Sizes: 38" (41" - 44" - 48" - 53" - 57" - 61") finished garment chest measurement
This darling hand knit cropped jacket is a fast knit while still remaining quite stylish in the process. It sits an inch or so below the natural waistline (or wherever you prefer), and detailed options are included for knitting WITH or WITHOUT short-row bodice shaping for a more tailored form fit, if desired.
Since it is impossible to design for every possible body shape, measurements are included throughout the knitwear instructions to allow adjustments to be made for a more custom fit as well. Choose the size which best reflects the desired circumference below the breasts. I would recommend a size with 2" - 3" of ease to which short rows can provide the additional circumference needed to mold over the breasts for the more fitted tailored shaping. Illustrated sample is modeled 1 size too large with 5" ease in chest and includes no short-row shaping.
Sleeves are short, so it is appropriate for wear all year 'round, whether to the office, about town, or after-hours (even here in hot, humid central Texas). The lapel collar gives it a more sophisticated look than might be expected of such a short, tailored little jacket.
Much less yarn is required than for a typical sweater. Any sport-weight yarn which produces gauge will work, including any combination of finer yarns which together constitute a somewhat sport-weight. I used 1 strand of white 5/2 perle cotton (2100 yds per lb; 24-26 wpi) and 1 strand of a light blue 80-20 cotton-polyester bouclé that has been in my stash for over 20 years because I had too little to knit much of anything with it. The bouclé pretty much yielded gauge, but the fine cotton perle added more structure and visual brightness to the resulting fabric. I also liked the look and feel of it much more. Three strands of lace-weight yarn would likely make gauge as well.
Required Yardage: 760 (890, 1000, 1155, 1325, 1460, 1625) yds [or 814 (948, 1062, 1223, 1399, 1540, 1710) yds needed if choose to insert 3" of short rows]. Detailed yardage requirements are included in the pattern packet.
Knit gauge in Stockinette Stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) is 23 stitches and 36 rows per inch on Size 4 US needles (5 3/4 sts x 9 rows per inch). This produces a stable gauge, and if cotton is used, it will not stretch out of shape (as can happen with too loose a gauge).
The illustrations in yellow are a Left Front from the jacket which I knitted with an acrylic worsted-weight yarn on the size 4 needles to create a very stiff fabric, in order to clearly illustrate the sort of shaping which 3" of short rows produces. I stuffed the middle portion of the dart area, but the extra 3" goes all the way across the chest and thus can accommodate high-chest, mid-chest, and/or low-chest fullness. Detailed instructions for each size are included in the 7 pages of instructions which include the optional addition of short-row bust shaping. For more information about knitted contour shaping, see my tutorial on Knitting Bust Darts.
|
|
Sizes: 38" (41" - 44" - 48" - 53" - 57" - 61") finished garment chest measurement
This variation on the short sleeved hand knit cropped jacket above is knitted with fingering-weight yarn. The two patterns are exactly the same except for 1.) the obvious differences in gauge (thus they are shown in red, to be easier to notice) and 2.) this striped version including detailed instructions for the optional inclusion of vertical bust darts, since short-row shaping is inappropriate for stripes (see more illustrations at Knitting Bust Darts). Details ARE still included for optional short-row shaping as well, though, as they are an appropriate choice for non-striped patterning. Naturally, this short-sleeved jacket may be knitted in a solid color, if preferred.
Measurements are again included throughout the instructions to allow adjustments to be made for a more custom fit, as desired. Including so many options made the instructions 11 pages long, which accounts for the increased price of this version of the pattern. Again, choose the size which best reflects the desired circumference below the breasts (with 2" - 3" of ease), and use either vertical darts or short-rows (depending on the color patterning chosen), or both, for the additional circumference needed to mold over the breasts for the more contoured shaping. Illustrated sample is modeled 1 size too large with 5" ease in the chest and has no short row shaping or vertical bust darts.
The lighter weight of this tailored little jacket makes it even MORE desirable for warm and humid weather. It is perfect for wear all year 'round, whether to the office, about town, or after-hours. It provides just enough warmth over sleeveless clothing in cool air-conditioned environments during warm seasons.
Folks are often wondering what can be knit with sock-weight yarn besides socks. Here is the perfect knitwear project for commonly used sock yarns. Much less yarn is required than for a typical sweater. Any fingering/sock-weight yarn which produces gauge will work for this knit jacket, including any combination of finer lace-weight yarns which together constitute a somewhat fingering/sock-weight. I used 3/2 perle cotton (1260 yds per lb, or 18 wraps per inch) for this striped short-sleeved knit jacket. I am currently using one strand of lace-weight Italian silk with one strand of 5/2 perle cotton (2100 yds per lb) for a third variation on this basic short-sleeved tailored jacket which will illustrate knitted vertical bust darts.
Required Yardage: 999 (1169, 1315, 1519, 1743, 1919, 2135) yds [or 1071 (1246, 1398, 1609, 1841, 2024, 2247) yds needed if choose the option to insert 3" of bust shaping, for example]. More detailed yardage requirements are included in the pattern packet.
Knitted gauge in Stockinette Stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) is 7 stitches and 10 rows per inch on Size 3 US needles. This produces a stable gauge, and if cotton is used, it will not stretch out of shape (as can happen with too loose a gauge).
The illustrations below were knitted with an acrylic worsted-weight yarn on size 4 needles to create a very stiff fabric, in order to clearly illustrate the sort of shaping which 1" and 3" vertical bust darts produces. The extra space created does not go all the way across the chest, as with short-row shaping (refer to the yellow illustrations above: 3-inch Short-Row Shaping.). Detailed directions for 1", 2", and 3" vertical bust darts for each size are included in the 11 pages of instructions for the optional addition of short-row or vertical bust shaping. For more information about knitted contour shaping, see my tutorial on Knitting Bust Darts.
|
 |
KNITS:
PRIVACY POLICY: No personal data is collected for any purpose other than to complete purchase and delivery transactions. Thereafter, all personal data is deleted and/or shredded. Connie Hester alone receives all customer data. This policy has been in place since starting business 43 years ago.
All images and text copyright Connie Hester.
www.ConnieHester.com
