Jeannie

Jeannie Knitted Top by Susan Crawford Vintage

What is Being Made

Jeannie is an intermediate-level knitted top designed by Susan Crawford Vintage. This garment is worked in the round using lace-weight yarn, creating a refined and delicate finished piece. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and features multiple size options to accommodate different fit preferences.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The Jeannie top employs Fair Isle colorwork as its primary patterning technique. Fair Isle knitting involves working with multiple yarn colors in a single row, creating intricate geometric and decorative patterns across the fabric. This technique requires careful attention to tension and color changes to achieve even, professional-looking results.

The garment is knitted in the round, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates seamless fabric tubes. This construction method is particularly well-suited to lace-weight projects, as it allows for continuous, uninterrupted colorwork and produces a smooth, tubular structure ideal for fitted tops.

The pattern includes five different size options, with yardage requirements ranging from 49g to 96g for the primary color, allowing knitters to customize the fit to their measurements.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch pattern used throughout the Jeannie top is the Fair Isle pattern, worked in stockinette stitch (knit stitches) when knitting in the round. Stockinette stitch in the round creates a smooth, V-shaped texture that showcases colorwork beautifully. The Fair Isle technique involves carrying unused yarn colors inside the fabric as floats, which adds structure and elasticity to the finished garment.

Yarn and Materials

Jeannie is designed to be knitted with Susan Crawford Perle Blend yarn, a luxury blend composed of 50% cashmere and 50% silk. This yarn is classified as lace weight and provides excellent yardage at 750 meters (820 yards) per 100 grams, making it economical for intricate colorwork projects despite the fine gauge.

The pattern calls for nine coordinating yarn colors in the Perle Blend line:

• Buttermilk (Yarn A) – the primary color
• Sandalwood (Yarn B)
• Javan Dawn (Yarn C)
• Eachann (Yarn D)
• Moroccan Velvet (Yarn E)
• Velvet Truffle (Yarn F)
• Pharoahs Gold (Yarn G)
• Golden Rambler (Yarn H)
• Aurelia (Yarn I)

The cashmere and silk blend provides softness, breathability, and a luxurious drape, making this top suitable for both everyday wear and special occasions.

Needles and Notions

The Jeannie pattern requires 2.25mm (US 1) circular needles to achieve the correct gauge of 46 stitches and 46 rows over 10 centimeters (4 inches) when working Fair Isle pattern in the round after blocking. Knitters have flexibility in needle choice:

• A short 40cm circular needle for working smaller circumferences
• A long 80cm circular needle for larger sections or using the magic loop method
• A set of 2.25mm DPNs (double-pointed needles) as an alternative to short circular needles
• A spare 2.25mm straight needle for holding stitches if needed

Additional notions required are minimal: a stitch marker to denote the beginning of rounds. The small needle size and fine gauge typical of lace-weight knitting demand precision and patience, making this project suitable for intermediate knitters with experience in colorwork and fine-gauge knitting.

Finishing and Blocking

The gauge specification indicates that measurements are taken after blocking, which is an essential finishing step for lace-weight garments. Blocking helps even out the Fair Isle pattern, sets the stitches, and allows the cashmere-silk blend to relax into its final dimensions, ensuring the finished top drapes beautifully and maintains its intended fit.