Earlier this year, we were getting ready to go to h+h america in Chicago for the first time. Of course, the first thing was thinking about what sweaters to wear! The first sweater design that came to mind was Joji Locatelli’s Lace & Fade Boxy pullover.
Boxy Sweater Style
Joji has designed a few Boxy-style sweaters. The original Boxy was designed for fingering-weight or sock weight knitting yarn. Another version featured a V-neck. And then there was a worsted-weight Boxy design that was much faster to knit. I’ve knit Joji’s Worsted Boxy and really loved the fit and the style. I always knew that if I knit that Boxy sweater again, I’d want it to be shorter in the body, so it didn’t feel as tunic-like. The worsted-weight Boxy was also a bit heavier and I knit it with a looser gauge, so it did stretch out a bit. And so when Joji released her new lightweight and lacy Boxy design, it just seemed perfect!
This pullover is just long enough to hit my waistline, which is great. It’s not too cropped that I have to worry about finding an empire-style dress or super high-waisted pants.
Colours & Yarns for the Lace & Fade Boxy
For colours, we know the original sample for the Lace & Fade Boxy was light hues with a very delicate fade. But with our new Elixir colours, I really wanted to feature THIS fade of colours. This fade includes full skeins of Tough Love Sock in the colours: Amber Ale, Sangria, Cassis, Black Raspberry, and Twilight.
Generally, we’ve been making samples to fit a 36″ bust and so with this sample, we needed one full skein of Tough Love Sock in each colourway, plus one full skein of Merino Silk Lace in Glow.
We bundled these six skeins together here into the Lace & Fade Boxy Yarn Set in Elixir Colours.
I’d love to see this Boxy knit up with lighter colours or even the reverse of these colours, starting with a colour that looks great next to your face. Or use a gradient of just one colour like our Party of Five fade palettes.
Adapting to a flatbed knitting machine?
We’re also looking for ways to adapt more straightforward handknitting patterns to flatbed knitting machines. In my mind, I think it would be easy to cast on with waste yarn, knit the ribbing, knit stockinette, switch to a lace carriage for the lace sections, and then finish by hanging the pieces on the machine and seaming them all together. I haven’t tried this process yet, so let me know if you try this!
Interested in learning about how to knit lace? Check out our “Become a Lace Knitter” course on the School of SweetGeorgia.
Lace & Fade Boxy
Equipment
- Circular Knitting Needles in size US 4 / 3.5 mm and US 3 / 3.25 mm
Materials
- 5 skeins SweetGeorgia Yarns Tough Love Sock in Twilight, Black Raspberry, Cassis, Sangria, and Amber Ale (one skein of each colourway)
- 1 skein SweetGeorgia Yarns Merino Silk Lace in Glow colourway
Instructions
- To knit the Lace & Fade Boxy, download a copy of the pattern which is available from Joji Locatelli on Ravelry here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lace–fade-boxy
- Start by casting on and working Right Back Shoulder. Then cast on and work Left Back Shoulder. Join the Shoulders and work the Back piece as per the pattern instructions, putting all the stitches on hold.
- Cast on and work Left Front. Then cast on and work Left Front. Join the Front. Work the Front until pattern instructions.
- Join Body, work in the round in pattern until your work measures 1 1/4" / 3 cm less than your desired length.
- Work hem.
- Pick up and knit sleeve. Repeat for second sleeve.
- Pick up and knit neckband.
- Weave in ends and block garment to finished measurements.
Notes
Link to Pattern
Link to pattern
