 |
|
| My mom and sister in front of the Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt |
|
|
|
My sister lives in Cairo, Egypt, and I'm going to visit her in the fall.
My mom just got back from a 10-day trip seeing all of the amazing sites and spending time with my sister, Liz—look at them in front of the Great Pyramid!
It should be in the 70s when I'm there, which is what the temp was like when my mom was visiting. Mom said she and Liz wore wraps everyday because there was always a still breeze.
You can see my mom wearing a pink shawl I knitted her a few years ago. It's knit with a thick and thin cotton/rayon yarn, and Mom said it was the perfect size and weight to take along wherever she went. And it squishes up tight in the suitcase, too!
I've got about five months to knit myself a special wrap or top to wear on my trip, and don't tell my sister, but maybe I'll leave it there for her!
I've taken my own trip through the new patterns in the Knitting Daily Store, and here are three patterns that I think are good contenders.
|
|
|
|
|
This is the Counterpane
Blouse by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark. I've seen the sample in
person, and it is fabulous!
It's such a show-stopper, I would
love to make it and give it to my sister. I know she'd be thrilled with
it. It's so versatile, too, because it can be worn over a cami or a
tee.
The Counterpane Blouse looks like a really neat pattern to
work, too. The counterpane back panel is worked in the round from the
center out with mitered increases to form a square and the center-front
panel is worked as a garter-stitch rectangle. (But I know from
experience that you can wear this "backwards" so the counterpane detail
is in front!)
The side bodice pieces begin by picking up stitches
from the completed back and front panels, with additional stitches cast
on between the panels for the straps, and then worked outward in garter
stitch with armhole shaping. After sewing the bodice side seams,
stitches are picked up along the lower edge of the completed bodice and
worked downward in the round.
Doesn't that sound fun? And it's
knit out of a linen yarn, which makes a wonderful, breathable fabric that's perfect for
hot climates.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
I've loved the Aran necklace Camisole ever since it showed up in the
spring 2010 issue of Interweave Knits. There are several things
that draw me to this project. One is the attractive cable pattern at the
neckline, another is the knitted hemline, and a third is the
cotton-linen yarn blend recommended for this pattern—it has a beautiful
drape.
This is another fun-to-knit project, too!
 Designer Caroline Bautista's cabled yoke begins and ends
at the center back and is worked sideways across the right back, right
strap, center front, left strap, then left back. Short-rows shape the
yoke into a necklace-like curve (see photo at right).
Stitches
for the body are picked up along the lower edge of the yoke and worked
downward in stockinette, using short-row gussets to fill in the sides of
the front on each side of the yoke. The center-front stitches are
increased below the yoke to create a ruched effect.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Teva
Durham's Filet Patch Blouse is one that's been on my list for a
couple of years. I love the Boho-chic style of it, and the color
possibilities are really fun to think about.
The beauty of this
top is that the "crochet" blocks in the yoke are really knitted! Teva
was inspired by a knitting technique from
the 1940s that mimics the look of traditional filet crochet.
The
seams are on the outside, too, adding even more interest. I love it, and
my sister would love it, too.
The Filet Patch is knit with Aran-weight yarn, so I could definitely get this one done by the fall!
Any one of these breezy patterns would be wonderful additions to my suitcase, so which
one do you think I should make? Leave me a comment below and let me know!
Cheers,
|