Caol Ila

$8.00

Designing Caol Ila while looking forward to Spring, I wanted a vest for both warm and cool weather. My Scottish Yarn Festival DK is a delicate and airy fiber in a springy blue shade that leans right into April and May. The delicate heather in my blue shade features bits of green and yellow, and the Shetland/Cheviot mix here is soft and light.

I can see this being worn layered in Spring or Fall, and then maybe knit again in a cotton and linen bland as a cropped summer tee as well! The delicate detail and more open neckline are intentionally added for this purpose - no heavy cables this time!

With that in mind, Caol lla (pronounced kull eel-ah) features a lace horseshoe and uses it as a foundation for simple texture and cables, creating a vest that's all about transitions. The pattern plays into the ribbing at the hem, shifts to scoops of lace, and then morphs into a graphic cable and texture combination for the upper body. I love how the thought required at bottom eases into rhythmic cabling once you need to worry about shaping and fit.

A picot edge on the collar emphasizes the simple delicacy of this shell, and is placed on an open crew neck. As written, this neckline is lower and rounder than the classic shape, and I’ve added depth as the sizes grow. My sample is a size 2, with a 3.25”/8.25cm drop at front - and on me, this is just a little lower than when my tall friend Gabriella models it!

Caol lla is worked in the round from hem to armhole and then divided into pieces, which are worked flat to shoulder. Once shoulders are seamed, collar and armhole stitches are picked up and worked in the round to end. The picot collar is folded and seamed down last.

As always, there are plenty of notes in the pattern about modifying the fit, the length, or the neckline on Caol lla to your own taste. See the test knits for a variety of options for both fit and neckline modifications!

Instructions for lace and cables are both charted and written out.

Scroll down for more details.

Designing Caol Ila while looking forward to Spring, I wanted a vest for both warm and cool weather. My Scottish Yarn Festival DK is a delicate and airy fiber in a springy blue shade that leans right into April and May. The delicate heather in my blue shade features bits of green and yellow, and the Shetland/Cheviot mix here is soft and light.

I can see this being worn layered in Spring or Fall, and then maybe knit again in a cotton and linen bland as a cropped summer tee as well! The delicate detail and more open neckline are intentionally added for this purpose - no heavy cables this time!

With that in mind, Caol lla (pronounced kull eel-ah) features a lace horseshoe and uses it as a foundation for simple texture and cables, creating a vest that's all about transitions. The pattern plays into the ribbing at the hem, shifts to scoops of lace, and then morphs into a graphic cable and texture combination for the upper body. I love how the thought required at bottom eases into rhythmic cabling once you need to worry about shaping and fit.

A picot edge on the collar emphasizes the simple delicacy of this shell, and is placed on an open crew neck. As written, this neckline is lower and rounder than the classic shape, and I’ve added depth as the sizes grow. My sample is a size 2, with a 3.25”/8.25cm drop at front - and on me, this is just a little lower than when my tall friend Gabriella models it!

Caol lla is worked in the round from hem to armhole and then divided into pieces, which are worked flat to shoulder. Once shoulders are seamed, collar and armhole stitches are picked up and worked in the round to end. The picot collar is folded and seamed down last.

As always, there are plenty of notes in the pattern about modifying the fit, the length, or the neckline on Caol lla to your own taste. See the test knits for a variety of options for both fit and neckline modifications!

Instructions for lace and cables are both charted and written out.

Scroll down for more details.

Yarn: The Scottish Yarn Festival DK, (80% Shetland wool,    20% Cheviot wool, 252yds/230m per 3.5oz/100g skein). Sample knit in the Bruce colorway.

If substituting yarn, look for a light worsted/heavy DK wool that works to gauges given. Use a subtly shaded or solid color, so the pattern detail will stand out. My yarn is a slightly rustic, lofty fiber with great stitch definition.

Gauge: 20 sts and 28 rnds per 4”/10cm in lace pattern. 25 sts and 28 rnds/rows per 4”/10cm in cable pattern. Adjust your needle size(s) as needed so that lace and cable patterns are same width. 20 sts and 28 rnds per 4”/10cm in 1x1 rib gauge at collar and armholes.    

Needles: US#6/4mm needles or sizes needed to get gauges to match. Long circular needles for body of vest and shorter circular needles for armholes and collar. Optional US#5/3.5mm for center rows on collar.

Sizes:

35.75(41.25,43.75,47.25,50)(54,59.5,62,66.25)”

90.75 (104.75,111.25,120,127)(137.25,151.25,157.5,168.5)cm

For fit shown, I suggest between 3-5”/7.5-12.75cm of positive ease.

Yardage:

750(850,950,1100,1200)(1350,1450,1550,1600)yds

685(780,870,1005,1100)(1235,1325,1420,1465)m

Light worsted or heavy DK weight yarn needed.