Tunic with Constructed Design
How to knit the tunic with constructed design:
Size: EU 40–44 (US 8–12 / UK 12–16).
Material:
600 g yarn (60% mohair, 40% acrylic; 550 m/100 g); straight needles size 4.5 mm (US 7 / UK 7) and 2 double-pointed needles; crochet hook size 2 mm (US B/1 / UK 14); 2 buttons; 3 large round beads with a diameter of 1.5–2 cm and 3 medium beads with a diameter of 1 cm; 4 oval plastic beads.
Ribbing Pattern: *Knit 2, purl 2*, repeat throughout.
I-cord:
Cast on 3 stitches on 2 double-pointed needles, remove 1 needle and with the second needle knit 3 stitches, *slide the work to the other end of the needle and knit 3 stitches again, repeat from *.
Stockinette Stitch:
Knit on right side rows, purl on wrong side rows.
Relief Pattern:
Work according to the chart, which shows only right-side rows.
On wrong-side rows, work the stitches as they appear.
Repeat rows 1–24 in height.
Gauge:
In stockinette stitch with yarn held double = 16 sts x 25 rows.
In relief pattern = 20 sts x 26 rows = 10 x 10 cm.
Back:
With yarn held double, cast on 122 sts and work 10 rows in ribbing pattern.
Continue in relief pattern (= 15 repeats + 2 edge sts).
At 66 cm from the cast-on edge, for shoulder shaping, bind off on each side 2 times 5 sts, 4 times 6 sts, and finally the remaining 54 sts for the neckline.
Right Front:
With yarn held double, cast on 74 sts and work 10 rows in ribbing pattern.
Then work 67 rows in relief pattern.
At 26 cm for the neckline, bind off in every 2nd row: 26 sts once, 3 sts once, 2 sts once, and 2 sts once.
At this point, shape the shoulder on the wrong side as for the back, then bind off 2 sts once and 1 st five times.
Side Band:
Pick up stitches along the edge as follows: *make 2 sts from 1 st, then pick up 1 st from each of the next 2 sts, repeat from *.
Work 10 rows in ribbing pattern.
After the 2nd row from the neckline edge, increase 1 st in every 2nd row (a total of 10 rows).
Work the lower part of the right front with a single strand of yarn from top to bottom.
On the wrong side in the first row after the ribbing, pick up 151 sts (knit 2, make 5 sts out of 1 st, etc.).
Work this section in stockinette stitch for 27 cm.
Left Front (with pocket):
With yarn held double, cast on 58 sts and work 10 rows in ribbing pattern.
Continue in relief pattern for the pocket.
After 41 cm (107 rows) switch to stockinette stitch.
After 38 cm (99 rows) for the neckline, bind off 10 sts, then in every 2nd row bind off 3 sts once and 2 sts twice.
At this point, shape the shoulder on the wrong side as for the back, then bind off 2 sts once and 1 st five times.
From the beginning of the shoulder shaping, measure 35 cm down (this will be the upper line of the pocket).
Fold the pocket inward and sew it on the inside.
Knit an I-cord of 70 cm length with 3 stitches.
Thread it through an oval bead (the bead should be in the center of the cord).
4 cm above the pocket ribbing, sew the bead with the cord in the middle.
Pass the ends of the cord between the stitches in the middle of the ribbing and tie into a bow.
Sleeves:
Sew the shoulder seams.
From the back loops of the edge stitches, pick up 76 sts (38 sts on each side of the shoulder seam).
Pick up stitches as follows: *make 2 sts from 1 st, then pick up 1 st from each of the next 2 sts, repeat from *.
Work 117 rows in stockinette stitch.
For sleeve shaping, decrease as follows: in the 6th row bind off 2 sts on each side, then in every 8th row 2 times, in every 10th row 2 times, and in every 14th row 4 times 2 sts on each side.
After the last decrease, work 5 rows straight and then 12 rows in ribbing pattern.
After finishing the main part of the sleeve, for the decorative ribbing, pick up 76 sts from the upper edge loops at the sleeve beginning and work 12 rows in ribbing pattern.
In the 6th row decrease 1 st on each side.
Finishing:
Sew the sleeve seams and side seams (on the left side sew up to the pocket, on the right side up to the end of the ribbing, leave the lower part open).
Place the left front under the ribbing of the right front.
From the left shoulder seam, for the neckline ribbing, pick up 128 sts along the neckline edge, picking up the overlapped stitches of both fronts together.
Work 12 rows in ribbing pattern and bind off.
On the wrong side, carefully sew the left front edge to the right front.
Sew the buttons to the band.
For decoration on the right front, knit 3 I-cords of 56 cm each with 3 stitches.
Cover 3 large wooden beads and 3 medium wooden beads with crochet.
Pass one end of each cord through a large bead and tie a knot below it.
Thread the other end through an oval plastic bead and then through a medium crocheted bead and tie a knot at the end.
Make 3–4 knots randomly on each cord.
Sew the cords below the ribbing at different distances and levels on the stockinette section.