ALLEGRA TWIST FRONT TOP by Adrienne Vittadini EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Experienced SlZES: For sizes Petite (Small, Medium, Large). FlNlSHED MEASUREMENTS: Bust at underarm: 36 (40, 44, 48)" Length: 21 (21.75, 22.5, 22.75)" MATERIALS: - 7 (8, 9, 10) balls of Adrienne Vittadini Allegra - 4.5mm (US 7) knitting needles, or size needed to obtain gauge. - Two pairs 5.5mm (US 9) knitting needles - Stitch markers - Stitch holders - Cable needle GAUGE: 19 sts and 26 rows to 4" in Chart Pat. TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE Note: While working shaping in chart pats, not counting the shaping dec or inc st, always make sure there is a corresponding inc for every dec. If not, work extra sts in St st. If there are not enough sts to work entire cable, work in St st instead. Chart: Click here to download a printable PDF version of the charts for this pattern. BACK: With smaller needles, cast on 86 (98, 106, 114) sts. Work in k2p2 rib for 3 rows, dec 2 (2, 2, 0) sts on last row. 84 (96, 104, 114) sts. Change to larger needles. Est chart Pat (RS): Work back chart, beg and end where indicated for size. Work until piece measures 14 (14.5, 15, 15.5)", end WS. Armhole shaping (RS): Bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 2 sts at beg of next 2 (4, 4, 4) rows. Next (dec) row (RS): Ssk, work to last 2 sts, k2tog. Rep dec row every RS row 7 (9, 10, 11) times more. 58 (62, 68, 76) sts. Work even until armhole measures 6 (6.25, 6.5, 6.75)", end WS. Shoulder and neck shaping (RS): Mark center 18 sts. Bind off 5 (5, 6, 8) sts, work to marked sts. Join second ball of yarn and bind off center 18 sts, work to end. Working both sides at once, bind off 5 (5, 6, 8) sts at beg of next 5 (1, 1, 5) rows, then 0 (6, 7, 0) sts at beg of next 4 rows AND AT THE SAME TIME, bind off at each neck edge 3 sts once, then 2 sts once. FRONT: Work as for back until piece measures 6", end row 4 of chart. Cut yarn and set aside for center front. Mitered front. Left front: With second pair of needles, cast on 28 (30, 34, 36) sts. (This will become left side seam). Beg chart where indicated for left front side cast on and work 1 WS row. Next row (RS): Work to last st, pm, ssk last st on extra needle with first st of set aside center front piece. Work across rem sts on center front piece to last st, slip last st unworked to RH needle. Set aside again. Right front: With second pair of needles, cast on 28 (30, 34, 36) sts. (This will become right side seam) Beg chart where indicated for right front side cast on and work 1 WS row. Cut yarn. Going back to set aside front piece, with RSs facing, place last unworked st on needle with sts just worked. K2tog (last st of center front piece with first st of right front), pm, work rem sts of right front. 138 (154, 170, 184) sts. Next (mitered dec) row (WS): Work in pat to first marker, sl marker, p2tog, work to 2 sts before next marker, p2tog-tbl, slip marker, work to end of row. Next (mitered dec) row (RS): Work in pat to first marker, sI marker, ssk, work to 2 sts before next marker, k2tog, slip marker, work to end of row. Work 1 (WS) row even. (Work dec st as p on WS). Keeping left and right front sides in pat as est, rep mitered decs every row 3 times, then work 1 row even AND AT THE SAME TIME, starting with next row, dec 1 st at beg and end of row, then rep alternately on RS rows every 2nd and 4th row for a total of 17 (19, 23, 25) decs each side. Cont as est until mitered decs come tog at center front and 24 sts rem. Front extensions for twist. Split center 24 sts in half by working 12 sts each side with separate yarn. Work separately until extensions measure 1.5", end WS. Place both sides on separate stitch holders. Twist extensions and pick up for remainder of front. With RS of piece facing, place left side extension over right side extension, then twist under it to bring sts back to left side. Be careful to keep attached yarn out of twist. Place stitches from right side extension back to needle and work sts in pat (RS), then pick up 30 (36, 40, 45) sts evenly along straight edge of right side (Beg approx 1.5" from center split). Set aside. Return to left side and with RS facing, pick up 30 (36, 40, 45) sts evenly along straight edge of front (End approx 1.5" from center split), then work across 12 sts from left extension holder. 42 (48, 52, 57) sts each side. Working both sides separately, work in chart pat for yoke, beg and end where indicated on charts with WS row. Work until piece measures 14 (14.5, 15, 15.5)", end WS. Armhole and neck shaping (RS): Cont working both sides separately, bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 2 sts at beg of next 2 (4, 4, 4) rows. Next (dec) row (RS): Ssk, work to last 2 sts, k2tog. Next (dec) row (WS): PZtog, work to last 2 sts, p2tog-tbl. Dec 1 st each side every row 22 (24, 25, 26) times total. 15 (17, 20, 24) sts rem each side. Work until armhole measures same as back to shoulder, end WS. Shoulder shaping: Bind off at each shoulder edge 5 (5, 6, 8) sts 3 (1, 1, 3) time(s), then 0 (6, 7, 0) sts twice. FINISHING: Sew shoulder seams. Back Neck: With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up 30 sts evenly along back neck. P 1 row. Bind off. Armhole edge: With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up 80 (84, 88, 92) sts evenly along armhole edge. P 1 row. Bind off. Rep for second armhole. Sew side seams. Stitch Glossary: K1-b: Knit into back loop. M1: lnsert LH needle, from front to back, into strand between st just worked and next st, k this strand through back loop. SSK: SI 2 sts knitwise, one at a time, to RH needle; insert LH needle into fronts of these 2 sts and k them tog. S3K: SI 3 sts knitwise, one at a time, to RH needle; insert LH needle into fronts of these 3 sts and k them tog. SI1-k1-psso: Slip 1 st, k1, pass the slipped st over the k st. SI1-k2tog-psso: Slip 1 st, k2tog, pass the slipped st over the k st. Single Crochet (sc): lnsert hook into work, wrap yarn over hook and draw the yarn through work, wrap yarn around hook again and draw yarn through both loops on hook. Double Crochet: Wrap yarn around hook, insert hook into work, wrap yarn over hook and draw the yarn through work, wrap yarn around hook and draw yarn through first 2 loops on hook, wrap yarn around hook and draw yarn through last 2 loops on hook. dc2tog: [Wrap yarn around hook, insert hook into next st, wrap yarn over hook and draw the yarn through work, wrap yarn around hook and draw yarn through 2 loops] 2 times, wrap yarn around hook and pull through all loops on hook. Abbreviations: Approx - approximately, beg - begin(ning), ch - chain, cont - continue, dc - double crochet, dec(s) - decrease(s), dpns - double pointed needles, est - established, fol - follows, grp - group, inc(s) - increase(s), k - knit, LH - left hand, cn - cable needle, pat -pattern, pm - place marker, prep - preparation, p -purl, rem - remain(ing), rep - repeat, RH - right hand, RS - right side, rnd(s) - round(s), sc -single crochet, sI - slip, sp - space, st st - k on RS, p on WS, st(s) - stitch(es), tog - together, WS - wrong side, yo - yarn over. Please note this pattern is copyrighted material and the entire contents of this pattern are copyrighted as a collective work under the copyright laws of the United States. You may print a copy of this pattern for your own personal use and enjoyment, but editing, publishing, transmitting, e-mailing, posting it to a list service or database, or otherwise commercially exploiting this pattern is strictly forbidden. Copyright Adrienne Vittadini