Clean lines and comfortable style: Maple Bay is the sister pattern to Backstage Pass, worked in one colour with a tunic-length body and some A-line shaping for a bit of swing. The set-out sleeves give a dropped-shoulder look in a sleeker shape, while the seams provide structure. The combination of Shibui Knits Haven + Silk Cloud gives a supremely soft fabric with wonderful drape.

The pattern includes illustrated tutorials for working a tubular cast on and German Short Rows, and a link to a tutorial for the sewn tubular bind off used in the neck. To make Maple Bay, you will need to know how to knit, purl, work increases and decreases, and seam.

Sample is size 2, worn with 5.75 in/14.55cm of ease at the full chest on a 5 ft 9 in/175 cm tall model.

Finished Measurements
Finished chest: 39 (42.75, 46.25, 49.75) (53.25, 57, 60.5) (64, 67.5) in / 99 (108.5, 117.5, 126.5) (135.5, 145, 153.5) (162.5, 171.5) cm

To be worn with approximately 5-9 in/12.5-23 cm positive ease at the chest right at the underarms, a.k.a. the high bust.

Yarn

Shibui Knits Haven (80% Extra Fine Merino, 20% Cashmere; 160 yds/146 m per 1.76 oz/50 g): 8 (9, 10, 11) (12, 12, 13) (15, 16) skeins (shown in Graphite)

Shibui Knits Silk Cloud (60% Kid Mohair, 40% Silk; 330 yds/300 m per .88 oz/25 g): 4 (5, 5, 6) (6, 7, 7) (8, 8) skeins (shown in Graphite)

Both yarns are held together throughout. For a smoother fabric without the mohair, Shibui Knits Lunar (slightly shiny) or Pebble (slightly tweedy) would be good substitutes for the Silk Cloud. See below for yardage information.

Needles

US 7/4.5 mm circular needle 24 in/60 cm or longer or 14 in/35 cm straight needles, or size needed for correct gauge

US 6/4 mm circular needle 24 in/60 cm or longer or 14 in/35 cm straight needles, or one size smaller than gauge needle

US 6/4 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle, or one size smaller than gauge needle

Gauge

22.5 sts & 29 rows = 4 in/10 cm in k4, p1 rib, in one strand each of Haven and Silk Cloud held together, worked flat and blocked

20 sts & 28 rows = 4 in/10 cm in stockinette stitch, in one strand each of Haven and Silk Cloud held together, worked flat and blocked (provided for reference)

For a good fit, take time to check your gauge.

Notions

4 regular stitch markers, 5 removable stitch markers, scrap yarn to hold sts, yarn needle

About the Yarn

Shibui Knits Haven is a worsted-spun, DK weight blend of extra fine merino and cashmere, in which 7 fine strands—each made up of 2 even finer plies—are plied together with a fairly firm twist. This structure provides fabulous stitch definition, protects the delicate fibres, and combines with the crimp of merino to add memory, so the fabric will stretch nicely and hold its shape. The end result is a smooth, round, extremely soft, bouncy yarn that holds up well to wear for a yarn made of such fine fibres.

Shibui Knits Silk Cloud is a laceweight, kid mohair/ silk blend with incredible loft and a very high halo. Both fibres give this yarn a beautiful lustre, while the mohair fills in the spaces around the stitches, allowing the yarn to be knit at a loose gauge for a light, airy fabric. In Maple Bay, Silk Cloud brings a bit of halo and a nice drape to the fabric, and helps protect against pilling.

If using different yarn for your project, look for a DK + laceweight combination or a worsted weight yarn that gives a fabric with good memory and a nice drape at the pattern’s gauge. You will need approximately 1210 (1335, 1480, 1630) (1775, 1920, 2075) (2255, 2410) yds/1105 (1220, 1350, 1490) (1625, 1755, 1895) (2060, 2205) m of the DK weight, plus 1315 (1450, 1610, 1775) (1935, 2090, 2255) (2455, 2625) yds/1200 (1330, 1470, 1620) (1770, 1910, 2065) (2245, 2400) m of the laceweight. If you’re substituting a worsted weight yarn, I’d use the larger, laceweight yardage numbers to be safe.