In England, in the summer, people start putting cucumbers in
their drinks. More often than not, it ends up in an alcoholic
punch (named after the liqueur – Pimms) on a sweltering
summer’s day. We don’t just put in cucumber; it isn’t
really Pimms without apples, strawberries, grapes, and mint.
But it’s the cucumber that makes the drink for me.
And it’s the cucumber that makes the picnic. Aside from
the punch, who wants to miss cucumber sandwiches, cucumber batons
and enough tzatziki to make you sick?
This
Cucumber is a top perfect
for picnics. Soft and flowing during the day, with
a little extra fabric to snuggle into once the sun
goes down, it’s modern,
it’s asymmetrical, and it’s rather fun. The fast
drop of the left front flatters any post-picnic belly
(you should see me get through potato salad), and
best of all, it’s
fully reversible, great for hiding any picnic spills!
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] 1
32-inch US 6/4mm circular needle
1 32-inch
US 4/3.5mm circular needle
Optional: 3.5mm
crochet hook for working buttonholes
Sand Stitch: Row 1: Knit. Row 2: *P1, k1; rep from * to
end. Row 3: Knit. Row 4: *K1, p1; rep from * to
end.
Seed Stitch: Row 1: *P1, k1; rep from * to
end. Row 2: *K1, p1; rep from * to
end.
DIRECTIONS
Body
Using US 6/4mm needle cast on 240(268,
296, 324, 356, 384, 412) sts using the
cable cast on method.
Beg with Row 1, work in
Sand Stitch until work measures 11.5
inches ending on Row 4 of stitch pattern.
Note: This design features a high waist.
Knitters wanting to add/remove length are
recommended to do so at this stage to prevent
the displacement of the waist.
Change to US 4/3.5mm needle.
Beg with Row
1 work Seed Stitch for 8 rows.
Change to US 6/4mm needle.
Beg with Row
1 work Sand Stitch for 8 rows.
Buttonhole row [RS]: K 169[189,
209, 229, 253, 273, 293], work buttonhole
[see note above in
Pattern Notes], k to
end.
Next row [WS]: [P1, k1] 33[37,
41, 45, 49, 53, 57] times, p4, *p1,
k1; rep from * to end.
Work Rows 3-4 of Sand Stitch pattern across
all sts.
Beg with Row 1, work 2[2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 3]
repeats of Sand Stitch.
Rep last 12[12, 16, 16, 12, 16, 16] rows
1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2] times more.
Buttonhole Row [RS]: K 169[189,
209, 229, 253, 273, 293], work buttonhole,
k to end.
Next row [WS]: [P1, k1] 33[37,
41, 45, 49, 53, 57] times, p4, *p1,
k1; rep from * to end.
Work Rows 3-4 of Sand Stitch pattern across
all sts. 3[3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4] buttonholes
worked.
Divide For Armholes – Right
Front: Row 1 [RS]: BO 4[5, 5, 6, 7, 7,
8], k 82[91, 101, 110, 121, 131, 140], pm,
turn.
Row 2 [WS]: BO 4[5, 5, 6,
7, 7, 8] so that st remaining on RH
needle has been knit, k 1[0, 0, 1,
0, 0, 1], *p1, k1; rep from * to end.
The marker divides the Right Front from
the rest of the work. Until directed, only
the stitches before this marker are to be
worked. If desired, stitches beyond the
marker may be placed on a stitch holder
or held on waste yarn.
Continue to work RS and WS rows in Sand
Stitch as set:
BO6 sts at beg of next two rows 0[0, 0,
0, 0, 1, 1] times.
BO5 sts at beg of next two rows 0[0,
0, 0, 1, 0, 0] times.
BO4 sts at beg of next two rows 0[1,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1] times.
BO3 sts at beg of next two rows 0[1,
1, 2, 0, 1, 2] times.
BO 2 sts at beg of next two rows 3[1,
2, 1, 3, 2, 1] times.
*Continuing to work in Sand Stitch, BO
2 sts at beg of all RS rows until 16[18,
18, 20, 22, 22, 24] sts remain.
Work even
for 2 rows, then bind off these sts.
Back Rejoin yarn with RS facing.
Work as for
Right Front until *.
Work even in Sand Stitch
until back measures 6.25 (6.75, 7.25, 7.75,
8.25, 8.75, 9.25) inches from base of armhole
ending on Row 4 of Sand Stitch pattern.
Row 2: Sl1, BO 20[22, 26, 26, 26, 30,
32] sts, work in Sand Stitch to end.
Row 3: K 22[24, 24, 27, 29, 30, 32],
turn.
Row 4: BO 6[5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8] sts, work
in Sand Stitch to end.
16[18, 18, 20, 22, 22, 24] sts remaining.
Work even in Sand Stitch for 2 rows then
BO all sts.
Rejoin yarn to opposite shoulder with RS
facing (to the stitch you slipped before).
16[17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26] sts.
Row 1 [RS]: K 5[4, 5, 6, 6, 7,
7], [work buttonhole] 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3]
times, k 1 (3, 3, 5, 2, 2, 4). Row 2 [WS]: [P1, k1] 0[1,
1, 2, 0, 0, 1] times, p11, *k1, p1;
rep from * to end. Row 3 [RS]: BO 6[5, 6, 7,
7, 8, 8] sts, k to end. 10[12, 12,
14, 16, 16, 18] sts.
Work even in Sand Stitch for 3 rows beg
with Row 4 then bind off all sts.
FINISHING
Block to the dimensions given in the schematic.
Using mattress stitch attach the Right Front shoulder to the
left-hand Back shoulder and the left-hand Left Front shoulder
(i.e. the one without the button holes) to the right-hand Back
shoulder.
Weave in ends, using tails to reinforce underarm divides where
appropriate. Carefully attach buttons as marked on the schematic
and matching the positioning of the buttonholes both front and
back of Cucumber in the same place. Not only does this serve
to make the garment fully reversible, it also substantially
reinforces the button, reducing stretch and sag in this area.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Michaela is reveling in the London springtime, always best accompanied
by regular picnics, cakes and punch!
For the time being living
with her two naughty cats in the heart of East London, she is carefully
plotting a hop across the Channel to the Land of Chocolate and
Waffles – aka Belgium - where she plans to start a picnic
revolution.
