Plotted & Pieced Blouse Dress Knitting Pattern

Plotted & Pieced Blouse in Juniper Moon Findley Dappled

What Is Being Made

The Plotted & Pieced Blouse is a knitted garment designed by Caroline Fryar that combines structured shaping with elegant lace detailing. This blouse is constructed by knitting separate pieces that are then seamed together, a technique that adds definition and structure to the finished garment. The design is available in five sizes: XS, S, M, L, and XL, with finished bust measurements ranging from 33 inches (83 cm) to 22½ inches (113 cm), designed to be worn with zero ease for a precise fit.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several intermediate to advanced knitting techniques that create visual interest and tailored shaping:

• Pieced Construction: The blouse is knit in separate pieces rather than in the round, allowing for precise shaping and structure that enhances the garment's silhouette.
• Lace Patterning: The design incorporates charted lace patterns that are worked simultaneously from two different charts (Chart A and Chart B). These charts have different numbers of rows, requiring careful tracking with a row counter to maintain pattern accuracy.
• Strategic Decreasing: Shaping is achieved through decrease rows worked every eighth row, creating a fitted silhouette. Decreases are worked using k2tog and ssk (slip, slip, knit) techniques positioned symmetrically on either side of the central lace panels.
• Seaming: After all pieces are completed, they are seamed together to create the finished blouse.
• Applied Finishing: A garter stitch neckline and hem are knitted on after the main seaming is complete, providing a polished edge and additional structural support.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Plotted & Pieced Blouse uses a combination of fundamental and decorative stitches:

• Stockinette Stitch: The primary stitch used throughout the garment, creating a smooth, classic fabric base. The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch after blocking.
• Garter Stitch: Used for the neckline and hem finishing, providing a textured, reversible edge that frames the garment.
• Lace Stitches: Charted lace patterns (Chart A and Chart B) create openwork details that add visual complexity and elegance to the front of the blouse. These patterns are worked over specific stitch counts and row sequences.
• Decreases: K2tog (knit two together) and ssk (slip, slip, knit) are used to shape the garment and create the fitted silhouette.
• Increases: M1 (make one) increases are incorporated into the pattern to adjust the garment width as needed.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: The pattern calls for Juniper Moon Farm Findley Dappled yarn in color #06 Driftwood. Two balls of yarn are required for all five sizes, making this an efficient project in terms of yardage.

Needles: The pattern requires US 3 (3.25 mm) needles in two configurations: a 24-inch (60 mm) circular needle for the main body pieces and either US 3 (3.25 mm) double-pointed needles or a 16-inch (40 cm) circular needle for smaller circumference sections such as the neckline. Knitters are advised to adjust needle size as needed to obtain the specified gauge of 20 stitches and 32 rows per 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch after blocking.

Additional Notions: The pattern also requires waste yarn for provisional cast-ons, stitch markers for tracking pattern sections, and a tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends.

Pattern Notes

The Plotted & Pieced Blouse is designed with careful attention to both aesthetics and wearability. The pieced construction method—rather than knitting in the round—provides structural benefits that enhance the garment's shape and drape. The simultaneous use of two charted lace patterns with different row counts requires attentive tracking throughout the project, making this pattern suitable for experienced knitters who are comfortable working from charts and managing multiple pattern sequences. The addition of a garter stitch neckline and hem after