Video Tutorials

• Attaching ruffles on Dārta blouse
• Securing ruffles on Dārta blouse

“Dārta’s sophistication lies in the soft, flowy drape and simple lines, highlighting the fiber and the front ruffle panel. The generous ease creates a comfortable, loose-fitting garment that looks great either tucked in or over pants or a skirt. Ruffles are worked in a single strand of fluffy lace yarn in a contrasting color and adds a romantic touch to the overall look. The softness of lines and gentle flow of fabric complements the understated purl texture of the blouse. I am especially in love with the variegated colourways that create a washed-out watercolor effect of ruffles reminiscent of frilly, colorful bloom clusters of sweet peas, they make the blouse dressy and casual at the same time, and perfect for those cooler summer days, when you need some warmth and color.”

The main blouse is worked with a light fingering-weight yarn and a lace-weight yarn held together throughout, in reverse stockinette (purl stitch) in the round. The blouse is worked in the round from bottom up until the sleeve opening. From there, front and back are worked flat separately, shaping the front and back neckline and a slight drop shoulder as you go. After seaming shoulder lines, the stitches are picked up around the armhole opening and the sleeves are worked in the round. Then the neck stitches are picked up around the neck and worked in the round. It is blocked to finished measurements and finally the ruffles are applied in one strand of CC along the twisted knit columns in your preferred length.

Dārta was created as an open playground for color options, where you can choose not only your blouse body colors, but experiment with ruffle colors, giving you an opportunity to customize the look – you can choose to create a gradient look by applying lighter color ruffles on the outer columns and gradually darker colors towards the center or vice versa. Or use a totally different color ruffle for each of the columns. You can even customize the ruffle itself, working the stockinette part in one color, and the garter part and bind-off in a different one.

Dārta is written with two body lengths, and two ruffle lengths: cropped or regular body length, and full-length or mid-length ruffles.

SIZE
1 (2, 3, 4, 5) (6, 7, 8, 9)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Finished Bust Circumference: 40 (44, 48, 52, 56) (60, 64, 68, 72)” / 101.5 (112, 122,
132, 142) (152.5, 162.5, 172.5, 183) cm.
Recommended ease: 10” / 25 cm of positive ease at the bust.

Sample 1 is a size 2 (regular version), worn with 14.5” / 37 cm of positive ease.
Sample 2 (page 36) is a size 5 (cropped version), worn with 12.5” / 31 cm of positive ease.

Additional size information included in pattern.

MATERIALS
Yarn:
Main blouse (regular version)
MC: 850 (935, 1010, 1100, 1180) (1275, 1370, 1470, 1575) yds / 780 (855, 925,
1005, 1080) (1170, 1255, 1345, 1440) m of light fingering-weight yarn.
CC1: 785 (860, 935, 1015, 1090) (1180, 1265, 1360, 1455) yds / 720 (790, 855,
930, 1000) (1080, 1160, 1245, 1330) m of lace-weight baby suri alpaca yarn.
Main blouse (cropped version)
MC: 745 (820, 885, 965, 1035) (1120, 1205, 1295, 1385) yds / 685 (750, 810,
885, 945) (1025, 1105, 1185, 1270) m of light fingering-weight yarn.
CC1: 690 (755, 815, 890, 955) (1035, 1110, 1195, 1280) yds / 635 (690, 745,
815, 875) (950, 1015, 1095, 1170) m of lace-weight baby suri alpaca yarn.

Ruffles – mid-length (neck to under bust)
CC2: 100 (100, 100, 100, 100) (135, 135, 135, 135) yds / 95 (95, 95, 95, 95) (125, 125, 125, 125) m of lace-weight baby suri alpaca yarn.
Ruffles – full-length (neck to bottom hem)
(in full-length blouse)
CC2: 200, (200, 200, 200, 200) (265, 265, 265, 265) yds / 185 (185, 185, 185, 185) (245, 245, 245, 245) m of lace-weight baby suri alpaca yarn.
Ruffles – full-length (neck to bottom hem)
(in cropped-length blouse)
CC2: 175 (175, 175, 175, 175) (230, 230, 230, 230) yds / 160 (160, 160, 160, 160) (210, 210, 210, 210) m of lace-weight baby suri alpaca yarn.

Sample used:
Sample 1: Full-length version with mid-length ruffle
MC: 2 (2, 2, 2, 2) (2, 2, 3, 3) skeins of Helix by La Bien Aimée (75% Falkland Merino, 25% Gotland, 710 yds / 650 m – 100 g), colorway French Grey.
CC1: 3 (3, 3, 4, 4) (4, 4, 5, 5) skeins of Kumo by La Bien Aimée (74% suri alpaca, 26% mulberry silk, 328 yds / 300 m – 50 g), colorway Bone.
CC2 (Ruffles): 1 skein of Kumo by La Bien Aimée (74% suri alpaca, 26% mulberry silk, 328 yds / 300 m – 50 g), colorway Nadia.
Sample 2: Cropped version with mid-length angled ruffle
MC: 3 (3, 4, 4, 4) (5, 5, 5, 5) skeins of Tvinni by Isager (100% wool, 279 yds / 255 m per 50g), colorway 7s.
CC1: 3 (4, 4, 4, 5) (5, 5, 6, 6) skeins of Silk Mohair by Isager (75% super kid mohair, 25% silk, 232 yds / 212 m – 25g), colorway 7s.
CC2 (Ruffles): 1 skein of Mohair Silk by The Wandering Flock (80% kid mohair, 20% silk, 430 yds / 393 m – 50 g), colorway Aimée’s Peaches & Dreams.

Needles: US 4 / 3.5 mm 32” / 80 cm circular needles and US 2.5 / 3 mm 32” / 80 cm circular needles for lace ruffles. To achieve correct gauge, use larger or smaller needles if necessary.

Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle, blocking tools.

GAUGE
20 sts x 30 rows to 4” / 10 cm on US 4 / 3.5 mm needles in reverse stockinette stitch in the round with MC and CC1 held together, after blocking.