The Elizabeth Penn Top

This summer top is made from simple rectangle shapes and is edged at the hem with Willow Lace Stitch. It is created with a classic 4 ply fingering weight, 100% cotton. The stitch pattern appears in text and chart formats. The edging on the armholes and neckline is picked up on a circular needle and knitted out. The sample is knit in a slightly looser than normal gauge to encourage drape in the fabric. The drape allows the square neckline to fall into a deep scoop on the body. It is shown with 18 cm (7 inches) of positive ease. The sample is a size 112 cm (44 inch) and is shown on a 94 cm (37 inch) mannequin. The shoulders of the sample were joined with Kitchener Stitch, which could easily be replaced by a three needle bind off or they could be sewn together. A novice lace knitter could tackle this pattern, as most of the garment is stocking stitch and the lace stitch is very straightforward.