A Nautical Top

Though we've had this lovely yarn in the store for some time now, it was just this spring that I decided it needed to become a top...I think it had something to do with the fact that this lovely new dark blue colour came in. Whatever the reason, I snapped up this stunning dark and steely blue, a stone colour and a super-bright orange and set to work. Luckily I had a clear vision of what I wanted, and the entire project came together quite well. The yarn is Sirdar Baby Bamboo (it is more appealing than the name, I promise!) and its a DK weight 80% bamboo 20% wool yarn.




I knit this from the bottom up in one piece, at first worrying that the lack of side seams would make the top too saggy (because it is 80% bamboo after all). But I forged ahead thinking that anything would be better than fiddling with those tiny stripes in seaming. My bold move paid off, and this baby has the perfect amount of drape! I also used a handy little trick for getting rid of the jog created by striping in the round; fast, easy and much prettier than a nasty jog! The only hassle I had knitting this was in the neck and armhole shaping, because I was binding off at the beginning of some rows...and changing colours, I had to leave a HUGE number of tails in the back of my knitting, bleck!



I also knit a lovely hem at the bottom (that I still need to take pictures of...sorry...) and used the bright orange again on the inside. I love those little details that only I know about (now you do too)! I found the buttons at an excellent vintage sale in Leslieville, they are mother of pearl...and very pretty.

Well, I just had to share this. Its been finished for a while, but I just managed to wrangle Jeremy into photographing it yesterday. I'm hopeing to write up a pattern...but don't hold your breath people!