One of my most favourite projects in recent years has been the PetiteKnit Holiday Slipover.

A super comfy, super warm, and super stylish (😅 I’m not very stylish) chunky vest that I’ve worn right through the winter season - including today!

I finally have the yarn in store, so it’s a perfect time to share the project.

Enjoy!

Andrea | Loom + Spindle

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STUDIO PROJECT | Holiday Slipover

DESIGN

Holiday Slipover is a design by PetiteKnit, first published in March 2020. The pattern is available to purchase as a digital download via Ravelry.

SKILLS

• Knit and purl stitches

• Increasing and decreasing

• Picking up stitches

• Italian bind-off

TOOLS

• Knitting Needles: 1 x Knina-swivel-80cm-9mm, 1 x Knina Swivel 80cm | 10.00mm

• Stitch markers

• Tapestry needle

MATERIALS

WAITLIST

Vintage | Mist

WAITLIST

Kid Seta | Cream 406

+ Yarn kits available HERE +

The Project

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

YARN

• Vintage offers a lush blend of alpaca and Merino wool carefully blown into a soft cotton core. The results are a super soft and fluffy fabric.

• To achieve a gauge of 10 stitches over 10cm the pattern specifies holding two strands of Vintage (or an equivalent yarn) with a single strand of mohair. The three strands are held together throughout.

CONSTRUCTION + FINISHING

• On sizing, I really wanted a lot of ease. I went with size XL, this gave me about 16cm (5’’) positive ease.

• The pattern is worked top-down, beginning with the back yoke and then the front. After the armhole shaping the pattern is worked in the round.

• Rather than working in the round I deviated from the instructions and continued working the front and back pieces flat. I did this to avoid any change in my knitted gauge and add structure to the knit.

• I used back stitch to join the side seams and a sewn bind-off at the hems and rib edges.

• I always hate picking up stitches but think I’ve found a hack - Pick up as many stitches as there are gaps in the fabric, then on the next round decrease in pattern to get the pattern stitch count. Works every time, no holes!

FINAL THOUGHTS

This would make a great first garment if you’re ready to extend you knitting skills.

It’s certainly been a piece that has seen a lot of wear. I tend to layer up during the winter months, so this has been the perfect thing to throw over a shirt and keep my shoulders warm.

Vintage was something new to work with and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The final fabric really looks as good as the day I knit it!

I’d recommend using the mohair as specified in the pattern, it seems to give structure to the other strands, holding everything in place.

I really see my self knitting with Vintage again soon, at the top of my list are the Sunday Cardigan, Sunday Sweater or maybe the Novice Cardigan – Chunky Edition.

I also desperately want another Holiday Slipover, so many colours to choose from.

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Want to knit a Holiday Slipover?

You’ll be glad to know we’ve done all hard work and figured out the yardage for every size - you’re welcome 😉

All that’s left to do is to choose your favourite colour!

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Explore Vintage

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Explore More Studio projects…

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Gepard’s Kid Seta brings together the very best of silk and super kid mohair to create an ultra soft and luxurious yarn.

Only the finest quality mohair is used in this blend. Carefully milled, the mohair is gently spun into a core of silk and brushed to produce a delicate halo.

Worked on its own Kid Seta creates a lush drapey fabric that resists creasing and wrinkles. When stranded with another yarn the mohair adds luxe and sophistication.

Best suited to hand-knit and woven fabrics, Kid Seta will impart an enduring aesthetic for timeless wardrobe pieces.

Shop all shades HERE.

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Colourways

THE YARN

FIBRE CONTENT: 70% Super Kid Mohair, 30% Mulberry Silk
NET WEIGHT: 25g (0.88 oz) per ball
APPROX. YARDAGE: 210m (230yd)
YARN WEIGHT EQUIVALENT: Lace / 2 Ply
CONSTRUCTION: Worsted spun silk core, brushed mohair
CARE: Cold hand wash, dry flat

PROJECT SUGGESTIONS

Kid Seta is suitable for a range of knitted pieces. For project inspiration check out our pattern favourites on RAVELRY.

ABOUT GEPARD

Gepard are a Danish yarn brand influenced by Scandinavian style and design tradition. They offer a range of high-quality yarns in an extensive range of colours.

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LET’S GET STARTED…

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An experiment stranding Semilla Grosso with Silky Kid

It’s been an exciting year here at Loom & Spindle, we’ve spent many happy hours sourcing unique yarns and fibres from all over the world to bring you a fresh palette of textures to explore. 

One of our new favourites is the GOTS certified, Semilla Grosso by BC Garn. A smooth round yarn with exceptional stitch definition.

We’ve been enjoying the process of swatching and planning projects with Semilla Grosso and we’re eager to share all our experiments with you.

Today we’re taking a look at our swatch for the Grace pullover by Denise Bayron, as featured in Laine Magazine Issue 8.

This swatch almost didn’t make the cut. Grace is knit in a super bulky weight yarn at 2.75 stitches per inch. At a standard gauge Semilla Grosso knits up much finer at around 3.5-4.5 stitches per inch. 

Our pre-swatching suggested that we just weren’t going to get gauge using Semilla Grosso, but we had one last trick up our sleeve…

Read on to find out how we untangled this ball of yarn + how to get a 10% discount on the Semilla Grosso range!

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PROJECT

Swatching Grace by Denise Bayron using Semilla Grosso and Silky Kid

AIM

Knit a swatch for the Grace pullover to explore:

• If an appropriate gauge can be obtained using Semilla Grosso

• The fabric’s hand-feel at the resulting gauge, and

• The suitability of Semilla Grosso for a pullover intended for a ‘super bulky’ weight yarn

SKILLS

• Casting on

• Casting off

• Knitting flat

• Working a simple cable pattern

• Translating pattern instructions into swatch parameters

TOOLS

• 5mm (US 8) knitting needles (we used Chiaogoo Spin Bamboo Interchangables)

MATERIALS

1 x WHITE (01)

1 x NATURAL WHITE (003)

DESIGN

The swatch was based on the Grace pullover by Denise Bayron, as published in Laine Magazine Issue 8.

The swatch itself was to be very simple, we wanted to test Semilla Grosso in the knitted fabric and also work-in a 1x1 rib and one cable repeat to see how the design details would translate. The resulting swatch was knit over 26 stitches incorporating these design elements.

DEVELOPMENT

The pre-swatch – Semilla Grosso

We tried a few different needle sizes on some pre-swatch swatches. 

Using the needle size recommended in the pattern, 9.0 mm (US 13), the resulting fabric was extremely loose and airy and was not going to be suitable for garment construction.

 Sizing down, the fabric was more cohesive but lacked structure.

We found a satisfactory fabric was obtained on 4mm (US 6) needles, with a resulting 5 stitches per inch. The fabric was smooth, felt durable and had spring. Unfortunately, at this finer gauge the pattern as written would become unworkable for our intended size.

The final Swatch - Semilla Grosso stranded with Silky Kid

Before giving up we tried one last swatch stranding Semilla Grosso with Silky Kid by Kremke Soul Wool. Our theory was, that by adding a strand of mohair we could knit at a looser gauge with the mohair halo filling in the ‘gaps’ to help maintain the structure of the fabric.

So finally, on 5mm (US 8) needles we discovered a soft silky fabric that had both stitch definition and structure, was surprisingly drapey and had a luxurious halo. And, the resulting gauge would allow us to work the pattern as written with only a few minor adjustments!

FINISHING

The swatch was soaked in a bath of cool water for around 5 minutes, the excess water pressed out using a towel. The swatch was then pinned out on a blocking mat, attention given to straightening the cable detail and aligning the stitches before being allowed to dry.

Final measurements:

• 14 stitches over 10cm (4'')

• 20 rows over 10cm (4'')

• Overall dimensions, 15cm x 15cm (6'' x 6'')

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

GAUGE

With our pre-swatches telling us that Semilla Grosso and the Grace pullover might just not be compatible, we were really pleased to find a workable gauge when adding a strand of mohair.

FABRIC

Semilla Grosso delivered smooth well-defined stitches, making the cable pattern pop. The mohair halo supported the looser gauge and provided structure and durability to the knitted fabric. These elements all came together to create a drapey fabric with a lustrous look and silky hand-feel.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The super bulky weight yarn used in the pattern lends a certain look and feel to the original piece. Though we haven’t recreated this fabric, we think we’ve come up with something interesting that could be applied to this pattern with great results.

Ultimately, stranding Semilla Grosso with Silky Kid turned the Grace pullover into a viable project option for these yarns. We’ve done some preliminary calculations on working the pullover at this gauge and think we’ll get some exciting results. Stay tuned!

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Would you like to save this swatch for later? 

Add this swatch to your Ravelry favourites HERE.

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Keep on swatching…

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