With this lovely cotton yarn and easy pattern you can knit this beautiful tunic in a jiffy
By CHRISTA SWANEPOEL Photo ANDREA CALDWELL
You will need
3 (maybe 4) balls of ELLE Cotton On (250 g) in Natural 4.5 mm knitting needles Stitch holder
Abbreviations
foll – following; g st – garter stitch (knit every row); inc – increase; k – knit, k2tog – knit 2 st together; p – purl; rem – remaining; rep – repeat; RSF – right side front; WSF – wrong side front
Tips
It’s easy to knit the tunic in larger sizes. First establish your tension: More or less 16 stitches are 10 cm. Next measure how wide you want the front and back to be and cast on stitches accordingly. Knit it as long or short as you want it and make the neck opening as indicated. The sleeves are fairly wide but you can cast on more stitches if you prefer them wider or knit them longer according to your preference.
Size
The tunic is loose-fitting for a size medium
Method
BACK With 4.5 mm needles cast on 96 sts and knit each row till work measures 63 cm, ending with WS row.
Foll row: k35, turn, knit over these 35 sts only.
Foll row: cast off 1 st, k to end. 34 sts.
Foll row: cast off 8 st, k to end. 26 sts.
Foll row: cast off 1 st, k to end. 25 sts.
Foll row: cast off 8 st, k to end. 17 sts.
Foll row: cast off 1 st, k to end. 16 sts.
Foll row: cast off 8 st, k to end. 8 sts.
Foll row: k
Foll row: cast off 8 sts.
With RSF, slip 26 sts on stitch holder, attach yarn to rem 35 sts and k to end.
Foll row: cast off 8 sts, k to end. 27 sts.
Foll row: cast off 1 st, k to end. 26 sts.
Foll row: cast off 8 sts, k to end. 18 sts
Foll row: cast off 1 st, k to end. 17 sts.
Foll row: cast off 8 sts, k to end. 9 sts.
Foll row: cast off 1 st, k to end. 8 sts.
Foll row: cast off 8 sts.
FRONT
Work as for back for about 59 cm, ending with WSF row.
Foll row: k37, turn.
Foll row: cast off 2 sts, k to end. 35 sts.
Foll row: k.
* Foll row: k2tog, k to end. 34 sts.
Foll row: k.
Rep last 2 rows twice. 32 sts.
Continue straight till front is same length as back up to shoulder, ending with WSF row (on shoulder side).
Foll row: cast off 8 sts, k to end. 24 sts.
Foll row: k.
Rep last 2 rows twice. 8 sts.
Foll row: cast off 8 sts.
With RSF slip 22 sts on stitch holder, k to end. 37 sts.
Foll row: k to end.
Foll row: cast off 2 sts, k to end. 35 sts.
Foll row: k.
Complete as first shoulder from * but other way around.
SLEEVES (same)
With 4.5 mm needles cast on 46 sts and knit 6 rows in g st.
Foll row: inc 1 st on both sides of row.
Continue in g st and inc both sides in every 8th row to about 78 sts. Continue straight till sleeve measures 49 cm or length desired. Cast off.
NECK
With right sides together close right hand shoulder seam. With RSF pick up and k 74 sts around neck. Work 3 rows in 1×1 rib (knit 1, purl 1). Cast off in rib.
Finishing off
With right sides together close left hand shoulder and neck seams. Fold sleeves in half lengthwise, place fold on shoulder seam and work in position. Close sleeve and side seams.
