Belle is a slouchy, sheer knit. She is actually a rectangle with waist and neck openings on opposite sides which causes the garment to bias when worn. This effect is deceptively easy to knit.
The sleeves and body are knitted as one on US 9 circular needles and finished off with a couple 3-needle bind-offs and ribbing.
Skills Needed
General knitting skills, 3-needle BO.
Sizes
small (medium, large, 1x, 2x, 3x)
Finished measurements
Circumference: 56 (62, 68, 74, 80, 86)" [Note that this encompasses both bust and sleeves in a loose, slouchy fit.]Bust: 32–35 (36–39, 40–43, 44–47, 48–51, 52–56)"Length at shortest point: 24 (26, 28, 30, 32, 34)"
Materials
Suggested Yarns
3 (4, 5, 6, 7, 7) skeins Isager Viscolin (50% viscose, 50% cotton, 50 g/202 yds) held together with 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4) skeins Isager 1 (100% Alpaca, 50 g/437 yds); sample is size small knitted in color 40 (viscolin) and color 016 (Alpaca 1), or
3 (3, 4, 5, 6, 6) skeins Shibui Linen (100% linen, 50 g/246 yds); sample is size med knitted in color velvet, or
600 (750, 980, 1230, 1480, 1500) yards any dk weight yarn that gets gauge
Needles
US 9 circ needles or size needed to obtain gauge; long circ (35" or longer) are easiest to accommodate all stsUS 7–8 circ for ribbing (optional)
Notions
2 st markers, one hanging/opening
Gauge
16 sts = 4" in St st; row gauge not important
Images courtesy of Deep South Fibers.