Inamorata: A woman with whom one is in love.

With its flowing lines and sweet empire waist shaping, Inamorata invokes romance and feminine appeal.

Custom-fit strap shaping provides modesty and comfort in this classic knit that fits and flatters.

This project is worked with two strands of yarn held together throughout, and the soft handpainted linen/silk blend adds lovely drape and subtle color. The bodice is knit back and forth in rows from the upper edge to the under-bust, then the lower body is worked in the round to the lower edge. The bind off is worked in a simple lace garter stitch sawtooth pattern. Stitches for the straps are then picked up along the upper edge, and the straps are worked to fit. A row of single crochet trims the bodice edges, and the button loops for dainty shell buttons are worked with a simple crochet loop.

SIZE
XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size M)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 29[33, 37, 41, 45.5, 49.5, 53] inches
Hip: 36.75[41.5, 46.5, 51.25, 57.5, 62.5, 67.25] inches
Length from underarm to lower edge: 15[15, 16, 17, 18, 18, 19] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Kitchen Sink Dyeworks Silk Linen Lace [65% silk, 35% linen; 725yd/659m per 4oz skein]; color: Irene; 2[2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4] skeins
Note: If substituting yarn, you will need approx. 930[1060, 1280, 1510, 1770, 1930, 2190]yd/850[970, 1170, 1380, 1620, 1770, 2000]m fingering or lace weight yarn using two strands held together, or 465[530, 640, 755, 885, 965, 1095]yd/425[485, 585, 690, 810, 885, 1000]m double-knitting weight yarn using only one strand.


Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
24-inch US #5/3.75mm circular needle (larger sizes may prefer a longer needle)
24-inch US #6/4mm circular needle (larger sizes may prefer a longer needle)
1 set US#5/3.75mm double pointed needles (only two needles are used)
1 US #G/6 / 4mm crochet hook

Notions
Yarn needle
Cable needle
Stitch markers
10 to 12 buttons, approx. 0.5 inch diameter
Safety pins

GAUGE

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

C2B:
On RS Rows: Sl 1 st to cable needle and hold to back of work; k1 from left needle, k1 from cable needle.

On WS Rows: Sl 1 st to cable needle and hold to back of work; p1 from left needle, p1 from cable needle.

C2F:
On RS Rows: Sl 1 st to cable needle and hold to front of work; k1 from left needle, k1 from cable needle.

On WS Rows: Sl 1 st to cable needle and hold to front of work; p1 from left needle, p1 from cable needle.

C2BP:
On RS and WS Rows: Sl 1 st to cable needle and hold to back of work; k1 from left needle, p1 from cable needle.

C2FP:
On RS and WS Rows: Sl 1 st to cable needle and hold to front of work; p1 from left needle, k1 from cable needle.

yo2: Yarn over twice (wrap yarn twice around right needle, from front to back).

Crochet Stitches: The bodice and straps are edged with a very simple crocheted edging. Here are the abbreviations used and directions for the stitches used:

sl st (slip stitch)
ch (chain)
sc (single crochet)

DIRECTIONS
BODICE
Using smaller circular needle and two strands of yarn held together, CO 167[186, 209, 230, 256, 277, 298] sts. Do not join; bodice is worked back and forth in rows.

K 4 rows.

Work 2[2, 2, 2, 6, 6, 8] rows in reverse stockinette st, ending with a WS row.

Cable Pattern:
Setup Row [RS]: P3[2, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2], place marker, work Row 1 of Cable Chart, working outlined pattern repeat 22[25, 28, 31, 35, 38, 41] times; place marker, p3[2, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2]. Note that in Row 1 of chart, every 7-st repeat is increased to 8 sts; when row is complete, there will be 190[212, 238, 262, 292, 316, 340] sts.

Work Rows 2-36 of chart, maintaining first and last 3[2, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2] sts in reverse stockinette st as set. Note that in Row 36 of chart, every 8-st repeat is decreased to 7 sts; when row is complete, there will be 167[186, 209, 230, 256, 277, 298] sts.

Work 1[1, 1, 1, 5, 5, 7] row(s) in reverse stockinette st, ending with a RS row. Place marker and join to begin working in the round.

P 1 round.

LOWER BODY
Next Round [RS]: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, ssk
P 1 round.
Repeat these 2 rounds 2[1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1] time(s) more. 161[182, 203, 224, 252, 273, 294] sts.

Sizes S, 1X, 2X, 3X Only:
K 1 round.
P 1 round.

All Sizes:
Switching to larger circular needle, k 1 round.
Next Round: K3, [yo, k7] to last 4 sts, yo, k4. 184[208, 232, 256, 288, 312, 336] sts.

K 3 rounds.
Eyelet Round: K2, [k2tog, yo, k6] to last 6 sts, k2tog, yo, k4.
Repeat these 4 rounds until work measures 12.5[12.5, 13.5, 14.5, 15.5, 15.5, 16.5] inches or approx. 1.5 inches less than desired length, ending with Eyelet Round.

K 2 rounds. Switch to smaller circular needle and k 1 round.
K first 46[52, 58, 64, 72, 78, 84] sts of next round, then break yarn. Lace Edging will begin at this point. Lace Edging:
CO 5 sts onto tip of left needle.

Set-up Row [RS]: Using double-point needle, k4, k last st of edging together with 1 st of lower body. Turn work. 5 edging sts.

K 1 WS row over 5 sts of edging.

Row 1 [RS]: K2, yo, k2, k last st of edging together with next st of lower body. 6 edging sts.

Rows 2, 6, 8 [WS]: K all sts of edging.

Row 3 [RS]: K2, yo2, k3, k last st of edging together with next st of lower body. 8 edging sts.

Row 4 [WS]: K4, [k1, p1] in yo2, k2.

Row 5 [RS]: K3, yo, k4, k last st of edging together with next st of lower body. 9 edging sts.

Row 7 [RS]: BO 4 sts (1 st remains on right needle), k3, k last st of edging together with next st of lower body. 5 edging sts.

Repeat Rows 1-8 until all sts of lower body have been worked. Last st of lower body will be worked on Row 5 of edging pattern.

K 1 row, then BO all sts of edging.
Sew together CO end and BO end of edging.

FINISHING
Weave in ends. Steam block to measurements shown, gently pressing edging flat.

STRAPS
Pin front opening shut.  Slip garment body on over the undergarment you will be wearing beneath it.  Using safety pins, mark strap placement to cover undergarment straps along front and back upper edge of bodice (you will probably need assistance for this part).

Using a tape measure, measure from upper front edge, over your shoulder, to upper back edge. This measurement is your total strap length.

Front Straps:
Using double-point needle and two strands of yarn held together, with RS facing, pick up and k 8 sts along upper front edge of bodice, centered over one safety pin.

Work in reverse stockinette st until strap measures 1 inch less than half of  total strap length. (For example, if total strap length is 16 inches, front strap should be 7 inches long.)

BO all sts.

Work other front strap in the same way.

Back Straps:
Centering picked-up sts over safety pin on back of bodice, work as for front strap until strap measures 1 inch longer than half of total strap length. (For example, if total strap length is 16 inches, back strap should be 9 inches long.)

BO all sts.

Work other back strap in the same way.

CROCHET EDGING AND BUTTONHOLES
Pin front and back straps together at BO edges. Try on garment and mark desired locations of buttonholes along right front edge of bodice. 6-8 buttons are recommended; place top button just below upper corner of right front bodice edge.

With two strands of yarn held together and with RS facing, join yarn with sl st at bottom of right front edge of bodice. Ch 1, [sc along right front bodice edge to location of buttonhole, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next row edge st] until all buttonholes have been worked, sc to upper corner of right front edge; continue working sc along edges of bodice and straps, working two buttonholes at upper end of each back strap [see above], and ending at bottom of left front bodice edge. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Steam block edging. Sew buttons to left front bodice edge and upper ends of front straps, opposite buttonholes.

Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark spends her days dyeing a spectrum of yarns for her indie dye company, Kitchen Sink Dyeworks, and her evenings thinking up new projects to play with all of those colors.

She lives in the land of kudzu with her husband, Chris, three dogs, two cats and a herd of wooly dust buffalo.