Sommer Ella
Even though it looks complicated this very
fine leaf patterned yoke is not hard to knit.
The shape of the tee is short and a bit
spacious. It is worked top down and higher
at the back neckline (after the edging) to
make the tee fit.
Sizes
(XS) S (M) L (XL) 2XL (3XL)
Finished measurements
Chest circumference:
(34½) 38 (41¾) 44 (47¼) 51½ (54
in
(88) 97 (106) 112 (120) 130 (138) cm
Total length:
(21) 21¼ (21¾) 22 (22½) 23½ (23¾) in
(53) 54 (55) 56 (57) 59 (60) cm
Yarn
Sandnes Garn Line (53% cotton, 33% viscose,
14% linen, 50 g = 120 yd [110 m]).
Lys beige 2331:
(300) 300 (350) 350 (400) 400 (450) g
Recommended needles
3 and 4 mm [US4 and US6] double pointed
needles.
3 and 4 mm [US4 and US6] circular needles, 40
cm [16 inches].
3 and 4 mm [US4 and US6] circular needles, 80
cm [32 inches].
Gauge
20 sts x 27 rows in St st on larger needles
= 10 x 10 cm [4 x 4 “].
Choice of size
Sommer Ella has an intended positive ease of 5-12 cm [2-5 inches]. It is shown with approx. 8 cm
[3 inches] of positive ease.
Find your personal size by measuring yourself around the chest (or the largest part of the body).
Then look at the measurements at page 1 (this is the finished measurements of the Tee). Positive
ease is the difference between your bust circumference and the bust circumference of the Tee. Is
your bust circumference e.g. 94 cm [37 inches], a size M will give you 12 cm [4¾ inches] of positive
ease (106 cm – 94 cm = 12 cm) [41¾ inches – 37 inches = 4¾ inches]
The length is measured at the center back, including the neckband.
Construction
Sommer Ella is knitted top-down. After the neckband, short rows are worked to make the front
neckline lower than the back. Then the yoke with lace pattern is worked, raglan increases are
made and finally the sleeves and body are separated and worked one at a time.
You can find instructional videos for the pattern at leknit.com. Find links for the videos at the
bottom of this page: https://leknit.com/shop/summer-ella-english-343p.html
German Short Rows
A hole is easily made having turned your knitting after working a short row. This hole can be
prevented in different ways i.e. by working a yarn over (yo)/yarn round needle (yrn) – depending
on whether the following stitch is to be knitted or purled – and then working the yo/yrn together
with the stitch on the opposite side of the turn, when working across it later. My favorite method
in preventing holes is called German Short Rows, using a “double stitch” (ds): After having
worked a short row and turned, slip the first stitch on the left hand needle to the right hand
needle keeping the strand in front (– if the last stitch you worked before turning was a knit stitch
the strand will already be in front of your work. In case the last stitch worked before the turn was
a purl stitch, the strand has to be brought to the front between the needles before you slip the
double stitch). Then pull the strand upwards over the needle and tighten, in order to make the
“slipped stitch” tighter and into “two stitches” on the needle. Work to the end of the row/the next
turn. On a following row – when you have to work past the double stitch – work the “two stitches”
together as one stitch.
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Abbreviations
CO cast on
k knit
k2tog knit 2 together (right-slanting decrease)
m meter(s)
M1 make 1 = lift strand between 2 sts and knit into back loop
mm millimeter(s)
p purl
PM place marker
p2tog purl 2 together
rnd round(s)
RS right side
Sl slip
Sts stitches
SSK slip, slip, knit (left-slanting decrease) = sl 1 knitwise, sl 1 knitwise, knit together tbl.
Tbl through back loop
WS wrong side
Yd(s) yard(s)
Yo yarn over
yrn yarn round needle
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Yoke
Work top down. Using smaller and shorter circular needle CO (84) 90 (96) 96 (102) 108 (108) sts
and join.
Rib round: (P1, k1) to end.
Work another 6 rib rounds. Change to larger and shorter circular needle (change to longer circular
needle when necessary).
PM at beginning of round, which marks the center of the back.
Next round (RS): P3, (k1, p5) to last 3 sts; k1, p2.
Now work in short rows to make the sweater longer at the back.
Next row (RS): Work (31) 34 (34) 34 (37) 40 (40) sts as they appear (knit all knit-stitches and purl all
purl-stitches). Turn.
Next row (WS): GSR, work (60) 66 (66) 66 (72) 75 (75) sts as they appear. Turn.
*Next row: GSR, work the sts as they appear until 3 sts after the previous turn. Turn*.
Work from * to * a total of 4 times.
Next row (RS): GSR, work sts as they appear to end of round/center back.
The work has now been turned 3 times at each side.
Next round: Pattern all sts according to chart.
When you have worked all the way through the entire chart, you have a total of (252) 270 (288)
288 (306) 324 (324) sts on your circular needle.
Your garment measures approximately 17 cm [6¾ inches] (excl. the neckband).
Continue working in St st as follows.
Work 2 rounds in St st.
Increase round 1: K9, M1, [k18, M1] (13) 14 (15) 15 (16) 17 (17) times, k9. (= (14) 15 (16) 16 (17) 18 (18
new sts).
M1 by using the left hand needle to pick up the thread between two sts from front to back and
then knit it through the back loop. = (266) 285 (304) 304 (323) 342 (342) sts.
Sizes (M) L (XL) 2XL (3XL):
Work 2 rounds in St st.
Increase round 2: [K19, M1] (16) 16 (17) 18 (18) times (= (16) 16 (17) 18 (18) new sts) = (320) 320
(340) 360 (360) sts.
Sizes L (XL) 2XL (3XL):
Work 2 rounds in St st.
Increase round 3: K10, M1, [k20, M1] 16 (17) 18 (18) times, k10 (= 16 (17) 18 (18) new sts) = 336 (357)
378 (378) sts.
Size 3XL:
Work 2 rounds in St st.
Increase round 4: [K21, M1] 18 times = 18 new sts. = 396 sts.
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All sizes:
You have now increased a total of (1) 1 (2) 3 (3) 3 (4) times = (266) 285 (320) 336 (357) 378 (396) =
sts.
To find out if the height of the yoke fits you – try on your sweater. If necessary, work another 2-4
rounds in St st after the last increase round.
Divide the work as follows: Knit (39) 43 (48) 51 (55) 59 (62) sts = left half of back, place the next
(55) 58 (65) 67 (70) 72 (75) sts on a thread = sleeve, cast on (10) 12 (11) 11 (11) 13 (15) sts with
backwards loop, knit (79) 84 (95) 101 (108) 116 (122) sts, place the next (55) 58 (65) 67 (70) 72 (75)
sts on a thread = sleeve, cast on (10) 12 (11) 11 (11) 13 (15) sts with backwards loop, knit (38) 42 (47)
50 (54) 59 (62) sts.
= (176) 193 (212) 224 (239) 260 (276) sts on the body.
Back and front together
Join and place marker at the beginning of the round.
Work in St st in the round, until the sweater measures 5 cm [2 inches] less than total length.
Below the armhole your garment should measure app. (26) 27 (27) 27 (28) 29 (29) cm [(10¼) 10¾
(10¾) 10¾ (11) 11½ (11½) inches].
Size S og XL: Inc 1 st. = 194 og 240 sts.
All sizes: Change to 3mm [US4] circular needle.
Work 5 cm [2 inches] in rib (k1, p1).
Bind off in rib.
Sleeves
Place the (55) 58 (65) 67 (70) 72 (75) sleeve sts on 4 mm [US6] circular needle and pick up and knit
(11) 12 (11) 11 (12) 14 (15) sts along the new stitches between back and front. = (66) 70 (76) 78 (82)
86 (90) sts. The beginning of the round is in the middle of the new stitches.
Work in St st in the round and work decrease round as explained:
Size (XS) and S: Work decrease round when sleeve measures 3, 6 and 9 cm [1, 2¼ and 3½ inches].
= (60) 64 sts.
Size (M), L, (XL), 2XL, (3XL): Work decrease round when sleeve measures 2, 4, 6 and 8 cm [¾, 1½,
2¼ and 3 inches]. = (68) 70 (74) 78 (82) sts.
Decrease rnd: K1, k2tog, knit until 2 sts remain, SSK.
Continue in St st until sleeve measures 10 cm [4 inches]. Change to 3mm [US4].
Rib round: (k1, p1) to end.
Repeat rib round until rib edging measures 2 cm [ ¾ inches] rib. BO in rib.
Work the second sleeve in the same way.
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© Lene Holme Samsøe 2024 - this pattern is for private use only and may not be resold, redistributed
or copied. Systematic sale of products made with this pattern is not allowed. Feel free to share your
version of Sommer Ella on Instagram #sommerella #leknit @leneholmesamsoe
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Decreasing symmetrically
The drawings under illustrate what I think, is a very fine method for decreasing in a symmetrical
way, called “s2k1p2sso” in the patterns. It takes three stitches to make the decrease, and when it
has been worked, the outer stitch at both sides has been removed leaving only the center stitch
on the needle. The decreased stitches do not hide the remaining center stitch – resulting in a
symmetrical decrease with the center stitch in front.
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