Life is the sixth addition to my Einaudi Collection, a series of designs inspired by the music of Ludovico Einaudi. This design takes inspiration from both the title and the musical structure of Einaudi’s “Life” composition. To honour the theme of life, the design uses a range of colourwork motifs and pattern inspired by shapes and forms found in nature. The structure of the music is also reflected in the colourwork patterns, starting with simple and delicate sequences which develop and evolve into more complex and dramatic melodies as the piece continues.

SAMPLE
The wearer is 5’10” / 178 cm with a 37” / 92.5 cm chest circumference. The sample has been worked in size L, giving the wearer 8.75” / 22 cm of positive ease at the chest. To accommodate the wearer’s height, yoke depth has been increased to 8.5” / 21.5 cm and an extra 1” / 2.5 cm has been worked into the body and sleeves. Around the neckhole, 120 sts have been picked up to form the neckband and the turtleneck, rather than crewneck, has been worked.

CONSTRUCTION
This garment is worked top-down, in the round. The yoke is cast on first, leaving the knitter the option to work either a crew neck or cowl neck later. Short row shaping is incorporated into the upper yoke to optimise fit. The majority of the yoke features a stranded colourwork pattern. Once the yoke is completed, stitches are separated into body and sleeves, which are each worked separately and in the round. The colourwork pattern continues through much of the body and sleeves, with an additional band of colourwork pattern worked above the cuffs. Stitches for the neckband are picked up around the cast on edge and either a crewneck or turtleneck can be worked.

SIZING GUIDE
This garment is graded into sizes XS (S, M, L, XL) (2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL). Recommended positive ease is 2-10” / 5-25 cm at the chest circumference.
Finished Garment Chest Circumference: 34.25 (37.25, 40, 45.75, 48.5) (54.25, 57.25, 60, 65.75)“ / 85.5 (93, 100, 114.5, 121.5) (135.5, 143, 150, 164.5) cm.

GAUGE
Using 3.25 mm / US size 3 needles, or needle size required to meet gauge, 28 stitches over 31 rounds, both stockinette stitch and colourwork, blocked, creates a 4x4” / 10x10 cm square.
Neckband, waistband and cuff circumferences assume you are working 7.5 sts per 1” / 2.5 cm.

YARN
The sample has been worked using Miss La Motte Yarn’s Linum base (90% Superwash Merino / 10% Linen; 360m / 394yds per 100g) with colourways Ireson Hill as the main colour and Burnished as the contrast colour.

YARDAGE (includes ~10% excess)

Main Colour:
921 (966, 1094, 1174, 1299) (1387, 1464, 1499, 1570) metres
1008 (1057, 1197, 1284, 1421) (1517, 1602, 1640, 1718) yards
256 (268, 304, 326, 361) (385, 407, 416, 436) grams
(Main Colour yardage assumes turtleneck is worked.)

Contrast Colour:
341 (358, 410, 445, 500) (534, 556, 574, 609) metres
373 (392, 448, 487, 547) (584, 608, 628, 666) yards
95 (99, 114, 124, 139) (148, 155, 159, 169) grams

TOOLS & NOTIONS
2.75 mm / US size 2 circular needles (to work neckband, cuffs and waistband; varying cable lengths would be helpful)
3.25 mm / US size 3 circular needles (to work yoke, body and sleeves; varying cable lengths would be helpful)
1 marker
scrap yarn
tapestry needle to weave in ends

SKILLS REQUIRED
-long tail cast on
-joining and working in the round
-working half-twisted ribbing
-working left and right lifted increases
-German short row shaping
-reading colourwork charts
-working stranded colourwork with two colours
-long tail cast on with two colours
-working a repeating pattern of decreases
-decreasing using K2tog and SSK
-standard bind off
-picking up and knitting stitches