Product Description
A feminine but linear tee with a slight negative ease, Malvarosa relies on the softness and drape of Malabar’s blend of cotton and silk to create a form-fitting garment that will settle on your shapes. The slight waist shaping, worked only on the back, and the variable breast shaping (you can choose between three options) will create the best fit for you. Malvarosa is knitted from the top down with square neck and raglan sleeves. The short sleeves are knitted flat and a short seam is worked on their underside.
Malvarosa by Alice Twain: Knitted DK Weight Feminine Tee
What Is Being Made
Malvarosa is a feminine, form-fitting knitted top designed with a linear aesthetic and subtle negative ease. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a tee that showcases the natural drape and softness of a cotton and silk blend yarn. The garment is engineered to settle gracefully on the body, emphasizing shape through strategic shaping techniques rather than bold design elements.
Design Features and Fit
The Malvarosa tee incorporates thoughtful construction details to achieve a customized fit. Waist shaping is worked exclusively on the back piece, creating subtle definition without overwhelming the linear design. The pattern offers three variable breast shaping options, allowing knitters to select the configuration that works best for their individual proportions. This flexibility in shaping ensures that the garment adapts to different body types while maintaining the intended form-fitting silhouette.
Knitting Techniques and Stitches
Malvarosa is an intermediate-level knitting project that employs circular needle construction. The pattern uses top-down or seamless construction methods typical of modern knit garment design. Knitters will work with size 4 mm (US 6) circular needles for the main fabric and size 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needles for ribbed edgings, including a neck border. The ribbing at the neckline and likely at the hem and armholes provides structure and helps the garment sit securely on the body. The intermediate difficulty level indicates that knitters should be comfortable with techniques such as increasing and decreasing for shaping, working in the round, and managing stitch counts across multiple needles.
Yarn and Materials
Malvarosa is designed for DK weight yarn, specifically Stylecraft Malabar, which features a blend of 78% cotton and 22% silk. This fiber composition is central to the garment's aesthetic: the cotton provides breathability and structure, while the silk contributes exceptional softness and fluid drape. The yarn is available in colorway 3348 (Hollyhock), a floral-inspired shade. Yardage requirements range from 2 to 4 balls depending on size, with each ball containing 100 g and 272 m (297 yds).
Needle Requirements
The pattern calls for circular needles in two sizes. Size 4 mm (US 6) circular needles are used for the main garment fabric; one 60 cm (24") needle is sufficient, though an 80 cm (32") needle may be preferred for working the tee. Size 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needles are required for ribbed edgings, with options for either one 60 cm (24") needle or a combination of one 40 cm (16") and one 80 cm (32") needle, with the shorter needle specifically used for the neck border. This needle sizing reflects the gauge adjustments needed between the main fabric and the tighter ribbed sections.
Sizing and Yardage
The Malvarosa pattern is available in multiple sizes, with yardage requirements scaling from 2 balls for smaller sizes to 4 balls for larger sizes. The slight negative ease built into the design means that finished measurements will be smaller than body measurements, creating the intended form-fitting effect once the garment is worn and the fabric settles.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | DK |
| Pages: | 14 |
| Designer: | Alice Twain |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English, Italian |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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