit 54 sts up right front.
Turn. (wrong side now facing)
Cast on 32 sts.
Next row: Purl across 180 stitches.

Finish exactly as for the back, but you will have 100 sts on needle at end of the decrease rows instead of 85.

[Editor's note: So - same sequence as on the back but this time each decrease row reduces the number of sts by 19. So on the 7th row following your 4 initial pattern rows, you do your first set of decreases using the same layout for the decrease row as given for the back [161 sts]; your next decreases are on the 15th row where you also decrease one stitch at each end of the row as well as in the panels so this decreases 21sts in the row [140 sts]; on the next 8th row you decrease 19 sts in the panels only [121 sts]; and finally on the next 8th row you decrease in the panels as well as each end - 21 sts - and voilà - 100 sts remain.]

Cropped Sun Top Front

With No 13 needles, cast on 102 sts and work 2½ inches k1, p1 rib.

Change to No 11 needles and stocking stitch and increase at each end of the 1st and every following 6th row until there are 114 sts.
Purl one row.

Now work as for Sun Jersey front from ** to end.

Cropped Sun Top Back

Work exactly as for front until there are 114 sts then continue in stocking stitch, increasing at side edges on every 6th row as before until there are 118 sts.
Purl one row.

Now work exactly as for the back of Sun Jersey from ** to end.

Cropped Sun Top Yoke

Work exactly as given for the Sun Jersey.

Making Up

Press pieces on wrong side under a damp cloth.
Join side and shoulder seams.

Work a row of double crochet all round armholes and lower edge of the Jersey.
Thread shirring elastic through the ribbing of the Sun Top, and work double crochet round armholes.

Press seams.

Materials

6 ozs Patons Beehive Bouclet for sun jersey; 4 ozs for sun-top.

[Editor's note: When substituting with modern fibres you may need more than stated unless your chosen yarn has a particularly good yardage.]

One pair each
No 13 (2¼mm) and No 11 (3mm) needles.
One No 12 (2¾mm) crochet hook.

Shirring elastic for the sun top.

Tension

30sts to 4 ins.

Size matters

To fit 32-34 inch chest; length from top of shoulders, on jumper 19½ inches; on sun-top 13 inches.

Abbreviations

wfd: "wool forward": make a stitch by bringing the wool to the front of the work and then passing the yarn over the needle when you make the next stitch.
sl1: slip 1 stitch.
psso: pass the slipped stitch over.
k2tog or p2tog: knit or purl 2 sts together (decrease one stitch).

double crochet:
find instructions to crochet stitches >>here<<

[Editor's note: Remember these are English crochet instructions where double crochet is equivalent to US single crochet - see "Terminology" in the side bar.]

A Word on the Wool

The tension for this yarn implies it knits approximately as a 4 ply. Susan Crawford's Excelana 4 ply or Excelite 3ply yarn might work well here - or a fine cotton. Do check your tension with a swatch.

Using a slightly thicker yarn (I emphasis slightly) or a larger needle size might work well to increase the size range while still keeping the pattern in proportion. As usual do your calculations and swatching carefully if you want to do this. An apparent slight move in tension from 30 sts to 28 sts for 4 inches potentially increases the chest size from 32-34 inches as stated in the pattern up to 36½ inches.

Disclaimer
(well...almost)

In transposing any pattern it is always a risk that errors will be introduced, in spite of dedicated proof reading.
If you have any problems with this pattern, please and I will try and assist.

SunJersey2.jpg

© Christina Coutts 2007

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