Free Pattern: Worsted Lace and Rib Top

I am not really a lacy kind of girl. I lack the patience for knitting complex lace patterns, and as the mom of a toddler they don’t really fit my lifestyle right now (not that they fit my style before I had a kid, either).

But I do like lace with something extra. Large-scale lace is a lot of fun, for instance, and makes a big impact. Lace combined with other patterns into something more structural is more interesting to me than lace is on its own.

That’s why I love the Venezia Worsted Lace and Rib Top designed by Fiona Ellis for Cascade Yarns (the link to download the PDF is on the linked page). This pretty project combines mistake rib and lace is a raglan top with ties that has a lot of structure and interest. The lace section almost looks like cables, which is fun, too.

The yarn, Venezia, is a pretty combo of wool and mulberry silk. I haven’t used it but it certainly looks lovely and makes a cute summer/spring/multiseasonal top that’s perfect to slip on over your favorite tank top and jeans or your cutest summer sun dress.

[Photo by Cascade Yarns.]

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I know knitting a dress sounds like a major time commitment. And that’s before I even tell you that this particular dress, the Sixth Ave Skater Dress by Briana Luppino, is worked in light fingering weight yarn.

But would you just take a moment to look at it and tell me if it doesn’t look like it would be worth all the time you would spend knitting it? And it’s miles of stockinette stitch so it’s actually beginner friendly and a great semi-mindless knit you can take with you on your travels this summer and wear when it is done.

The dress is worked from the top down with tank straps, a scoop neck, waist shaping and a flowy skirt for a fun and comfortable fit.

The pattern has 10 sizes, with finished bust measurements ranging from 28 to 64 inches, or 71.5 to 163 cm. The sample shown was worked with 4 inches/10 cm of negative ease at the bust, and the designer says most people like between 2 and 6 inches/5 to 15 cm of negative ease in the bust and around 10 inches/25.4 cm positive ease in the hips.

(To refresh your memory, negative ease means the measurement of the garment is smaller than your actual body measurement, while positive ease is bigger than your body.)

To pick a size you’d work from the bust measurement because you can always add more or fewer decreases as you need to get your desired fit at the waist and hips. And because it’s worked from the top down you can try it on as often as you like to make sure it’s the perfect fit.

The I-cord edgings give the dress a super casual feel, and I think this would be a great one to add to your summer rotation. (Yes, even with a wool blend yarn.)

You can see lots of cute finished versions and grab a copy of the pattern for yourself on Ravelry.

[Photo: Briana Luppino]

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