Lola Stripe

Lola Stripe Tunic by Jo Sharp

What is Being Made

The Lola Stripe is a soft and lightweight tunic designed for layering. This loose-fitting garment features a simple construction that makes it ideal for knitters of all skill levels, particularly beginners. The tunic is worked in a relaxed silhouette with minimal shaping, making it an accessible project for those new to garment knitting.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting project worked primarily in the round using circular needles. The design employs straightforward techniques suitable for beginner knitters, including basic stocking stitch (stockinette stitch) as the main fabric and garter stitch for textural detail at the garment edges. The tunic incorporates a stripe pattern that alternates between two coordinating colors, adding visual interest while remaining simple to execute.

Stitches Used

• Stocking Stitch (St st): The primary stitch used throughout the body of the tunic, creating a smooth, classic knit fabric
• Garter Stitch: Worked for 7 rows at the beginning and ending on wrong-side rows, providing a textured edge detail

Stripe Pattern

The garment features a repeating color-work pattern that is simple to follow. Using color 1, knit for 10(11)cm, then change to color 2 and work another 10(11)cm. This sequence repeats once more, and the tunic finishes with 15(15.5)cm in color 1 at the neck. This straightforward stripe repeat requires only basic color changes without complex colorwork techniques.

Materials

Yarn: Jo Sharp Mulberry Silk Georgette in sport weight, a luxuriously soft fiber blend. The project requires 50g balls in two colors: Pebble (color 1) at 4 or 4 balls depending on size, and Sparrow (color 2) at 2 or 3 balls. This yarn choice creates a feather-light fabric perfect for layering.

Needles and Tools: 6.00mm circular needles are used to work the tunic. The pattern specifies using needles that are larger than standard for this yarn weight, which contributes to the open, airy drape characteristic of the finished garment.

Sizing and Fit

The Lola Stripe is available in two sizes (A and B) and is designed as a loose-fitting garment. This relaxed silhouette requires minimal shaping during construction, making it an excellent choice for beginners who want to avoid complex decreases and increases.

Tension

The pattern specifies a tension of 16.5 stitches and 25 rows measured over 10cm (approximately 4 inches) of stocking stitch using 6.00mm needles with Jo Sharp Mulberry Silk Georgette. Achieving the correct tension is essential for proper fit and drape of this lightweight tunic.