Summertime Shell

Cast on a beautiful shade of linen yarn and create a look that takes you from the office to a romantic dinner.

Design by Melissa Leapman

Skill Level

Intermediate

Sizes

Woman's small (medium, large, extra-large, 2X-large) Instructions are given for smallest size, with larger sizes in parentheses. When only 1 number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Finished Measurements

Chest: 33 (37 1/2, 41 1/2, 45 1/2, 49 1/2) inches
Length: 22 1/2 (23, 23 1/2, 24, 24 1/4) inches

Materials

Worsted weight linen yarn* (190 yds/100g per skein): 5 (6, 6, 7, 8) skeins violet #45
Size 7 (4.5mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge

*Sample project was completed with Euroflax Worsted (100 percent wet-spun linen) from Louet North America.

Gauge

20 sts and 26 rows = 4 inches/10cm in St st.
16 sts = 4 inches/10cm in Lace pat.
To save time, take time to check gauge.

Special Abbreviation

M1 (Make 1): Inc by making a backward lp over right needle.

Pattern Stitch

Lace Pat
Refer to chart.

Pattern Note

For fully fashioned dec, on RS rows, k2, ssk, work across in established pat until 4 sts rem, end k2tog, k2; on WS rows, p2, p2tog, work across in established pat until 4 sts rem, end ssp, p2.

Back

Cast on 67 (75, 83, 91, 99) sts. Beg Lace Pat from chart and work Rows 1-36 of chart, then work Rows 9-24 once more, using M1 to inc 16 (18, 20, 22, 24) sts evenly across last row. (83, 93, 103, 113, 123 sts)

Beg St st, and work even until back measures approx 15 1/2 inches from beg, ending with a WS row.

Shape armholes

At beg of row, bind off [3 (4, 4, 5, 6) sts] twice, [2 (2, 3, 3, 4) sts] twice, then work fully fashioned dec at each side [every row] 2 (6, 10, 14, 16) times, then [every other row] 4 (3, 2, 1, 1) times. (61, 63, 65, 67, 69 sts rem)

Continue to work even until back measures approx 21 1/2 (22, 22 1/2, 23, 23 1/4) inches from beg, ending with a WS row.

Shape neck

Work across first 15 (16, 17, 18, 19) sts; join 2nd ball of yarn and bind off center 31 sts, work across to end of row.

Working both sides at once with separate balls of yarn, dec 1 st at each neck edge [every row] twice. (13, 14, 15, 16, 17 sts rem each side)

Continue to work even until back measures approx 22 1/2 (23, 23 1/2, 24, 24 1/4) inches from beg. Bind off rem sts.

Front

Work as for back until front measures approx 17 1/2 (18, 18 1/2, 19, 19 1/4) inches from beg, ending with a WS row.

Shape neck

Work across first 23 (24, 25, 26, 27) sts, join 2nd ball of yarn and bind off center 15 sts, work across to end row.

Working both sides at once with separate balls of yarn, bind off at each neck edge [4 sts] once, [2 sts] twice, then dec 1 st at each neck edge [every row] twice. (13, 14, 15, 16, 17 sts rem each side)

Complete as for back.

Assembly

Sew right shoulder seam.

Neckband

With RS facing, pick up and knit 124 sts along neckline.

Work in garter st for 1/2 inch.

Dec row: Knit across, dec 17 sts evenly. (107 sts rem)

Continue to work in garter st until neckband measures approx 1 inch from beg. Bind off all sts.

Sew left shoulder seam.

Armbands

With RS facing, pick up and knit 90 (94, 98, 102, 104) sts along armhole.

Work garter st for 1/2 inch.

Dec row: Knit across, dec 8 (8, 9, 10, 10) sts evenly. (82, 86, 89, 92, 94 sts rem)

Continue to work in garter st until armband measures approx 1 inch from beg. Bind off all sts.

Sew side seams.