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INTRO

My favorite butterflies are the swallowtails of the family Papilionidae, and from those, the winner is the zebra swallowtail. Each year in late spring, these gorgeous butterflies flutter rapidly through nearby forests, and the striking contrast of their black and white wings never fails to amaze me. The conspicuously modern coloring is quite unlike that of most insects and begs admiration and awe.

Like the butterfly itself, the Swallowtail design blends modern and natural elements for a balanced, yet striking, effect. The garment is constructed around a single zebra swallowtail placed prominently in front, with the remaining colorwork derived from various deconstructed features of the butterfly, including the striping and antennae, as well as modern shapes and patterns. For the body of the sweater, a pink-colored yarn is used as a nod to the flower of the pawpaw tree, which is the food plant of the zebra swallowtail.

This fingering weight design features a total of four colors, but all colorwork rounds require only two olors to be carried at a time. For the sample, both a merino singles base and merino/linen base are used, but any combination of fingering weight yarns will work so long as gauge is met. The garment is seamless and worked top down and in the round. It also includes optional subtle waist shaping.

SKILL LEVEL

Intermediate

SKILLS REQUIRED

Knitting in the round, stranded colorwork, knitting in small circumferences

SIZING

All of my patterns are #sizeinclusive.

1 (2, 3, 4, 5) (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

To fit chest circumference of 28 (32, 36, 40, 44) (48, 52, 56, 60, 64) in / 70 (80, 90, 100, 110) (120, 130, 140, 150, 160) cm

Finished bust circumference: 29.75 (34.25, 38, 41.5, 47.5) (51, 54.5, 59.25, 62.75, 66.25) in./74.5 (85.5, 95, 104, 119) (127.5, 136.5, 148, 157, 165.5) cm

Intended to fit with 1.5-3.5 in / 4-9 cm of positive ease. See Schematic at left for more details.

For the pink sample pictured at left, I am wearing a size 3 on a 36 in/91 cm bust. For the green sample, Amber is wearing a size 9 on a 57 in/145 cm bust.

GAUGE

Main (plain stockinette): 26 sts and 34 rounds = 4 in/10 cm

Colorwork: 27 sts and 29 rounds = 4 in/10 cm

Ribbing: 24 sts and 40 rounds = 4 in/10 cm

NEEDLES

Because colorwork is often knit more tightly than plain stockinette, it is suggested to use a larger needle size for colorwork and a smaller size for the plain stockinette portions in order to achieve the provided gauge. However, it is recommended to knit a swatch in your chosen colors with colorwork that transitions into plain stockinette to determine which needles achieve gauge for you.

Ribbing: Size US 2/2.75 mm circulars, 16 in/40 cm for neckband and 24 in/60 cm or longer for hem and cuffs if using magic loop; DPN’s if not using magic loop for cuffs

Main (plain stockinette): Size US 3/3.25 mm circulars, 16 in/40 cm for upper yoke and 24 in/60 cm or longer for remaining plain stockinette

Colorwork: Size US 4/3.5 mm circulars, 16 in/40 cm for upper yoke and 24 in/60 cm or longer for remaining colorwork; DPN’s if not using magic loop for sleeve colorwork

NOTIONS

5 markers including 1 unique BOR marker, scrap yarn for sleeves, darning needle for weaving in ends and, optionally, for sewing the duplicate stitching on the butterfly

Optional: Scrap embroidery thread or fingering weight yarn in both red and blue or preferred colors for the duplicate stitching on the butterfly

YARN AND YARDAGE

Yardage includes a 10% buffer.

The sample uses two different fingering weight bases, but the pattern can be knit with any combination of fingering weight yarn so long as gauge is met. A list of other yarns that have been used to knit this pattern (including more affordable options) are given in the Suggested Yarn category above.

Miss La Motte Linum (90% superwash Merino, 10% linen; 393 yds/360 m/100 g per skein)
Miss La Motte Singles (100% superwash Merino; 393 yds/360 m/100 g per skein)

Main Color (MC):
2 (2, 2, 2, 3) (3, 3, 3, 3, 4) skeins Miss La Motte Linum in colorway Rosa Gallica (pink) or

504 (594, 657, 724, 830) (897, 963, 1062, 1128, 1211) yards; 461 (544, 601, 663, 759) (821, 881, 972, 1032, 1108) meters; 128 (151, 167, 184, 211) (228, 245, 270, 287, 308) grams fingering weight yarn

Contrast Color 1 (CC1):
1 (1, 1, 1, 1) (1, 1, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) Miss La Motte Singles in colorway Silver Leaf (green) or

221 (244, 272, 311, 335) (358, 393, 421, 452, 482) yards; 203 (224, 249, 285, 307) (328, 360, 385, 414, 441) meters; 56 (62, 69, 79, 85) (91, 100, 107, 115, 123) grams fingering weight yarn

Contrast Color 2 (CC2):
1 (1, 1, 2, 2) (2, 2, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) Miss La Motte Singles in colorway La Nuit (black) or

291 (338, 378, 417, 476) (515, 555, 610, 649, 696) yards; 267 (310, 346, 382, 436) (471, 508, 558, 594, 637) meters; 74 (86, 96, 106, 121) (131, 141, 155, 165, 177) grams fingering weight yarn

Contrast Color 3 (CC3):
1 (1, 1, 1, 1) (1, 1, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) Miss La Motte Singles in colorway Atlantic Salt (white) or

201 (236, 264, 287, 331) (358, 382, 421, 449, 480) yards; 184 (216, 242, 263, 303) (328, 350, 385, 411, 439) meters; 51 (60, 67, 73, 84) (91, 97, 107, 114, 122) grams fingering weight yarn

SIZE 9 SAMPLE KNITTER

Gabriella Roberts

You can view her Swallowtail project page here.