Knit
Behind the Design: Tempesta Knit Pullover Pattern by Kristin Omdahl
Sep
Behind the Design: Tempesta Knit Pullover Pattern by Kristin Omdahl
UPDATED 1/21/2021: This pattern has been reformatted with additional features and is now called the Trina knit pullover pattern.
This is a pattern that was a LONG time in the making! And, it starts with a little confession: I watch the soap opera “Days of our Lives.” I started watching it as far back as I can remember because my mom loved to watch the show. When VCRs came about, we used to record it during the day and watch it after school. Once I moved out, if I had a chance to be home at 1:00pm during any day of the week, I would catch up on it. Fast forward a few decades, and every once in a blue moon I still watch an episode. Surprisingly, it doesn’t take much to catch up!
For fellow DOOL fans, do you remember a character named Nicole Walker? (I don’t know what her last name is currently, as she may have married and/or divorced since the last time I watched the show). Around 10 years ago, I was watching an episode and Nicole was wearing a jersey knit (cut & sewn) top with 3 holes in the front of the chest that looked like negative spacing of 3 flower petals. They were large; the two outside ones angled up towards her collar bones and the center one pointed straight down. I LOVED the top and thought it was so intriguing. In my head I said, “Now THAT would be an interesting knit or crochet garment, if I could figure out the cut out shapes…” And I pouted about it. Then I stewed about it. Then I stewed about it some more. And then I dropped it and forgot about it for a while (a normal part of the creative process). One day out of the blue it hit me like a ton of bricks! What about buttonholes?!?! You know, like really, really LARGE buttonholes? And that my friends, is how this top became a reality.
Due to some strategically placed “buttonholes” and picking up and knitting into a very large “buttonhole” I was able to create 3 petal cut outs for this really cool top. I added some extra ease in the hips (because I think that is a really flattering shape on most bodies), and the cold-shoulder sleeves. I guess the cold shoulder sleeve detail could be over-kill for some people, and if it is just sew up the seam. But for those wishing to have 5 petal cut outs instead of 3 (me, for example) leave it just the way it is.
I knit this top with really tight gauge: sport weight yarn on US3 needles. The beauty of really silky bamboo is that tight gauge does NOT equal stiff fabric. It means a draped fabric that is opaque, and this Be So Sporty Yarn ALWAYS drapes beautifully; you will really feel like you are working with silk! I wanted to be able to wear this top without a camisole underneath. Depending on the color you make, either a black or nude bra is perfect! Mine is knit in Stormy Sea Be So Sporty and a nude bra is completely undetectable under this sweater.
Choose from many beautiful hand dyed colors of Be So Sporty to make your own Tempesta Knit Pullover Pattern.
