Vests and slipovers seem to be popping up everywhere these days! This week, I’m featuring a lacy slipover that hits all the bases. It’s quick and intuitive to knit with an easy, oversized fit and no complicated shaping. This week, take 30% off the RipRap pattern in my Ravelry shop through Friday, May 6. Coupon code is LacyRR56.
A LACY SLIPOVER BUILT FOR LAYERING
Straight, structured columns guide regiments of tiny triangles in RIPRAP, whose square-box construction echoes its geometric patterning. Roomy and drapey, this oversized lacy slipover is the perfect layering piece for year round wear. Wear it alone with a camisole and jeans or pair it with a blouse or a turtle neck. Choose a bright feature color and throw it on over tights and a tee.
This transitional knit is really just a large rectangle that is worked in the round. It features ribbed edging along the square armholes and across the neck. RipRap is worked from the bottom up as far as the underarms, then the front and back are worked flat.
TECHNIQUE
I love that this lacy slipover is worked in one piece and that it’s entirely seamless, including the shoulders. They are joined using a nifty three-needle bind off. This is an easy technique that creates a clean, stable seam line and requires no sewing. It is perfect for ribbed seam lines because it prevents the seams from stretching. A three-needle bind off is attractive too, so it’s often used on the right side of knitted seams. Here’s how to work a three-needle bind off with the seam on the inside:
- Hold live stitches from front and back shoulders on two needles with right sides together.
- Using a third needle, knit the first stitch of the front shoulder stitches together with the first stitch of the back shoulder stitches. Repeat for second stitch of front and back shoulders.
- Pass the first stitch on the working needle (the third needle/right needle) over the second stitch as you would for a conventional bind off.
- From here, you’ll be working exactly as you would for a conventional bind off, except that you’ll continue to knit the stitches of the front and back shoulder together before you “leap frog” them off the needles.
With an intuitive stitch pattern that’s easy to memorize, RipRap is a truly meditative and relaxing knit. I hope you’ll enjoy it!
