The first choice for me was the fiber: I chose the Merino Bamboo blend that I carry in the shop. It's simply divine. I made one sweater in it last year and after a few hours of wearing it, I was in love. I dyed myself 4 more colorways and awaited a sweater that was just right. Up came my idea for Tappan Zee. I wanted drape, shine, and something soft and luxurious.

This sweater is a lacy, open, short sleeve/vest cardi that is the perfect little garment to bridge winter into summer. It'll work perfectly as a little warmth over a long sleeve shirt in spring, or over a tank in the summer. It's a sweet little top with movement and flowyness that will just help harbor in the warmer breezy days at the beach. My plan is to wear this all summer long when I need a little bit of something on my back and shoulders over skinny Camis.

SIZE
A[B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J] (shown in size B)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 36[38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52] inches
Length at center back: 23.5[24, 24, 25.5, 25.5, 26.5, 27, 27.5, 28.5] inches

Finished Yarn
Wraps per inch: 34
Yardage used: Approx. 580[640, 700, 780, 804, 900, 980, 1020, 1080]yd/530[585, 640, 713, 735, 823, 896, 933, 988]m

	Spinning Tool: Merlin Tree Hyacinth for the singles, Majacraft Suzie pro with the accelerated head for the plying Lazy Kate: Ashford

Tools
Stitch markers
Yarn needle

GAUGE
20 sts/32 rows = 4” in stockinette st

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

sk2p: Sl 1, k2tog, pass slipped st over. 2 sts decreased.

T2R: K into front of second st on left needle without dropping st from left needle; k into first st on left needle, drop both first and second sts from left needle.

Diamond Pattern (Worked over a multiple of 9 sts + 2):
Row 1 [WS]: K all sts.
Row 2 [RS]: K1, [k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k2] to last st, k1.
Rows 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 [WS]: P all sts.
Row 4 [RS]: K1, [k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1] to last st, k1.
Row 6 [RS]: K1, [k2tog, yo, k5, yo, ssk] to last st, k1.
Row 8 [RS]: K1, [k1, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k1] to last st, k1.
Row 10 [RS]: K1, [k2, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k2] to last st, k1.
Row 12 [RS]: K1, [k3, yo, sk2p, yo, k3] to last st, k1.
Row 13 [WS]: K all sts.

DIRECTIONS
YOKE

First Section:
CO 96[104, 108, 116, 120, 128, 136, 144, 152] sts.

K 7 rows.

Buttonhole Row [WS]: K2, k2tog, yo, k to end.

Next Row [RS]: K5, place marker, k to last 5 sts, place marker, k5.

Important: From this point on, maintain first and last 5 sts in garter st (k every row) to form front bands. For every row except buttonhole rows, k first and last 5 sts.

Work 3 rows in stockinette st.

Next Row [RS]: K to marker, [k2, m1] to 2 sts before last marker, k to end. 138[150, 156, 168, 174, 186, 198, 210, 222] sts.

Work 2[2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6] rows in stockinette st.

Second Section:
Row 1 [WS]: K all sts.

Row 2 [RS]: K to marker, k1, [yo, k2tog] to 1 st before last marker, k to end.

Row 3 [WS]: K all sts.

Rows 4-7: Work in stockinette st.

Row 8 [RS]: K to marker, [k3, m1] to 2 sts before last marker, k to end. 180[196, 204, 220, 228, 244, 260, 276, 292] sts.

Row 9 [WS]: K to marker, p to last marker, k to end.

Row 10 [RS]: K all sts, evenly increasing 3[5, 6, 8, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8] sts across row. 183[201, 210, 228, 228, 246, 264, 282, 300] sts.

Work 0[0, 0, 0, 0, 2, 2, 2, 2] rows in stockinette st.

Work Rows 1-6 of Diamond Pattern.

Buttonhole Row (Row 7 of Diamond Pattern) [WS]: K2, k2tog, yo, k1, p to last marker, k to end.

Work Rows 8-13 of Diamond Pattern.

Work 2 rows in stockinette st.

Third Section:
Row 1 [RS]: K to marker, k3[4, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3], m1, [k4, m1] to 2[3, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3] sts before marker, k to end. 226[248, 260, 282, 282, 305, 327, 350, 372] sts.

Row 2 [WS]: K to marker, p to last marker, k to end.

Row 3 [RS]: K all sts, evenly increasing 2[7, 4, 0, 9, 4, 0, 4, 0] sts across row. 228[255, 264, 282, 291, 309, 327, 354, 372] sts.
Work 0[0, 0, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6] rows in stockinette st.

Work Rows 1-12 of Diamond Pattern.

Buttonhole Row [WS]: K2, k2tog, yo, k to end.

Work 2 rows in stockinette st.

Next Row [RS]: K to marker, k3[3, 3, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 3], m1, [k4, m1] to 3[2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3] sts before last marker, k to end. 282[316, 327, 350, 361, 383, 406, 440, 462] sts.
Work 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 6, 6] rows in stockinette st.

Lower Yoke Border:
Row 1 [WS]: K all sts.
Row 2 [RS]: K to marker, k1, [yo, k2tog] to 1[1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1] st before last marker, k to end.
Row 3 [WS]: K all sts.
Work in stockinette st until work measures 8.5[9, 9, 9.5, 9.5, 10, 10, 10.5, 11] inches from CO edge, ending with a RS row.

LOWER BODY
Next Row [WS]: K5, p40[43, 46, 48, 50, 53, 55, 58, 60], BO next 51[63, 63, 70, 70, 76, 83, 95, 101] sts purlwise, p until there are 90[94, 99, 104, 111, 115, 120, 124, 130] sts on needle after bound off sts, BO next 51[63, 63, 70, 70, 76, 83, 95, 101] sts purlwise, p to marker, k5. 180[190, 201, 210, 221, 231, 240, 250, 260] sts.

Next Row [RS]: [K to 1 st before bound off sts, T2R] twice, k to end. This tightens up the joins at the underarms and prevents loose sts or ladders from forming at these points.

Work in stockinette st until work measures 11[12, 12, 13, 13, 13.5, 14, 14, 14.5] inches from underarm or 3 inches less than desired length, ending with a WS row.

Diamond Motifs:
Next Row [RS]: K5, work Row 2 of Diamond Pattern over next 11 sts, k to 11 sts before last marker, work Row 2 of Diamond Pattern over next 11 sts, k5.

Work 10 more rows in pattern, working Rows 3-12 of chart as set to form diamond motifs at lower front corners.

Work 3 rows stockinette st.

K 8 rows.

Loosely BO all sts.

FINISHING
Weave in ends and block as desired. Sew buttons to left front band opposite buttonholes.

Amy King is a crazy homeschooling mom by day, whacked-out dye maven by night. Her first book, Spin Control: Techniques for Spinning the Yarns You Want, is available at your favorite spinning store.

All her exploits can be found here.