Vita

• Description
• Pattern Information
• Techniques

• The Vita cardigan embraces this vision of an English country garden: the variety of colours mixed with methodical planting schemes. It is a long-line, drop-shouldered cardigan, featuring the same stranded colourwork pattern as the Gertrude vest. Vita comes in two lengths: a cosy cropped version and a snuggly long version with inset pockets. The cardigan is knitted in the round from the bottom up. A centre front steek is worked throughout with additional armhole steeks added. The pattern was inspired by the author and poet Vita Sackville-West who, along with her husband, created stunning gardens in Sissinghurst Castle where they lived.

  Vita is knitted using Susan Crawford Byre, a fingering weight yarn that is delightfully lofty and soft, created from a blend of Jacobs and Shetland fibres spun exclusively for us in a nearby Yorkshire mill.

  Vita is shown here in two colour ways.
  Colourway One uses shades:
  Heather, Dry Stone Wall, Clay, Moss Covered Wall, Room of My Own, Ragwort, Undergrowth, Sunset Over the Bay, Plum Jam, Glimpse of the Sea and Night Sky.

  Colourway two uses shades:
  Denim, Jack 'O' Lantern, Rusty Tractor, Loam, Sunset Over the Bay, Glimpse of the Sea and Fence Post.

  Samples shown in sizes 3 / Long length (on Ruth) and 5 / Short length (on Susan).

  The pattern includes instructions for ten sizes to fit chest measurements between 76cm (30in) and 152cm (60in) and contains both clear written pattern directions, together with charted instructions.

• Yarn
  Susan Crawford Byre, 100% British wool, a unique blend of Jacob, white Shetland and black Shetland fleeces, Fingering weight (400m / 436yds per 100g skein approx)

  Colourway One
  2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 3) (3, 3, 3, 3) skeins, shade Heather - Short Length
  2 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3) (3, 3, 3, 3) skeins, shade Heather - Long Length
  1 skein, shade Dry Stone Wall
  1 skein, shade Clay
  1 skein, shade Moss Covered Wall
  1 skein, shade Room of My Own
  1 skein, shade Ragwort
  1 skein, shade Undergrowth
  1 skein, shade Sunset Over the Bay
  1 skein, shade Plum Jam
  1 skein, shade Glimpse of the Sea
  1 skein, shade Night Sky
  

  Colourway two
  2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 3) (3, 3, 3, 3) skeins, Denim - Short Length
  2 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3) (3, 3, 3, 3) skeins, Denim - Long Length
  1 skein, shade Jack 'O' Lantern
  1 skein, shade Rusty Tractor
  1 skein, shade Loam
  1 skein, shade Sunset Over the Bay
  1 skein, shade Glimpse of the Sea
  1 skein, shade Fence Post
  

  Suggested needles
  Small needles: 2.5 mm (US 1/2) circular needle (80-100 cm / 30-40 in)
  2.5 mm (US 1/2) circular needle (40-50 cm / 16-20 in)
  Large needles: 3.25 mm (US 3) circular needle (80-100 cm / 30-40 in),
  3.25 mm (US 3) circular needle (80-100 cm / 30-40 in)

  Gauge
  30 sts and 32 rounds = 10 cm / 4 in over stranded colourwork and stocking stitch worked in the round, after blocking. We obtained this gauge using 3.25 mm needles.

  Notions
  Waste yarn or stitch holders, spare needle for grafting shoulders (optional), 4 (6) buttons, tapestry needle, scissors.

• 
  

Yarn kits are also available
Purchase your yarn kit here