Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Carnegie Hill Tunic Knitting

Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Carnegie Hill Tunic

What Is Being Made

The Carnegie Hill Tunic is a knitted pullover sweater designed by Lidia Karabinech. This garment is a versatile tunic-length piece available in six sizes ranging from Small to 3X, with a finished bust measurement from 38½ inches (98 cm) up to 58½ inches (148.5 cm) and a consistent length of 29 inches (73.5 cm). The tunic features a classic pullover construction with set-in sleeves and a crew neckline, making it suitable for layering or wearing as a standalone piece.

Techniques Used

The Carnegie Hill Tunic employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its finished construction:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The garment is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the piece as it progresses and easily adjust length if needed.
• Worked Flat: The body and sleeves are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, using straight needles and a circular needle for certain sections.
• Striped Patterning: The design incorporates stripes throughout the garment for visual interest and texture variation.
• Short Row Shaping: Advanced shaping techniques using wrap and turn (W&T) method are employed to create shoulder and neck shaping. The pattern offers two versions—an Easy Version using basic bind-offs and an Experienced Version using short rows—allowing knitters to choose based on their skill level.
• Tubular Cast-On: An optional waste yarn tubular cast-on technique is available for a professional, seamless edge finish.
• 3-Needle Bind-Off: An optional technique for joining shoulders with a reinforced seam.

Stitches Used

The Carnegie Hill Tunic features two primary stitch patterns:

• Ribbing (k1, p1): A knit-one, purl-one ribbing pattern is worked at the lower edge for approximately 2 inches from the cast-on, creating an elastic, fitted cuff that helps the garment hold its shape.
• Waffle Rib: The main stitch pattern used for the body of the tunic. This textured stitch is worked after the initial ribbing and continues until the garment reaches approximately 27½ inches from the beginning, creating a subtle three-dimensional texture that adds visual and tactile interest to the finished piece.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Carnegie Hill Tunic is designed to be knitted with Stacy Charles Fine Yarns JULIE, a luxury yarn blend consisting of 75% extrafine merino wool and 25% silk. This fiber combination provides softness, breathability, and a subtle sheen characteristic of silk. The yarn is supplied in 1.75-ounce (50-gram) balls, each containing 125 yards (115 meters) of yardage. The pattern requires 11 to 18 balls depending on the finished size, with smaller sizes (Small through Large) requiring 11 to 15 balls, and larger sizes (XL through 3X) requiring 15 to 18 balls. The recommended color for this pattern is #01 silver, a neutral shade that complements the textured stitch patterns.

Needles and Notions

Construction of the Carnegie Hill Tunic requires size 5 (3.75mm) needles throughout. Knitters will need one pair of size 5 straight needles for working flat sections, and one size 5 circular needle measuring 16 inches (40 cm) long for certain construction methods. An additional size 5 needle is optional but recommended for the 3-Needle Bind-Off technique. The pattern also calls for standard notions including stitch markers to denote pattern repeats and shaping points, stitch holders to temporarily secure stitches (particularly the 43 to 53 center stitches reserved for the neckline), waste yarn for the optional tubular cast-on, and a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming if required.

Gauge

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit. The Carnegie Hill Tunic is designed to a gauge of 24 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) when measured in the Waffle Rib stitch pattern. Knitters are strongly encouraged to knit a gauge swatch before beginning the project to ensure their tension matches the pattern specifications, as variations in gauge will directly affect the finished measurements of the garment.