String Carol Striped Tunic Jumper Knitting Pattern

Carol Striped Tunic by String

What is Being Made

The Carol Striped Tunic is a knitted pullover sweater designed by Lidia Karabinech. This garment is a sophisticated tunic-length piece available in four sizes: Small (Medium, Large, Extra Large), with finished bust measurements ranging from 39 inches to 51 inches and a consistent length of 30 inches. The tunic features a striking color-blocked stripe pattern created through strategic yarn changes throughout the body and sleeves, making it a visually interesting layering piece suitable for various occasions.

Techniques Used

The Carol Striped Tunic is constructed using several key knitting techniques that create both its structure and visual appeal:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The garment is knitted from the cast-on edge upward, allowing for straightforward shaping and easy adjustments during the knitting process.
• Worked Flat: The body and sleeves are worked flat on straight needles rather than in continuous rounds, which is traditional for this style of tunic construction.
• Seamed Assembly: After completing the individual pieces, they are seamed together to create the finished garment, providing clean, professional-looking seams.
• Stripe Patterning: The design incorporates a carefully planned stripe sequence that uses four different yarn colors in specific row counts to create a harmonious color-blocked effect throughout the piece.
• Shaping with Increases and Decreases: The tunic includes strategic increases worked every 30 rows at the body to create a subtle A-line silhouette, and armhole shaping is achieved through bind-offs followed by regular decreases.

Stitches Used

The Carol Striped Tunic primarily relies on fundamental knitting stitches executed with precision:

• Stockinette Stitch: This is the main stitch pattern throughout the entire garment. Stockinette Stitch is created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing the classic smooth, V-textured fabric that is the foundation of this design.
• Right Double Decrease (RDD): This specialty stitch is used during armhole shaping to decrease two stitches while maintaining a neat, right-leaning decrease line. The pattern specifies this stitch for the decrease rows worked on the right side during armhole reduction.
• Make One (M1): This increase technique is used in the increase rows at the body to add stitches for shaping, worked two stitches in from each edge to maintain clean selvage edges.

Materials and Gauge

The Carol Striped Tunic is designed to showcase the luxurious qualities of String CASHSETA yarn, a premium blend combining 50% cashmere and 50% silk. This fiber content creates a garment with exceptional softness, breathability, and subtle sheen. Each ball contains 1.75 ounces of yarn with 114 yards of yardage per 50 grams.

The yarn requirements vary by size and include four coordinating colors:

• Color 400002 (Ebony): The primary color, requiring 4 (5, 6, 7) balls depending on size
• Color 309434 (Papaya): An accent color, requiring 2 (3, 3, 3) balls
• Color 200007 (Dune): A secondary color, requiring 3 (3, 4, 4) balls
• Color 307740 (Taupe): Another accent color, requiring 3 (3, 3, 4) balls

Needles Required: The pattern calls for size 6 (4mm) needles for the main body work, with a size 6 (4mm) circular needle measuring 16 inches long for certain sections. Size 7 (4.5mm) needles are provided as an alternative or for obtaining proper gauge. Additional tools include a cable needle, waste yarn for holding stitches, and a yarn needle for finishing.

Gauge: The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 28 rows equaling 4 inches in Stockinette Stitch when worked with the smaller needles after blocking. Achieving this gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements, and knitters are advised to take time to check their gauge before beginning the project.

Construction Details

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