Stripes & Squares Blouse in BC Garn Tussah Tweed & Jaipur Silk Fino - 2240BC - Downloadable PDF

Stripes & Squares Blouse in BC Garn Tussah Tweed & Jaipur Silk Fino – Pattern No. 2240BC by Jytte Slente

This free downloadable knitting pattern by designer Jytte Slente, published as BC Garn pattern No. 2240BC, guides knitters through the construction of an elegant, textured blouse worked in a striking combination of stripes and geometric squares. The design is rated advanced in difficulty and makes a sophisticated addition to any handknitted wardrobe, combining two distinct BC Garn yarn bases for a rich interplay of texture and sheen.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a women's blouse featuring a bold striped and squares motif, worked seamlessly from the neckline downward in the round. It is available in three sizes:

• Small: 96 cm bust, 56 cm total length
• Medium: 100 cm bust, 58 cm total length
• Large: 104 cm bust, 60 cm total length

The design achieves its visual interest through the interplay of a rib pattern combined with stripe sequences, creating the characteristic stripes and squares effect referenced in the pattern name. The top-down, seamless construction method means minimal finishing work and allows knitters to try the garment on as they go.

Construction Method

The blouse is worked in the round on a circular needle, beginning at the neckline and progressing downward toward the hem. This top-down approach is a hallmark of modern seamless garment knitting, eliminating the need to seam body panels together after completion. Stitch markers are used throughout to delineate pattern sections and assist with shaping. The in-the-round method also means the knitter works predominantly on the right side of the fabric, making it easier to follow the stripe and square colour sequences as the garment grows.

Techniques Used

As an advanced pattern, this blouse calls upon a range of knitting techniques that go beyond basic construction:

• Top-down seamless construction worked in the round on a circular needle
• Rib patterning using a repeating k8, p8 sequence to create the structured squares and stripe texture
• Stripe knitting with multiple colours, requiring careful yarn management and colour changes in the round
• Increases (M1 – Make One): picking up the horizontal loop between two stitches and knitting through the back loop to create a neat, twist-closed increase
• Decreases including working stitches together (tog) for shaping
• Knitting through the back loop (tbl) for twisted stitches where specified
• Stitch marker placement and management to track pattern repeats and shaping points
• Gauge swatching and washing — the stated tension is measured after washing, which is particularly important when working with natural fibres such as silk and linen-blend yarns

Stitches Used

The pattern works with a focused set of stitches that combine to produce the geometric visual effect:

• Knit (K) — the foundational stitch used throughout
• Purl (P) — used in alternation with knit stitches to form the rib structure
• Rib pattern: k8, p8 — an eight-stitch knit, eight-stitch purl repeat that forms the squares and vertical stripe columns
• M1 (Make One) — a lifted increase worked through the back loop
• Decreases (tog) — standard two-stitch decreases for garment shaping
• Tbl (through back loop) — used to create a twisted stitch effect at specific points

Materials: Yarn

The pattern uses two different BC Garn yarn bases across four colours, blending a rustic, textured yarn with a fine, lustrous silk yarn for contrast in both weight and appearance:

BC