Celebrate spring in this breezy shell featuring a pretty wing motif. Worked in a linen/cotton chainette, it’s light and cool enough for the sunniest days, with simple but eye-catching lace making for a quick knit to suit any social butterfly.

This sleeveless shell is worked bottom up and in the round, beginning with two separately worked Garter Stitch bands for the split hem. From there, a vertical line of double eyelets runs up the center of both front and back, expanding into lace wings on the upper bodice. The high, wide neckline is edged in Garter Stitch, as are the armholes.

Take Wing Shell is featured in the eBook, La Belle Epoque: Knits for Home and Abroad. Knit garments worthy of an art museum with five size-inclusive patterns from designer Holli Yeoh. Drawing inspiration from art, architecture, and more, Holli created a gorgeous capsule collection of garments that can be mixed and matched, perfect for a travel wardrobe. La Belle Epoque includes two shells and three cardigans using lighter weight yarns that range from fingering weight to DK.

#sizeinclusive from 30.25”/77cm to 74” / 188 cm finished chest measurement.

This knitting pattern includes written directions, both charts and written instructions, notes on gauge and gravity, substitution and modification notes, sizing and fit notes, front and back images and a schematic with measurements.

Finished Measurements
Finished chest circumference: 30 ¼ (32 ¼, 34 ½, 36 ½, 38 ½)(41 ½, 46 ¼, 49, 52 ½)(56, 60 ¼, 66 ½, 70 ½, 74)“ / 77 (82, 87.5, 92.5, 98)(105.5, 117.5, 124.5, 133.5)(142, 153, 169, 179, 188) cm.
Finished hip circumference: 32 ¼ (34 ½, 35 ¾, 38, 40)(45 ½, 49, 51 ¾, 55 ¼)(60 ¼, 63, 67 ¾, 74, 80 ¼)” / 82 (87.5, 91, 96.5, 101.5)(115.5, 124.5, 131.5, 140.5)(153, 160, 172, 188, 204) cm.
Back length: 20 ½ (20 ½, 21, 21 ½, 22)(23 ¼, 24 ¼, 24, 24)(24, 24 ¾, 24 ¾, 24 ¾, 24 ¾)“ / 52 (52, 53.5, 54.5, 56)(59, 61.5, 61, 61)(61, 63, 63, 63, 63) cm.
Designed to be worn with 2–4” (5-10 cm) positive ease in both full chest and hip. Sample is 38.5” (98 cm); model is 35” (89 cm).

Yarn
Fingering weight chainette yarn;
625 (665, 710, 765, 820)(940, 1065, 1155, 1230)(1325, 1460, 1580, 1705, 1820) yd / 570 (610, 645, 700, 750)(860, 975, 1055, 1125)(1210, 1335, 1445, 1560, 1665) m.

Shown in Knit Picks Lindy Chain (affiliate)(fingering weight, 70% Linen, 30% Pima Cotton; 180 yards/50g): Blush 26464, 4 (4, 4, 5, 5)(6, 6, 7, 7)(8,8, 9, 10, 10) balls.

Substitution Notes
The chainette structure of this yarn offers a very lightweight option when using cellulose fiber. If a standard plied cotton or linen yarn is substituted, bear in mind that the finished project will be much heavier and denser. To substitute with a non-cellulose fiber, look for something with a similar yardage and weight.

Needles + Notions
3.25mm (US 3) circular needles (24”/60cm or 32”/80cm long depending on size of garment), or size to obtain gauge;
2.75mm (US 2) 16”/40cm circular needles plus 24”/60cm or longer circular needles, or one size smaller than size used to obtain gauge;
Yarn Needle;
6 Stitch Markers;
2 Locking Stitch Markers;
Stitch Holders or Scrap Yarn.

Gauge
23 sts and 35 rows = 4”/10cm in Stockinette Stitch in the round and flat using larger needles, blocked.

The yarn called for in this pattern is a linen/cotton blend, neither of which has any elasticity. The fiber content and the chain construction of the yarn provide lovely drape. With wear, the fiber will relax and the project will appear to stretch. The gauge used in the design was based on a large swatch that was blocked flat, then hung for 48 hours with a little weight along the bottom edge. Final gauge was measured after 24 hours of rest on a flat surface after it was hung. This seems extreme but know that the gauge of your finished project will be affected by gravity. It’s recommended that your gauge swatch also follows a similar rigorous procedure.

Sizing + Fit
Sizing for the five smaller sizes is based on a 2”/5cm difference between full chest and upper chest. Upper chest is the measurement around the torso with the measuring tape at the underarm level.
For the 6th to 11th sizes there’s a 4”/10cm difference between full and upper chest.
For the three largest sizes there’s a 6”/15cm difference between full and upper chest. This may be a little different than other patterns and reflects measurements of contemporary real-life bodies. In garment design, a 2/4/6” (5/10/15 cm) difference between full and upper chest is referred to as a B/D/F cup respectively, which differ from bra cup sizes.

There is slight A-line shaping from hip to chest to accommodate a wider hip measurement.

Techniques
Knitting in the round, decreases, cabled decreases, short rows, three needle bind off, working simple lace from chart or written instructions, basic sweater construction, one piece, seamless, faux seam, worked in the round and flat, picking up stitches.

Helpful Links
Cabled Decreases video tutorial.
SSK & SSP Decreases video tutorial.
Japanese Short Rows video tutorial.

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