Filatura Di Crosa Carla Ruana Vest Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Filatura Di Crosa Carla Ruana Vest

What is Being Made

The Carla Ruana Vest is a seamless, lace-patterned knit vest designed by Teresa Chorzepa. This garment is constructed as a ruana-style vest, offering an elegant layering piece with an open front and sophisticated drape. The vest is available in three size ranges: Small/Medium, Large/XL, and 2X/3X, with finished measurements across the shoulders of 25 inches (Small/Medium), 28 inches (Large/XL), or 31 inches (2X/3X), and lengths of 17¼ inches, 18¾ inches, or 20½ inches respectively.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several advanced knitting techniques to create its refined finished product:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The vest is knitted from the bottom edge upward, allowing for straightforward shaping and gauge management throughout the project.
• Seamless Knitting: The garment is worked seamlessly on circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a continuous fabric with no interruptions in the lace pattern.
• Worked Flat: Despite using circular needles, the piece is worked flat in rows rather than in the round, providing flexibility in pattern placement and shaping.
• Lace Pattern Integration: Intricate lace stitches are incorporated throughout, featuring yarn overs and decreases that create openwork sections. The lace pattern includes repeats of yarn over and knit two together sequences, with centered double decreases (S2KP) used for shaping and pattern definition.

Stitches Used

The Carla Ruana Vest utilizes a variety of fundamental and decorative knitting stitches:

• Knit and Purl Stitches: The foundational ribbed sections are created with alternating knit and purl stitches in a k2, p2 pattern, providing structure and elasticity.
• Yarn Overs (yo): Used extensively throughout the lace pattern to create decorative holes and increase stitch count for shaping.
• Knit Two Together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease worked by knitting two stitches together through the front loops, used to balance yarn overs and shape the garment.
• Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease created by slipping two stitches knitwise individually, then knitting them together, providing directional decreases for refined shaping.
• Centered Double Decrease (S2KP): An advanced decrease technique where two stitches are slipped together knitwise, one stitch is knitted, and the slipped stitches are passed over, creating a centered decrease ideal for lace pattern symmetry.
• Make One (M1): An invisible increase worked by lifting the strand between needles from front to back and working it through the back loop, used for seamless shaping without visible holes.
• Slip Stitch (sl 1): Used at row edges to create neat selvage edges and maintain pattern continuity.

Materials

The Carla Ruana Vest pattern specifies premium luxury yarns and appropriate needles:

• Filatura Di Crosa SUPERIOR: A blend of 70% cashmere, 25% schappe silk, and 5% extrafine merino wool. This yarn is supplied in 0.88 ounce (25 gram) balls with 330 yards (300 meters) of yardage per ball. The pattern calls for 2 balls (Small/Medium) or 3 balls (Large/XL and 2X/3X) in color #60 taupe.
• Filatura Di Crosa NIRVANA: A 100% extrafine merino wool yarn available in 0.88 ounce (25 gram) balls with 372 yards (340 meters) per ball. The pattern requires 2 balls (Small/Medium) or 3 balls (Large/XL and 2X/3X) in color #37 taupe.
• Knitting Needles: One size 8 (5mm) circular needle measuring 32 inches (80 centimeters) or longer, or the size needed to obtain proper gauge. The circular needle accommodates the seamless, flat construction method.
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