Crest in Rowan Summerlite Dk - Downloadable PDF

Crest Knitted Top by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

Crest is a knitted top designed by Martin Storey for Rowan, crafted from Rowan Summerlite DK yarn. This garment is a pullover-style top featuring a yoke construction with set-in sleeves. The design offers multiple size options ranging from 28–30 inches to 60–62 inches chest measurement, making it suitable for a wide range of body types. The finished garment chest measurements range from 81 cm to 162.5 cm across the size range.

Techniques Used

Crest employs several key knitting techniques to create its structure and shaping:

• Yoke Construction: The garment is built using a yoke method, where stitches are held on separate holders for the back and front sections, then worked together in the round to create the shoulder and upper body shaping.
• Circular Needle Knitting: The pattern utilizes circular needles (3¾mm/US 5 size) to work the yoke seamlessly in the round, which creates a smooth, continuous fabric without side seams in this section.
• Stitch Increases: Strategic increases, including make-one (M1) increases, are incorporated to shape the yoke and ensure proper fit across the shoulders and chest.
• Casting On: New stitches are cast on for the overarm sections to create the sleeve cap area, allowing for proper sleeve integration into the yoke.

Stitches Used

The Crest pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches to create texture and structure:

• Knit Stitch (K): The primary stitch used throughout the garment for creating the main fabric.
• Purl Stitch (P): Used selectively to create textural contrast and definition, particularly in the yoke shaping area where purl stitches appear between knit sections.
• Make-One Increase (M1): Used to add shaping and increase stitch count where needed for proper garment fit and sleeve cap shaping.

Materials

Crest is designed to be worked in Rowan Summerlite DK, a lightweight yarn supplied in 50-gram balls. This yarn weight is ideal for creating a breathable, drape-friendly garment suitable for warmer seasons. The pattern calls for 3¾mm (US 5) circular needles as the primary tool, with the longest length being used for working the yoke section in the round. The circular needle format allows for seamless yoke construction and accommodates the large stitch counts required for the various sizes.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with some experience beyond basic techniques. The yoke construction method and management of multiple stitch holders require intermediate-level skills and understanding of garment shaping principles.