The Crescendo Summer Camisole is a lightweight cami perfect for summer. The front panel is worked first with a lace diamond motif. This is then put on hold whilst the back panel is worked. You then join your work in the round and you have the option of working some bust/waist shaping. The body is finished with an i-cord cast-off. You have the option of finishing the body and sleeves with either i-cord spaghetti straps or thicker double-knit straps for more bra strap coverage.

Materials & Fit

Notions: 3 mm/US 2.5 and/or 3.5 mm/US 4 and 4 mm/US 6 circular needles with 80-cm and/or 100-cm/32-in and/or 40-in cords. You will also need a darning needle, some stitch markers, and some kind of fastening mechanism (i.e., a button or a hook-and-eye closure]. I’d also recommend having 3 mm/US 2.5 and/or 3.5 mm/US 4 double-pointed knitting needles for the i-cord and/or double knitting.

Yarn: Sandnes Garn Alpakka Følgetråd (100% Alpaca; 50 g = 400 m/437.5 yds held together with Søstrene Grene 100% Organic Cotton 8/4 (100% cotton; 50 g = 160 m/175 yds).

You will need slightly more cotton than alpaca yarn here, as I recommend that you work the straps only in cotton. If you choose to work the double knit straps, you will need slightly more yarn than if you work the i-cord stripes. I believe that my estimates here will be enough for either option as I have tried to be generous. I have rounded the following quantities to the nearest 50 m 55 yds.

I estimate that you will need approximately 350 (350) 400 (400), 500 (550) 600 (650), 700 (800) 850 (900) m of cotton and 300 (300) 350 (350), 450 (450) 500 (550), 600 (700) 800 (800) m of alpaca.

This works out to be 3 (3) 3 (3), 3 (4) 4 (5), 5 (5-6) 6 (6) balls of Søstrene Grene 100% Organic Cotton 8/4 and 1 (1) 1 (1), 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2) balls of Sandnes Garn Alpakka Følgetråd.

Yarn alternatives: Any fingering-weight cotton and lace-weight alpaca yarn will work nicely. I really like Krea Deluxe Organic Cotton (100% organic cotton; 50 g = 165 m/180 yds) Anchor Oganic Cotton 4ply (100% organic cotton; 50 g = 125 m/136 yds should also work well. Isager Alpaca 1 (100% alpaca; 50 g = 400 m/437.5 yds) is a great alternative to the Sandnes Garn alpaca yarn, as is Filcolana Alva (100% alpaca; 25 g = 175 m/192 yds). You could also use a cotton-animal fibre blend. Knitting for Olive Cotton Merino (70% cotton, 30% merino wool; 50 g = 250 m/274 yds]) held double would be lovely, and I am using Illimani Sabri Neutrals (85% organic cotton, 15% organic baby alpaca; 100 g = 400 m/437.5 yds) held double for the second sample. However, I did prefer the yarn for the first sample and I found my row gauge was looser with Sabri.

Tension: 20 stitches x 32 rows/rounds = 10 cm x 10 cm/4 x 4 in in Stockinette stitch on 4 mm/US 6 needles.

Sizing and ease

The Crescendo Camisole is designed to have between 2.5 cm/1 in negative ease and 2.5 cm/1 in positive ease for Sizes A-H, and between 5 cm/2 in negative ease and 5 cm/2 in positive ease for sizes I-L. If you would prefer to have more negative ease for a closer fit, pick 1 size down. If you would prefer to have more positive ease for a looser fit, pick 1 size up. Use the schematic below to find your preferred size. Additionally, there is the option to include waist shaping in this pattern with suggested stitch counts.

Size: A (B) C (D), E (F) G (H), I (J) K (L)

Chest measurement (cm): 75-80 (80-85) 85-90 (90-95), 95-100, (100-105) 105-110 (110-115), 115-125 (125-135) 135-145 (145-155)
Chest measurement (in): 29.5-31.5 (31.5-33.5) 33.5-35.5 (35.5-37.5), 37.5- 39.25 (39.25-41.25) 41.25-43.25 (43.25-45.25), 45.25-49.25 (49.25-53.25) 53.25-57 (57-61)

Actual circumference of garment at chest (cm): 77 (82) 87 (92), 97 (102) 107 (112), 120 (130) 140 (150)
Actual circumference of garment at chest (in): 30 (32.25) 34.25 (36.25), 38.25 (40.25) 42 (44), 47.25 (51.25) 55 (59)

Yoke depth (cm): 16 (16.5) 16.5 (16.5), 16.5 (16.5) 16.5 (17), 18.5 (19.5) 20.5 (21.5)
Yoke depth (in): 6.25 (6.5) 6.5 (6.5), 6.5 (6.5) 6.5 (6.75), 6.75 (6.75) 6.75 (6.75)

Please note that I have provided a yoke depth here but there are options to adjust this to suit your body and needs within the pattern, so these numbers are a suggestion as much as anything else. I recommend measuring from the half-way point of your collarbone to your underarm to get a sense of how long you will want the yoke of your camisole to be.

Front panel width at cast-on (cm): 18 (18) 18 (18.5), 19.5 (20.5) 21.5 (22.5), 23.5 (24.5) 22 (24)
Front panel width at cast-on (in): 7 (7) 7 (7.25), 7.75 (8) 8.5 (8.75), 9.25 (9.75) 8.75 (9.5)

Final front and back panel width (cm): 34 (36) 37(38.5), 39.5 (44.5) 46.5 (51.5), 55.5 (58.5) 61.5 (65.5)
Final front and back panel width (in): 13.5 (14.25) 14.75 (15.25), 15.75 (17.5) 18.25 (20.25), 21.75(23) 24.25 (25.75)

Recommended length from underarm to hem (cm): 25 (25) 26 (27), 29 (30) 32 (34), 36 (38) 40 (42) cm
Recommended length from underarm to hem (in): 9.75 (9.75) 10.25 (10.75), 11.5 (11.75) 12.5 (13.5), 14.25 (15) 15.75 (16.5)

The lace in this pattern is charted and there is a video tutorial for the increase method used for the lace.

The pattern has been tech edited and test knit.

For pattern support, please contact me by email (the.knit.purl.girl2020@gmail.com) rather than Ravelry DM or Instagram. Thank you!