This is my second test for Daniela Mühlbauer of Germany. I love the lace border and side panels. Gorgeous!

This 100% cotton yarn is perfect for our hot California summer and fall weather. I love how light and drapey it is. However, it’s very unusual because it’s untwined. Therefore, you can’t knit as fast as normal due to how “splitty” it is. But it’s worth the extra effort, in my opinion. The yarn is comprised of 4 strands. The gradient is accomplished when 1 strand changes to a slightly darker hue, but at widely spaced intervals. Only 1 strand changes color at a time. This results in a much more gradual change in color rather than the striped effect you see in some other machine dyed yarns.

Daniela is very flexible with her pattern testing - allowing for fit modifications and even slight styling modifications. I wanted my top to be more full and “swingy” on the bottom, accomplished by adding considerably more increases at a rapid rate. Following is how I did it.

What I did differently:

I did not change needle size after joining front and back. Instead, I kept with my size 3 US needle all the way to the bottom until the very last bind off round, at which point I switched to a size 1 US needle.

I followed the pattern exactly to the point where I joined front and back together in the round. At this point, we are told to place 4 new markers - 2 on each side denoting the 19-stitch lace side panels. My size 4 had 218 total stitches after joining, marked off as follows:

19 sts each side panel
90 sts each for front and back

After joining, I did 8 rounds without any increasing, using the chart for side lace panels..

My intention was to create a much more “swingy” skirt by doing extra increasing as follows:

I divided the 90 sts by 4 = 22.5

Rounded the result up to 23 sts.

Counted 23 sts from each side panel marker (front and back) and placed new (different color) markers. So I then had 2 extra markers in the front and two extra markers in the back. These were in addition to the 4 side panel markers (total 8 markers all around). BOR marker remained in the new position indicated in the pattern.

Note: For the front and back (between side panel markers), you must end up with a multiple of 17 minus 2 stitches before starting the bottom lace border.

LLI - Left Lifted Increase
RLI - Right Lifted Increase

I made 4 lifted increases in the front and 4 lifted increases in the back on every 4th round while knitting the lace side panels as follows:

From BOR marker, start the increase round:

(Knit right lace panel round 1, slip marker.
K1, LLI, knit to next marker, LLI, slip marker.
Knit to next marker, slip marker, RLI.
Knit to next marker, RLI, K1, slip marker.)

Repeat above bracketed instructions for the back until you reach the BOR.

The next 3 rounds will have no increases, and you’ll slip markers as you come to them, knitting the appropriate rounds of the chart for the lace side panels. Then do the increase round (8 sts increased) on every 4th round.

I did the above 4 rounds 10 more times until I had a total of 306 sts (88 sts increased) as follows:

134 sts each front and back
19 sts each side panel

I did only 2 vertical side panel repeats of the chart (52 rounds) before starting the lace border all around the bottom of the top.

In preparation for the lace border, I placed markers every 17 sts, but left the side panel markers and BOR marker in place. I had 18 horizontal repeats of the chart on each round.

I did two more vertical repeats of the chart for the bottom lace border (52 additional rounds).

Prior to binding off, I did German short rows for one round. This was to create a slightly scalloped lower edge. Following is how I did this:

DS = Double Stitch for German Short Rows

1. Knit to next 2-st purl group, K3 (2 purl sts + 1 knit st). Turn work.

2. DS, P3. Turn work.

3. DS, Knit to DS, knit DS, K3. Turn work.

4. DS, Purl to DS, purl DS, P3, Turn work. DS.

Repeat the above 4-row sequence (17 more times) all around.

Change to size 1 US needle and do this non-rolling bind off loosely. Note that this bind off requires needles with very sharp points. In the final bind-off round, when you get to the double stitches, just treat those as one stitch and bind off normally.

Needles used:

Size 3 US - Body

Size 2.5 US - Knit 1 round on neck and armholes prior to i-cord bind off

Size 2 US - I-cord bind off

Size 1 US - Non-roll bind off done loosely

Finished Measurements:

Length from underarm to lower edge (under i-cord) - 13”

Length from center back to lower edge - 22.5”

Armhole depth - 8.5”

Width at lower edge - 46”

Front neckline depth - 4”

Shoulder strap width (including i-cord) - 3.25”

Weight of finished garment: 6 oz. (170 grams)

I did not shrink this garment in the dryer because the fit was perfect as knitted. When laundering, it can be thrown into a dryer until partially dry and then laid flat to dry completely. Steam press on “cotton” setting, if necessary.

How to finish your i-cord bind off

RLI and LLI increases