Exhale

Exhale is the second design in my Ffrench Collection, a series of knitwear designs inspired by the music of Alexis Ffrench. The music of Exhale is delicate and flowing, with repeated motifs that grow in complexity to the climax of the piece. My design, Exhale, is a top-down, colourwork yoke. The front centre of the colourwork pattern features a larger motif shaped to symbolise breath with life flourishing from it. The surrounding delicate repeating motifs are inspired by the construction of the music and by nature. SAMPLE The wearer is 5’10” / 178cm with a 37” chest circumference. The sample has been worked in size L, giving the wearer 9.25” / 23cm of positive ease at the chest. To accommodate the wearer’s height, yoke depth has been increased by 0.5” / 1.5cm and an extra 1” / 2.5cm has been added to body and sleeve lengths. The body is worked straight without waist shaping. In the sample photographs, the front of the sweater waistband has been tucked into the skirt waistband to achieve the pictured style. SIZING GUIDE This garment is graded into sizes XS (S, M, L, XL) (2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL). Recommended positive ease is 3-10” / 7.5-25cm at the chest circumference. Finished Garment Chest Circumference: 33.75 (37, 43, 46.25, 49.25) (55.5, 58.5, 61.5, 67.75)" / 84.5 (92.5, 107.5, 115.5, 123) (138.5, 146, 154, 169)cm. GAUGE Using 3.25mm / US size 3 needles, or needle size required to meet gauge, 26 stitches over 32 rounds in stockinette stitch, blocked, creates a 4x4”/10x10cm square. Neckband, waistband and cuff circumferences assume you are working 7 sts per 1” / 2.5cm. YARN The sample has been worked using Eden Cottage Yarn’s Titus 4ply base (75% Superwash Extrafine Merino / 25% Silk; 400m / 436yds per 100g) in colourways Charcoal for the main colour and Bark for the contrast colour. YARDAGE (includes ~10% excess) Main Colour: 974 (1054, 1168, 1251, 1349) (1507, 1589, 1710, 1819) metres / 1066 (1154, 1277, 1369, 1476) (1649, 1739, 1871, 1990) yards / 244 (264, 292, 313, 337) (377, 397, 427, 455) grams. Contrast Colour: 189 (205, 225, 246, 258) (298, 309, 339, 358) metres / 207 (225, 246, 269, 282) (326, 338, 371, 392) yards / 47 (51, 56, 62, 65) (75, 77, 85, 90) grams. TOOLS & NOTIONS 2.75mm / US size 2 circular needles (to work neckband, cuffs and waistband; varying cable lengths would be helpful) 3.25mm / US size 3 circular needles (to work yoke, body and sleeves; varying cable lengths would be helpful) 3 markers scrap yarn tapestry needle to weave in ends SKILLS REQUIRED -long tail cast on -joining and working in the round -working half-twisted ribbing -working right and left lifted increases -reading stranded colourwork charts -working stranded colourwork with two colours -splitting yoke stitches into body and sleeves -working the long tail cast on with two colours -standard bind off -working a regular pattern of decreases -working K2tog and SSK decreases