Bauxite is a breezy summer blouse with lace detailing, v-neck front, a deep v-neck back, and I-cord straps. It’s worked seamlessly, top down. The deep armholes create a breathable cotton top that is somewhat pit-sweat resistant. The loose, open look of the garment make it great for showing off your other knits,  this crop top. The chevron lace is deceptively easy. It looks a little fancy, but it’s really just the same 10 stitch repeat throughout.

The actual measurements of the top are 21″ wide (not accounting for the straps, which add anywhere from 4″ to 9″) and 21″ long. It’s designed to be worn with several inches of positive ease. Because the armhole is long and loose and the straps can be adjusted, this piece could fit a wide range of sizes. However, If you want the make it larger (or smaller), I would recommend adding (or subtracting) a multiple of 10 stitches at the shoulders, and working that many more (or less) lace repeats over those stitches. For example, to make the piece about 8” wider, I’d cast on and pick up 77 stitches (rather than 57) at each shoulder, and work 7 lace repeats (rather than 5). You may also want to make the armholes and body a bit longer (or shorter) if you are modifying the size, and don’t forget that that will affect how much yarn you’ll need.

The pattern calls for four skeins of Brown Sheep Cotton Fine, but I only used right around three skeins. If you frog your swatch and are careful, you may be able to get away with using only three as well. 🙂

If you would like a PDF version of this pattern, you can purchase one from my Ravelry store right here.

 

MATERIALS

4 skeins, Brown Sheep, Cotton Fine

US 5 circular needle (I used a 24″)

2 US 5 double pointed needles

Stitch markers

Stitch holder or scrap yarn

GAUGE

4”= 23 stitches + 32 rows in stockinette stitch on US 5 needles after blocking

1 lace repeat on US 5 needles = 2″ wide + 2.75″ long

STITCH PATTERNS

The pattern uses essentially the same repeat throughout. However, to keep the instructions simple, I’ve broken it up into three different charts. Chart A is used on the front shoulders. Chart B is used on the back. Chart C is used on the front edging.

                 Chart A                                                        Chart B                                                  Chart C

ABBREVIATIONS

sm= slip marker

SK2PO= slip 1 stitch, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over the knit 2 together (2 stitches decreased)

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PATTERN

Left Front

Cast on 57 stitches using the long tail cast on method (this counts as the first row). Knit 3 rows.

Row 5 (right side): knit 3, place marker, work across Chart A 5 times (50 stitches), knit 1, place marker, knit 3.

Row 6: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 7: knit 3, slip marker, work across Chart A 5 times (50 stitches), knit 1, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 8: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Repeat rows 7 and 8 until chart A has been worked one time vertically. Then work as follows

Row 37: knit all stitches

Row 38: as row 8.

Repeat rows 37 and 38 until piece measures about 7”. Break yarn and without removing markers, place stitches on hold to be worked later.

Right Front

Work the same as left front. Don’t break yarn at the end though. You will now work across both pieces to join them together.

Join Fronts

With right side of right front facing and leaving markers in place, knit across piece until there is 1 stitch remaining. With right side of left front facing, knit the last stitch from the right front together with the first stitch from the left front. Knit to the end of the row. You should have 113 stitches, with 5 stitches in between those 2 markers in the center.

Row 2 (wrong side): knit 3, slip marker, purl to marker, slip marker, knit to marker, slip marker, purl to marker, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 3: knit to second marker, slip marker, knit 1, SK2PO, knit 1, slip marker, knit to end. You should have 111 stitches.

Row 4: as row 2.

Row 5: knit to second marker, slip marker, SK2PO,  slip marker, knit to end. You should have 109 stitches.

Row 6: as row 2, removing the 2 markers in the center.

Row 7: Knit 53, SK2PO (this should be right above the SK2PO you made on row 5), knit to end. You should have 107 stitches.

Row 8: as row 2.

Row 9: knit all stitches.

Row 10: as row 2.

Repeat rows 9 and 10 until piece measures 11”.  Break yarn and without removing markers, place stitches on hold to be worked later.

Right Back

With right side of right front facing, pick up 57 stitches from cast on edge (counts as first row). Knit 3 rows.

Row 5 (right side): knit 3, place marker, work across Chart B 5 times (50 stitches), knit 1, place marker, knit 3.

Row 6: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 7: knit 3, slip marker, work across Chart B 5 times (50 stitches), knit 1, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 8: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Repeat rows 7 and 8 until piece measures the same length as the front (around 11”). Make a note of which row of the chart you end on.  Break yarn and without removing markers, place stitches on hold to be worked later.

Left Back

With right side of left front facing, pick up 57 stitches from cast on edge. Work the same as right back piece, ending on the same chart row. Don’t break the yarn at the end though. You will now work across all pieces to join them together.

Body

The back pieces are joined in the same way as the front pieces, except that the piece is now being worked in the round. 

Row 1: Working over left back piece. knit 3, work in pattern to next marker, knit until there is 1 stitch remaining. With right side of right back facing, knit the last stitch from the right front together with the first stitch from the right back, knit to marker, work in pattern to next maker, knit to end. With right side of front facing and continuing with the same strand of yarn, knit 3, knit to next marker, knit 3, place marker (this will indicate the beginning of the round). Join to work in the round. You should have 220 stitches (113 on the back and 107 on the front) and 7 markers. There should be 5 stitches between the 2 markers at the center of the back.

Row 2: sm, purl to next marker, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, purl to next maker, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, purl to next marker, knit to next marker, sm, purl to end of round.

Row 3: sm, knit to next marker, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, knit 1, SK2PO, knit 1, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, knit to end of round.  You should have 218 stitches (111 on the back and 107 on the front). There should be 3 stitches between the 2 markers at the center of the back.

Row 4: as row 2.

Row 5: sm, knit to next marker, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, SK2PO, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, knit to end of round. You should have 216 stitches (109 on the back and 107 on the front). There should be 1 stitch between the 2 markers at the center of the back.

Row 6: as row 2.

Row 7: sm, knit to next marker, sm, work in pattern until there is 1 stitch remaining before next marker, SK2PO (removing the 2 markers as you do this), work in pattern to next marker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, knit to end of round. You should have 214 stitches (107 on the back and 107 on the front).

Row 8: sm, purl to next marker, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, purl to next maker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, purl to end of round.

Row 9: sm, knit to next marker, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, knit to next marker, sm, knit to end of round.

Row 10: as row 8.

Note that you will maintain the lace pattern over the back of the piece, and you will maintain the garter stitch pattern at the underarm where the front and back meet. This means that on every other row (all even numbered rows), you will knit (rather than purl) over the lace pattern on the back, and you will purl (rather than knit) on the 6 stitches at each underarm.

Repeat rows 9 and 10 until piece measures about 5.5” from the underarm, ending with row 8 of Chart B. You will now split the piece in two and begin working flat over the back then the front to create the side vents.

Back Edging

Remove markers and place the 107 front stitches on hold to be worked later. With right side of back facing, work over the 107 stitches on the back as follows:

Row 1 (right side): knit 3, place marker, beginning on row 9 of chart work across Chart B 10 times (100 stitches), knit 1, place marker, knit 3.

Row 2: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 3: knit 3, slip marker, work across Chart B 10 times (100 stitches), knit 1, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 4: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until you’ve worked 24 rows of chart B, ending on row 8 of the chart. Knit 6 rows. Bind off all stitches.

Front Edging

Place front stitches you have on hold back onto the needles and rejoin yarn.

Row 1 (right side): knit 3, place marker, knit until 3 stitches remain, place marker, knit 3.

Row 2: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 3: knit 3, slip marker, knit to marker, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 4: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Repeat rows 3 and 4, 6 more times. Then work as follows

Row 17: knit 3, slip marker, work across Chart C 10 times (100 stitches), knit 1, slip marker, knit 3.

Row 18: knit 3, slip marker, purl to maker, slip marker, knit 3.

Repeat rows 17 and 18 until you’ve worked one repeat of Chart C. Then knit 6 rows and bind off all stitches.

Straps

With the right side of left shoulder facing and using a double pointed needle, pick up 3 stitches from neck edge over the seam (where you cast on for the front and picked up stitches for the back). Work in i-cord for 20” or until you just can’t take it anymore. Finish off stitches by knitting 3 together, cutting the yarn and pulling it through the last stitch. Tuck/weave the yarn inside the cord to hide it. Repeat these steps on the right shoulder.

Finish

Weave in all your ends (or don’t 💁🏽), and block well to let that lace shine. I used a steamy iron on a low setting and pressed lightly, directly onto the fabric (be careful not the burn the wool though!).  I looooove, seeing your work, so be sure to share it with me on Ravelry and Instagram using the hashtag #samsweaterz. Happy knitting 😘