Chickenlips Knitting

Finished and blocked, my first original top design: the Harbourside Shell.

The eyelet pattern around the lower portion reminded me of the view from here, which is why I used the Anglicized spelling of the word "harbor". I was fortunate enough to accompany Mr. Stitchjones on a President's Circle trip to Sydney in 2001, before the high tech boom abruptly ended, and we even participated in a "regatta". Intrepid (read: those top software sales performers who don't want to look like a wuss to their co-workers) types were boarded onto yachts, and an amiable chap who appeared to step right out of Crocodile Dundee gave us sailing instructions for an actual race on Sydney Harbour. Which was windy, choppy, and freaking dangerous! Having no sea legs whatsoever, when the boat listed terrifyingly to one side, I grabbed Jason by the tighty-whities and held on for dear life. They actually had to take me back to shore after that.

But I'm digressing from a finished knit that, with a few hiccups, I truly love. Let me tell you all about it.

-Yarn: Rowan Wool Cotton in Lavender (Rowan has the most bizarre names for their colors!) 8 balls

-Needles: US 5, 24" circular

-Length from lower edge to armhole: 17.5"

-Size: 3x

In all honesty, this design is a hybrid of two different patterns, one of them being the top half of Cherry Bomb minus short row shaping, and the distinctive eyelet pattern which I found in a Japanese book of 300 knitting stitch patterns. I did one full pattern repeat before beginning the shaping, and knit in the round rather than flat as Cherry Bomb is made. I also altered the number and row count interval of paired decreases and increases, and extended the length a good 2 1/2 inches, as I like my tops to go past the belly! At least I got that right this time, deciding that if I was going to start free-styling I would do what I think looks best for my body, not the designer.