Aquitaine

As comfortable with a glass of wine on the patio as on a tryst in the forest, this aristocratic sweater may be essential for your armoire. Two different & simple slip stitch patterns and two strong coloured yarns give it a timeless beauty. And you can decide which length to knit, too. The short version is smart and dressy, while the long version is elegant and sophisticated.

Construction begins with a provisional cast on at the empire waist and the bodice is worked in one piece up towards the shoulders, dividing for the armholes. Shoulders are shaped with short rows and finished off with a three-needle bind-off. Stitches are then reclaimed from the provisional cast on and the lower portion of the sweater is worked from the waist down to the hem. Subtle A-line shaping is achieved by using progressively larger needles thus eliminating the need to work increases into the stitch pattern and providing extra drape towards the hem. Inset sleeves are worked up from the cuffs.