Silk Peasant Tee (shown in the smallest size. Model has 81 cm (32") chest and 66 cm (26") waist) Notes: Knit from the top down, this tee was designed with the stretch properties of silk in mind. It is meant to be quite tight when finished. The tighter gauge of the knit does help with the stretching, but the top will still stretch, kind of like comfy jeans. My sample stretched approx. 3.8 - 6.4 cm (1.5-2.5") in width (measured flat, not the circumference so the circumference growth would have been 7.5 - 12.5 cm (3-5") and grew approx. ${\bf1}\!-\!2^{"}$ longer. If using a yarn other than silk, I would suggest using the gauge AFTER washing as your guide.
Sizes: S: 81 (M: 91.5, L: 101.5, XL: 112) cm; (32 (36, 40, 44)"
Unwashed finished measurements:
Chest (measured flat with the gathers slightly pulled wider): 33 (37, 39.4, 42) cm;13(14.5, 15.5, 16.5)" Length: 53.3 (58.4, 63.5, 68.6) cm; 21 (23, 25, 27)
Gauge (Pre-washed):
30stitches and 35rows $=10$ cm (4") in stockinette stitch using smaller needles (l have tried to eliminate the row count as part of the pattern due to the stretch-factor) different silks will stretch differently and other yarns may not stretch at all.
Gauge (after washing and light blocking and wearing)
26 stitches and 32 rows $=10$ cm (4")
Materials:
2 (2, 3, 3) skeins of Handmaiden Sea Silk ( $70\%$ Silk, $30\%$ Seacell $\textsuperscript{\textregistered}$ 400m/437.4yds; $1009/3.530z.$ ) size medium is very close to using the entire amount of the second ball... I would also recommend you alternate skeins. There was a fairly large color difference in my yarn which was blended away by alternating the skeins. 2.5 mm (size 1) circular needles in 60 cm (24") (or longer) 2.75 mm (size 2) circular needles in 60 cm (24") (or longer) 2.5 mm (size 1) dpns or longer circular needle (or 2) in the same size for knitting the sleeves waste yarn for holding stitches and marking the hem line stitch holders tapestry needle 2.10mm crochet hook (or slightly larger up to 2.5mm)
Abbreviations:
$k={\mathsf{k n i t}}$ $\mathsf{p}=\mathsf{p u r l}$ st/sts $=$ stitch/stitches $\tt s s=$ stockinette $\mathsf{p m}=$ place marker $\mathsf{s m}=$ slip marker kfb $=$ knit into the front and back of stitch (increase 1 stitch) k1tbl $=\mathsf{k}$ stitch through the back loop k2 ${\sf z t o g}={\sf k r}$ nit 2 stitches together s1 k2tog psso $=$ slip 1 stitch, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over (decrease 2 stitches) $\mathsf{s c=}$ single crochet ${\sf W S}=$ wrong side $\mathsf{r s}=$ right side
Yoke:
With smaller needle, cast on 1 stitch for right front, pm, 10 stitches for right arm, pm, 30 (33, 36, 38) for back, pm, 10 stitches for left arm, pm, 1 stitch for left front - 52 (55, 58, 60) sts Row 1: purl Row 2: kfb in each stitch to first marker of back stitches, K back stitches (do not increase the back stitches), KFB to end - 74,(77, 80, 82) sts Row 3: purl Repeat Rows 2 & 3 once - 118,(121, 124, 126) sts
Shape Raglan:
Row $1:^{\star}k$ to 1 st before marker, kfb, sm, kfb, repeat from \* to kfb after last marker, k to end. 8 sts increased Row 2: purl Repeat row 1 & 2 four times more Row 11: kfb, $^\star\sf k$ to 1 st before marker, kfb, sm, kfb, repeat from \* to kfb after last marker, k to last stich, kfb (2 stitches increased on neck edge, one on each side) Row 12: purl Repeat row 1 & 2 four times more Repeat row 11 & 12 Repeat row 1 & 2 four times more Repeat row 11 & 12
For Sizes L & XL only:
Repeat row 1 & 2 four times more Repeat Row 11 & 12
All sizes:
Repeat row 1 & 2 of raglan shaping until top is 10(11.4, 12.2, 12.7)cm; 4(4.5, 4.8, 5") long from cast on edge, ending with a ws row Next row: RS, maintaining raglan increases k to end of row, pm, using knitted on method, cast on 20 stitches, pm and join to knit in the round (second marker is start of the round) Row 1: Maintaining raglan increases, k to first marker before front cast on stitches, sm, kfb to next marker. (40 stitches between front markers) Repeat Row 1 (80 stitches between front markers) Continue knitting in the round, maintaining raglan increases only (do not increase front stitches any more) until top measures 15.2(16.5, 17.8, 19)cm; 6 (6.5, 7, 7.5)" from backcast on. Next Row: k to first arm marker, using a tapestry needle and waste yarn, slip all of the stitches for the arm onto the waste yarn, cast on 4 (5, 6, 6) stitches, pm (this marker will be the new start of round), cast on 4 (5, 6, 6) stitches, knit back stitches to next marker, slip arm stitches onto waste yarn, cast on 4 (5, 6, 6) stitches, pm, cast on 4 (5, 6, 6) stitches, knit to end. continue knitting the body in the round until the top measures 28(29.2, 30.5, 32)cm; 11 (11.5, 12, 12.5)" from the back cast on ensuring that there are an even number of total stitches for the body (you may decrease a stitch in this round if there is not an even number)
READ the next two rows carefully before you start
Next Row: k back stitches, sm, knit to 20 stitches before first front marker, (k2tog) 10 times , sm, k to second front marker, sm, (k2tog) 10 times, k to end. 20 stitches decreased. Next Row: (k1tbl, p1) to first front marker, decrease stitches between front markers as follows: IF the stitch before the marker was a p1, then sm, s1 k2tog psso, p1 to next marker. However, IF the stitch before was a k1tbl, then sm, p1, s1 k2tog, psso to next marker (40 stitches decreased). SM, (p1, k1tbl OR k1tbl, p1 depending on which option was used above) to the end of the round. A total of 60 stitches for the front have been decreased in thelast 2 rounds. Next Row: k1tbl, p1 to end of round. continue last round until the ribbing section equals 5(5, 6.4, 7.6)cm; 2(2, 2.5, 3) changing to stockinette and 2.75 mm (size 2) needle knit until the top measures 51(56, 61, 66)cm; 20 (22, 24, 26)" from cast on edge
Folded Hem:
Using tapestry needle and contrasting color of waste yarn thread the yarn through all of the stitches on the needle (leaving the stitches ON the needle and ensuring that you do not go through any stitch markers, go around them). This lifeline will help to find the stitches for the folded hem.
k 8 rounds p 1 round k 8 rounds
Using a second circular needle (you can use the $2.5\;\mathrm{mm}$ (size 1) for this task if you don't have a second 2.75 mm (size 2) needle), pick up the purl bumps (on the wrong side of the top) just below (hem side, not top side) the waste yarn. You should have the same number of purl bumps as live stitches. Folding the hem (ws together) and holding this needle with the body needle, k the two stitches together (one off each needle) and bind off these stitches, loosely as you go (essentially a three needle bind off)
Arms:
pick up the stitches from the waste yarn of the arms and k these stitches, pick up the 8 (10, 12, 12) stitches under the arm and ensure you have a multiple of 4 stitches as the total number of stitches (if you do not, knit another round and increase or decrease a couple of stitches to ensure that you have a multiple of 4) Row 1: s1 k2tog psso, p1 to last 4 stitches, (k1tbl, p1) twice. Row 2: k1tbl, p1 to end of round. Repeat row 2, six more times Bind off (loosely)
Finishing:
To finish neckline, use a 2.10 mm crochet hook and starting at the right side of the cast on for the front, single crochet 3 of every 4 rows up the front edge, sc in each of the back stitches and sc 3 of 4 rows down the left neck edge. Do NOT crochet the front cast on stitches. Turn and do one more row of sc. Weave in ends. Wash and lightly block, it will stretchmorewhenworn.
