Avix was designed in collaboration with Miss Babs Hand-Dyed Yarn for Stitches West 2017; print patterns in their house format will be available at the Miss Babs booth at the many yarn shows they attend; stop by if you can, and see the samples in person! Digital pdfs are available here from my Ravelry store, and are formatted with my usual layout style and photography.

Mesh and eyelet lace columns highlight expanding lace panels inspired by the wings of soaring birds, making a flowing cardigan with a swing shape. Worked seamlessly from the top down, minimal shaping and simple lace textures make an easy to knit sweater that flatters a wide range of sizes.

Construction: Avix is worked seamlessly from the top down in stockinette with expanding lace panels flanked by arrowhead mesh and eyelet columns. Back and fronts are worked separately to armscye depth, then joined and worked in one piece to the narrow ribbed hem. Stitches are picked up around the armholes, the sleeve caps are shaped with short rows, then worked seamlessly in stockinette to the forearm where an eyelet pattern extends to the cuffs. Stitches are picked up along the entire front edge and neck, then worked in ribbing with short rows, making it wider at the bottom and narrower at the neckline.

Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, backwards loop CO, knit/purl, easy lace, increasing/decreasing, German short rows. Stitch patterns are both written and charted.

Size: 36 (40, 44, 48, 52, 56)” bust based on twice the back width; shown in second size worn with 5” positive ease.

Yarn: Miss Babs Yowza (100% superwash merino wool; 560 yards/512m/226g), shown in Shale; 2 (2, 3, 3, 3, 3) skeins, or approximately 1000 (1100, 1200, 1300, 1500, 1600) yards of light worsted weight wool yarn.

Other Materials: US 6 (4mm) 32” circular needle or size to match gauge; US 6 (4mm) 60” circular needle for collar; Stitch markers (14); Removable stitch markers (2); Stitch holders (2); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 20 st and 28 rows/4” in stockinette stitch, 16 st and 28 rows/4” in mixed lace pattern, after blocking.

A note about “mixed lace”: “mixed lace” refers to the gauge across the areas where there’s a mix of V-lace, arrowhead mesh and/or eyelet, such as the back and parts of the front. I used that gauge because technically the V lace is a little less open than the others - but it’s easier to calculate the entire panel when figuring sizing. I suggest swatching a mix of the three for your lace gauge - since this would make a very large swatch, try doing half the back, ie. eyelet, mesh and half of the V.

Thank you to Mari at Stitchcraft Marketing and the lovely ladies at Miss Babs, as well as to my own wonderful tech editor Kate Vanover.