Apricot lace top

Charming top, knitted from soft cotton yarn in apricot color with an expressive lace pattern.

Sizes: 34/36 (42/44)

You will need: yarn (100% cotton; 180 m/50 g) — 200 (250) g apricot; needles No. 3; circular needles No. 3.

Pattern 1: garter stitch = knit and purl rows — knit stitches.

Pattern 2: lace pattern (number of stitches multiple of 20 + 1 + 2 edge stitches) = knit according to the chart. It contains knit and some purl rows. In the unmentioned purl rows, knit all stitches as they appear, twisted knits as twisted purls, and yarn overs according to the instructions. Start with 1 edge stitch and the stitches before the repeat, repeat the repeat continuously, and finish with 1 edge stitch.
Complete rows 1-36 once, then continuously repeat rows 5-36.

Pattern 3: stockinette stitch = knit rows — knit stitches, purl rows — purl stitches.

Pattern 4: ribbing (on 4 stitches + 1 edge stitch). Right edge: edge stitch, 1 purl, 1 knit, 1 purl, 1 knit. Left edge: 1 knit, 1 purl, 1 knit, 1 purl, edge stitch. In purl rows, knit the stitches as they appear.

Pattern 5: purl stockinette = knit rows — purl stitches, purl rows — knit stitches.

Pattern 6: ribbing = circular rows (even number of stitches): alternating 1 knit, 1 purl.

Knitting density:
pattern 2 — 25 sts x 29 rows = 10 x 10 cm;
band with pattern 4 (measure in un-stretched state): 4 sts + 1 edge stitch = width 1 cm.

Pattern chart:

 1 knit stitch: knit row – knit stitch, purl row – purl stitch

 1 purl stitch: knit row – purl stitch, purl row – knit stitch

 purl

U = 1 yarn over

<  1 twisted knit

> 1 twisted purl

  2 stitches knit together

  2 stitches knit together leaning left (1 stitch slipped as knit, 1 knit, then pull it through the slipped stitch)

 2 stitches knit together purl

2>  2 stitches knit together twisted purl

  3 stitches knit together by yarn over (1 stitch slipped as knit, 2 stitches knit together, then pull it through the slipped stitch)

5 - 5 purls

  5 stitches knit together by yarn over (3 stitches slipped together as knit, 2 stitches knit together, then pull it through the slipped stitches)

The last designation - insert the needle 3 rows below, grab and pull out 1 stitch, 1 yarn over, 1 knit, 1 yarn over, reinsert the needle 3 rows below, grab and pull out 1 stitch (= 5 sts)

Work description:

Back: cast on 103 (123) stitches and for the band knit 1 cm = 3 rows in pattern 1, starting with 1 purl row. Continue working in pattern 2.

After 20.5 cm = 60 rows from the band, increase for expansion on both sides 1 x 1 st., then in every 8th row 3 x 1 st. and knit all increases in pattern 3 = 111 (131) sts.

After 32.5 cm = 94 rows from the band, bind off for armholes on both sides 1 x 3 sts., then in every 2nd row bind off 2 x 2 sts.
When making decreases, ensure that the number of yarn overs and knit-together stitches within the pattern match.

After 34.5 cm = 100 rows from the band, continue working for the armhole bands on the outer edges 4 sts + 1 edge stitch in pattern 4. At the same time, decrease in pattern 4 for the armhole slope in the 1st row of the bands 1 x 1 st. and then in every 2nd row another 21 (25) x 1 st., for this in the beginning of the row after the band and at the end of the row before the band knit 2 stitches together purlwise.

Attention: the reduction in width created by the band in pattern 4 is accounted for in the pattern size of the armhole. At the same time, after 46.5 cm = 136 rows (49.5 cm = 144 rows) from the band, bind off the middle 31 (35) sts for the neckline and finish both sides separately.

To round off the inner edge, bind off in every 2nd row 1 x 3 sts., 1 x 2 sts. and 1 x 1 st.

Attention: if there are too few stitches on the needles to continue pattern 2, knit the shoulder stitches on both sides of the neckline in pattern 5.

After 49.5 cm = 144 rows (52.5 cm = 152 rows) from the band, bind off the remaining 5 (9) sts for the shoulders.

Front: knit as the back, but with a deeper neckline. For this, after only 42 cm = 122 rows (45 cm = 130 rows) from the band, bind off the middle 17 (21) sts and to round off the inner edge, bind off in every 2nd row 2 x 3 sts., 2 x 2 sts. and 1 x 1 st., then in every 4th row bind off 2 x 1 st.

Sewing: sew the shoulder seams. For the neckline trim, cast on 92 (100) stitches on circular needles along the neckline edge and knit 1.5 cm = 4 circular rows in pattern 6. Then bind off all stitches according to the pattern. Sew the side seams.