Victoria Lace Detail Top in West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite Lace - Downloadable PDF

Victoria Lace Detail Top by Sarah Hatton – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Victoria Lace Detail Top is a beautifully feminine knitted top designed by Sarah Hatton and worked in West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite Lace yarn. This downloadable PDF pattern is rated as intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with lace techniques and reading charts. The design features elegant lace detailing that elevates a classic top silhouette into something truly special.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a lace detail top designed to be worn as a standalone garment or layered piece. It is sized to fit a range of bust measurements, offering five size options:

• 32–34 in (81–86 cm)
• 36–38 in (91–97 cm)
• 40–42 in (101–107 cm)
• 44–46 in (112–117 cm)
• 48–50 in (122–127 cm)

The actual width of the garment when laid flat ranges from 48 cm up to 71 cm depending on the size chosen, giving a comfortable and wearable fit across a broad range of body types.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs a combination of classic and more advanced knitting techniques that make it suitable for intermediate knitters looking to develop their skills further:

• Working from a chart – Right side rows are read from right to left, and wrong side rows from left to right, which is standard lace chart practice and essential for following the lace motif accurately.
• Lace knitting – The signature lace detail requires careful attention to yarn overs, decreases, and stitch counts to maintain the integrity of the pattern.
• Tension/gauge management – The pattern specifies a tension of 30 stitches and 38 rows to 10 cm over stocking stitch on the larger needles, and achieving this tension is described as essential for correct sizing and fabric quality.
• Blocking – A critical finishing step for lace knitting. The completed garment must be pinned out to the stated measurements, covered with damp cloths, and left to dry. Blocking opens up the lace pattern and ensures the garment holds its shape.
• Increasing and decreasing – Used for shaping throughout the garment construction.

Stitches Used

The Victoria Lace Detail Top draws on a selection of foundational and decorative knitting stitches:

• Stocking stitch (st st) – The primary background fabric of the top, worked by alternating knit and purl rows on straight needles.
• Garter stitch (g st) – Created by knitting every row, often used for borders, edgings, or textural contrast sections.
• Lace pattern (patt) – A charted lace motif that forms the decorative detail of the top, incorporating yarn overs and decreases such as pass slipped stitch over (psso) to create the openwork effect.
• Knit (k) and Purl (p) – The fundamental stitches that underpin all construction in the garment.

Materials – Yarn and Needles

The pattern is designed specifically for West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite Lace yarn, a lace weight yarn that is ideal for creating the delicate, lightweight fabric this top calls for. Lace weight yarns are among the finest weights available in knitting, producing an airy and elegant drape that is perfectly suited to lace motifs and warm-weather tops.

• Yarn: West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite Lace (lace weight)
• Needles: Two sizes of knitting needles are referenced – a larger needle used to achieve the stated tension over stocking stitch, and by implication a smaller needle for any ribbing or edging sections. Knitters are advised to use whatever needle size is needed to achieve the correct tension of 30 sts and 38 rows to 10 cm.