Camilla Line Top in West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite Lace - Downloadable PDF

Camilla A-Line Lace Top by Sarah Hatton

What is Being Made

The Camilla A-Line Lace Top is a fitted knitted garment designed by Sarah Hatton, available in five size options to fit bust measurements from 32-34 inches (81-86 cm) through 48-50 inches (122-127 cm). This intermediate-level knitting project creates a lace-detailed top with an A-line silhouette that flatters multiple body types. The garment is worked in a lace weight yarn, producing an elegant, breathable fabric suitable for layering or wearing as a standalone piece.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques essential for creating a professional-finished garment. Tension work is critical to the success of this project, with knitters required to achieve 30 stitches and 38 rows over 10 centimeters in stockinette stitch on larger needles to ensure proper sizing and fabric drape. The design incorporates lace patterning, which requires careful attention to stitch placement and yarn overs to create the decorative openwork characteristic of lace-weight projects.

Blocking is an essential finishing technique for this top. Once knitting is complete, the garment must be pinned to the specified dimensions, covered with damp cloths, and left to dry completely. This process sets the stitches, improves stitch definition in the lace pattern, and ensures the garment achieves its intended measurements and drape.

Stitches Used

The Camilla A-Line Lace Top utilizes a range of standard knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit (k) – the fundamental stitch forming the base fabric
• Purl (p) – used to create texture and pattern variation
• Stockinette stitch (st st) – the primary fabric structure, measured for tension
• Yarn overs – essential for creating the lace openwork and decorative elements
• Decreases – including pass slipped stitch over (psso) and other decrease methods to shape the garment and create lace motifs
• Make 1 (m1) – a method of increasing stitches by picking up the loop between the last and next stitch and knitting into the back of this loop, used for shaping the A-line silhouette
• Slip stitches (sl 1) – worked purlways for edge definition and pattern alignment

Materials

The Camilla A-Line Lace Top is designed to be worked in West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite Lace yarn, a lace-weight yarn that creates delicate, intricate fabric. The pattern specifies the use of larger needles to achieve the stated tension of 30 stitches and 38 rows per 10 centimeters. While the exact needle size is referenced as "size needed to achieve stated tension," knitters should select needles appropriate for lace-weight yarn, typically ranging from US 4-6 (3.5-4mm), adjusting as necessary to match the required tension. The lace-weight classification ensures the finished garment will have the intended drape, breathability, and elegant appearance characteristic of this yarn category.

Pattern Details

This downloadable PDF pattern includes comprehensive knitting abbreviations and instructions to guide knitters through the project. The actual width at the bust when laid flat ranges from 45 centimeters (smallest size) to 65 centimeters (largest size), providing a well-fitted garment across all five size options. The pattern specifies full length measurements, though the complete measurement information is referenced in the full pattern document. Knitters will find detailed abbreviation definitions including alternate, beginning, continue, decrease, following, increase, measures, pattern, remain, repeat, right side, stitch, and stitches—all essential terminology for following the lace pattern instructions accurately.