A Shetland lace blouse

We all love our fine lace shawls - square, rectangular, triangular, round, large and small - but the idea of a fine lace garment that can be worn without it falling off, dragging in the mud, slipping into the kitchen sink, or catching on a splinter on the doorjamb is particularly tantalizing.

The inspiration for this garment came from an enchanting vintage photo of a Shetland woman, taken in 1923. This magically elegant garment with its generous fit, boat neckline, side godets, and lightly flared hem can be something extremely fine and ephemeral for special occasions, or somewhat more substantial for everyday casual wear. All pieces are knit flat without shaping, from the bottom up, and seamed together. Front, back, and sleeves are rectangular. Minimal garment shaping is achieved with two rhomboid side godets, wide off-shoulder sleeves, and two small triangular gussets at the neck/shoulder edge. Length extension charts for sleeve and body are provided.

Skill level: intermediate/adventurous beginner. An experienced lace knitter will knit this with ease, for someone looking to expand their skills it should be a pleasurable and manageable challenge. Front and back are identical, the border chart of front and back is repeated for the sleeves, and the construction is straightforward. Some experience in knitting lace with patterning on every row is recommended. Lace is charted only.

Make it personal, make it special: choose a yarn you love, and a color you love. Feel free to finish it with a lacy edging, or a more austere i-cord, or to add beads if you like!

Sizes
Size 1
Total length of front/back: 70
Width of front/back at shoulder: 68 cm
Sleeve: length 37 cm, width 73 cm

Size 2
Total length of front/back: 78 cm (including edging)
Width of front/back at shoulder: 78 cm
Sleeve: length 42 cm, width 73 cm

Intended to fit loosely, the purple sample shown is Size 1 on a 112cm chest - suggested measurements are provided in the pattern.

Yarn requirements: Size 1 - 1800m, Size 2 - 2200m
Link to yarn “Miss Namibia” : http://www.greatbritishwool.nl/index.php?main_page=index&…

Suggested yarn: laceweight, heavy (800m/100g) to fine (1600m/100g)
Shetland, mohair, mohair/silk, linen.

Suggested needle size: 2,5mm - 3,00mm, dependent on your yarn choice and gauge, plus one needle size larger for i-cord.

Gauge: 24 sts to 10cm. A chart for a gauge swatch is included.