Carmel

I have knitted sweaters for most of my life, but very few summer tops. I run warm, and most of the patterns I found were not really designed for an Israeli summer. The yarn might be lighter and the sleeves shorter, but the garment was still built like a sweater. I wanted a top that began with the climate: an airy fabric, a wide round neckline and a shape that would feel comfortable in hot, humid weather. I also wanted to knit it from the top down, so I could try it on and adjust it as I worked. I tested elements of raglan, saddle-shoulder and contiguous construction, changing the proportions, stitch distribution and increase rates until I found the neckline and fit I was looking for. That process became Carmel. **Construction** Carmel is worked seamlessly from the top down, in the round. The knitting begins at the neckline. German short rows raise the back neck, while increases add width to the back. Once the front and back are balanced, increases are worked for the front, back and sleeves until the sleeve stitches are placed on hold. The body is then worked in stockinette stitch to the desired length. The sleeves are designed as short cap sleeves and can be finished immediately or lengthened. Optional bust shaping adds extra length to the front with German short rows, without changing the circumference of the garment. The guide explains how to determine whether you need this adjustment, where to place it and how many short rows to work. The plain stockinette body is intentional. It allows the yarn, the fabric and its drape to define the finished top, and it leaves room for stripes, texture or other changes of your own. **Your yarn, your measurements** Most garment patterns ask you to match a prescribed gauge and choose the closest available size. Carmel begins with the yarn and fabric you want to knit. Your blocked gauge, body measurements and preferred ease determine the numbers for your top. The guide leads you through this process and then takes you step by step through the knitting, using the measurements established for your own project. There are no fixed sizes to fit yourself into and no single gauge to chase. The same guide can be used across a wide range of fine yarns and supports finished chest circumferences of up to 140 cm / 55 in. The recommended positive ease is 8-10 cm / 3.25-4 in. **Gauge** The guide supports gauges from 25 to 35 stitches per 10 cm / 4 in, measured in stockinette stitch worked in the round, after washing and blocking. There is no fixed needle size. Choose the needles that give you a fabric you like within the supported gauge range. There is no prescribed row gauge. Measure the row gauge of your blocked swatch and use it for the bust shaping if needed. Carmel works well in fine yarns suitable for warm weather, including cotton, linen, silk, viscose, soy and blends. **Pattern language: Hebrew**