Blouse with Lace Pattern in BC Garn Alba - 2197BC - Downloadable PDF

Blouse with Lace Pattern in BC Garn Alba

Design Overview

This downloadable knitting pattern, designed by Lene Holme Samsøe and published by BC Garn as design number 2197BC, creates a sophisticated blouse featuring an elegant lace pattern. The garment is suitable for intermediate knitters and offers four size options ranging from S to XL, with finished bust measurements from 86 cm to 108 cm and lengths between approximately 65 and 69 cm.

What Is Being Made

The project produces a women's blouse with a decorative lace pattern throughout. This piece combines the structure of a fitted garment with the delicate, openwork aesthetic of lace knitting, making it a versatile layering piece or standalone top suitable for various occasions.

Yarn and Materials

The blouse is knitted using BC Garn Alba, a 4-ply yarn weight that provides excellent stitch definition for lace work. Yardage requirements vary by size: 350 grams for size S, 400 grams for size M, 450 grams for size L, and 500 grams for size XL. The pattern specifies the colorway eb01.

Needles and Equipment

Construction requires a combination of straight and circular needles in two sizes:

• Straight needles in sizes 2.5 mm and 3 mm
• Circular needles (60 cm length) in sizes 2.5 mm and 3 mm
• Circular needles (80 cm length) in size 3 mm

This needle variety accommodates different sections of the garment, with smaller needles used for ribbed edges and larger needles for the main lace sections.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The pattern employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques essential for lace construction:

• Yarn overs (YO): Create the characteristic openwork holes that define the lace pattern
• Decreases: Multiple decrease methods are used to balance yarn overs and maintain garment shaping, including K2tog (knit 2 stitches together), SSK (slip, slip, knit), and LDD (left leaning double decrease)
• Slip stitches (S1): Used in decrease techniques and edge finishing
• Knit and purl stitches: Form the foundation of the fabric and create texture variation
• Increases (inc): Shape the garment at strategic points
• PSSO (pass slipped stitch over): Completes certain decrease sequences

Gauge and Tension

Achieving proper gauge is critical for this project. The pattern specifies a tension of 23 stitches over 10 centimeters when working the lace pattern using size 3 mm needles. Maintaining this gauge ensures the finished garment achieves the intended measurements and lace pattern definition.

Construction Method

The blouse is constructed in pieces, beginning with the back section. The pattern instructs knitters to cast on between 98 and 122 stitches (depending on size) using size 2.5 mm needles, with the first row worked on the wrong side. The pattern emphasizes maintaining decreases within the lace pattern itself, requiring careful attention to stitch placement and pattern continuity throughout construction.

Skill Level Considerations

Rated as intermediate difficulty, this pattern requires solid foundational knitting skills plus experience with lace techniques. Knitters must be comfortable reading lace charts, managing multiple stitch types simultaneously, and maintaining pattern consistency across garment pieces. The combination of yarn overs and various decrease methods demands focus and attention to detail.