Breeze Ruana by Ksenia Naidyon

Breeze Ruana

Knitting
June 2021
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
21 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches
in Garter Stitch, blocked
US 4 - 3.5 mm
990 - 1665 yards (905 - 1522 m)
A (B, C, D) to fit chest circumferences up to 32" (32-42, 42-52, 52-62)" / up to 81 (81-107, 107-132, 132-157.5)cm
English
This pattern is available for $7.00 USD buy it now

Light breeze carries the quintessence of summer on its wings - scents of wildflowers, warmth of heated cobblestones, salty spray of the sea. Playfulness and magic of the summer breeze inspired this piece.

Vertical stripes, lots of airy lace, comfortably shaped shoulders, and simple straight silhouette make Breeze Ruana a lovely addition to summer wardrobes. Finetuning the design to perfectly match your needs is a breeze (sorry!) with the directions for adjusting the length, adding optional ties or seaming the sides included in the pattern.

Ruana can be worked in any number of colors and is perfect for using up leftover yarn or mini skeins. Alternating stripes keep you entertained and are very satisfying to knit. Garter stitch works as a background for two unusual lace patterns that are easy to recreate with the video tutorials provided.

Sizes

  • A (B, C, D)
  • Designed to fit chest circumferences up to 32” (32-42, 42-52, 52-62)“ / up to 81 (81-107, 107-132, 132-157.5)cm
  • Width across the back 21 (26, 31, 36)“ / 53.5 (66, 78.5, 91.5)cm
  • Width of each front panel 8.5 (11, 13.5, 16)“ / 21.5 (28, 34.5, 40.5)cm
  • Length mid-back neck to hem 27.2” /69cm, adjustable
  • Back neck opening: 4” / 10cm
  • For the fit shown, divide your chest circumference by 2 and choose the size where width across the back gives you 5-10” / 13-25.5cm of positive ease
  • Model has 34” / 87cm chest and is wearing size B

Yarn

  • Fingering weight yarn in any number of colors. Recommended: at least 3.
  • Total yardage: 990 (1215, 1440, 1665)yds / 906 (1110, 1317, 1521) m
  • For three colors and a look similar to the sample, get roughly equal parts of each color: 330 (405, 480, 555)yds / 302 (370, 439, 507) m
  • Sample ruana yarn: Twist Light from Madelinetosh (75% superwash merino, 25% nylon, 420yds / 384m, 3.5oz / 100g) in colors Paper (c1, off-white), Moonglow (c2, light blue), Well Water (c3, blue), in equal parts

Needles and Gauge

  • Swatch to determine your needle size that helps to fit the gauge; needle size below is a suggestion
  • US 4 / 3.5mm circular needles on 32” / 80cm cable or long straight needles
  • Optional: a set of dpns in the same size for the i-cord if making ties

Construction

  • The ruana is knit sideways flat in three pieces - two fronts and the back. Symmetrical increases and decreases shape the shoulders.
  • The middle of the back piece is shaped to follow the natural curve of the neck for a more comfortable fit. It has an applied i-cord edge. Hem of the ruana is protected from curling with a garter selvedge.
  • The fabric is knit as a sequence of stripes in three stitch patterns.
  • Once all three pieces are finished and blocked, shoulders are seamed. From this point, ruana is ready to be worn as is.
  • Optional: a knitted i-cord can be used to tie the ruana for a more adjustable fit. Sides can be also seamed to turn the piece into a light summer cardigan. The length of the ruana is easily adjustable depending on the need. Instructions for all of these are provided.