The Call of the Sea!

• Description
• Pattern Information
• Techniques

• The Call of the Sea! is the quintessential knitted bathing suit pattern from the early Twentieth century. The front and back are knitted separately, each commencing with the legs of the shorts. The over skirt is knitted separately before being knitted together with the shorts at the waist. The upper body is then worked with an intarsia sea bird knitted onto the front body. Finally straps are knitted. The front and back are then joined together.

  The bathing suit is designed to be worn with negative ease to ensure it is tightly fitted to the body. If preferred crochet edgings can be added along the straps, armholes and neckband for extra strength.

  The Call Of The Sea! was featured in the BBC TV production, The Golden Age Of Knitting.

  The Call of the Sea! is knitted in Susan Crawford Breeze, a fingering weight wool/cotton blend with exactly the right attributes for hand-knitted swimwear. Shown here in shade Night Sky and the intarsia motif uses Buttermilk.

  Bluem Sock, a fingering weight yarn, worsted spun with a high twist making it perfect for socks. The Bluefaced Leicester yarn is a soft but resilient fibre and combined with a small amount of nylon, it creates the perfect fabric for socks. The yarn shows off texture, cables and lace to great effect and the fibre combination takes colour beautifully.--> Night Sky and Buttermilk. -->

  Our model Miranda is shown wearing the second size. Please note, this pattern is designed with negative ease of about 9-10in at the bust. Please use the 'to fit size' chart when choosing which size to knit, do not go by the actual size of the finished garment.

  The pattern includes instructions for three sizes to fit chest measurements between 76cm (30in) and 102cm (40in) and contains both clear written pattern directions, together with charted instructions for the intarsia motif plus a schematic diagram and sizing chart.

• Yarn
  Susan Crawford Bluem Sock, 75% Bluefaced Leicester, 25% Nylon (395m / 432 yds per 100g skein)

  4 (4, 4) skeins, shade Night Sky - Yarn A
  1 skein, shade Buttermilk - Yarn B
  

  -OR-

  Susan Crawford Breeze, 50% Merino, 50% Cotton (400m / 436yds per 100g skein)

  4 (4, 4) skeins, shade Night Sky - Yarn A
  1 skein, shade Buttermilk - Yarn B
  

  Suggested needles
  1 pair 3.25mm (US 4) needles plus 1 spare needle

  Gauge
  25 sts and 34 rows = 10cm (4in) using 3.25mm needles over stocking stitch

• Simple knit and purl stitches
  Intarsia
  Sewing up
  

Yarn kits are also available
Purchase your yarn kit here