Summer Breeze in Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima Fine - FW176 - Downloadable PDF

Summer Breeze Knitted Lace Top in Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima Fine – Pattern FW176 by Diane Zangl

Summer Breeze is a romantic, lingerie-inspired knitted summer top designed by Diane Zangl and published as pattern FW176 by Cascade Yarns. This free downloadable PDF pattern produces a delicate, feminine garment that draws on lace knitting traditions to create a lightweight, breathable top perfectly suited to warm-weather wear. The design is available in four women's sizes — extra-small, small, medium, and large — with finished chest measurements ranging from 34 to 44 inches and lengths between 19 and 21½ inches.

Design Overview

The top is constructed in a thoughtful sequence that gives the finished garment its distinctive character. The bodice is worked first, and then a coordinating lace border is worked sideways along the lower edge, creating a beautifully integrated hem detail rather than a simple cast-off edge. The overlapping yoke is formed by wide eyelet straps, which add both visual interest and an airy, open quality to the upper portion of the garment. The overall aesthetic is described as romanticism at its best — soft, graceful, and evocative of fine lingerie styling translated into knitwear.

Construction Techniques

This pattern is rated Experienced / Intermediate in skill level, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with lace patterning and circular construction. Several techniques are combined throughout the making of this top:

• Top-down construction: The bodice section is worked from the top downward, allowing knitters to try on the garment as they go and make adjustments to length before completing the lower edge.
• Worked in the round: Circular knitting is used throughout the main body, eliminating the need for seaming along the sides and producing a smooth, seamless fabric in the round.
• Seamed elements: Despite the circular construction of the body, the pattern includes seamed components, likely where the sideways-worked lace border is attached or where strap elements are joined.
• Lace knitting: The defining decorative technique of this pattern, lace is incorporated in both the lower border and the eyelet yoke straps. Lace knitting typically involves a combination of yarn-overs and decreases that create deliberate holes arranged in a decorative motif, producing a lightweight, open fabric with excellent drape.
• Sideways-worked lace border: Rather than working the border from the bottom up or picking up stitches along the hem, the lace border is knitted sideways — meaning it is worked perpendicular to the main body fabric and joined as it progresses. This technique is a hallmark of traditional lace edging and creates a beautifully finished, flowing lower hem.
• Eyelet yoke patterning: The overlapping yoke straps are worked in an eyelet pattern, a form of simple lace that uses regular yarn-over and decrease combinations to form small, uniform holes. This creates a delicate, open texture across the shoulders and upper chest.

Stitches Used

The pattern draws on a combination of foundational and decorative stitch patterns:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): Used for the main body of the garment, stockinette produces a smooth, flat fabric that serves as the backdrop for the lace details.
• Yoke pattern: A specific stitch pattern used across the eyelet strap yoke section, gauged separately at 25 stitches × 28 rows to 4 inches on the smaller needles.
• Lace border pattern: A coordinating lace motif worked sideways along the lower edge, providing decorative detail and a refined finish.
• Yarn-overs and decreases: The fundamental building blocks of all lace and eyelet work in this pattern, creating the open, airy holes that define the design's romantic character.

Materials Required

The pattern is designed specifically for Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima Fine, a sport-weight yarn spun from 100% Pima cotton. Pima cotton is prized for its exceptional softness, natural sheen, and breathability, making it an ideal fibre choice for a summer garment. Each hank contains 50 grams / 136.7 yards