6-5-17 Beach Kitsch and the Best Life Tee
I'm using Woolly Bully Alpaca by Wool and the Gang
The first of the lavish brunches by Nicole <3
Are you taking time to go have fun and not worry about anything? I support you in this! I realized that since I had a full time job, in order to get “enough done” for Queen Stitch I was filling all my spare time creating – this was fun for me, but it also meant I had been cutting back on my socializing, and that I would only see some of my friends once a month. My girl Daniela invited me and several of my college friends to long island to have a bbq with her family. This, in turn prompted us to make it into a girls weekend. Investing in tipsy breakfast menus, a large air bnb on fire island, and breaking out our summer swim suits.
The mantra for the weekend was ‘living our best lives’. This included lavish brunches by the hostess with the mostest Nicole. Seriously, she had two breakfasts planned for us: a fancy brunch for the first morning – sunny side up eggs with avocado toast and mimosas, and a hangover breakfast for the second morning – scrambled eggs, bacon, and cinnamon buns with bloody marys. To be honest we were hungover for both breakfasts but they were both amazing anyway.
Because my crafting has become a compulsion, I brought my fibers to the beach. (Honestly the deck knitting was a lot more practical. Shaking the sand out of my future scarf was ridiculous )
Later, Gator design and the Isotherm Fringe - both in the Bralette Bonanza
Strawberry bralette from the ss16 collection
So part of the reason this trip was so great was because I took it after the wonderful release of the Bralette Bonanza! (Which of course I brought to the beach with me) There’s nothing like having your beautiful friends to inspire you for impromptu photoshoots encouraged by Bloody Mary’s! ha! Inspired by the best life mantra- I decided to release the pattern for the “Best Life Tee” below for free! In the hopes that you all remember to cut yourself a break creatively, and remember to have fun!
The Best Life Tee
- Gauge = 8 hdc + 6 rows = 2 sq inches.
- Measures about 22in /56 cm wide and 18 in/ 46cm tall
- Used a 4 mm hook
- Approx 10/12 skeins of Paintbox Cotton DK
Front+Back
Foundation row: ch 90
Row 1: hdc 90 across, ch1 and turn
Row 2-52: Repeat row 1.
**Have fun with this! This tee can be a great scrap user – all of the yarn I used was left over from the bralette bonanaza. Tie and cut off and don’t be afraid of some color!
Shoulder Shaping Left Side
Row 53: Hdc 30, ch 1, turn
Row 54: Dec, hdc29, ch 1, turn
Row 55: Hdc 29, ch 1, turn
Row 56: Dec, hdc 28, ch 1, turn
Row 57: Hdc 28, ch 1, turn
Row 58 : Dec, hdc 27, ch 1, turn. Cut and tie off, weave in ends.
Shoulder Shaping Right Side
Row 53: Tie on 29 stitches from the left side. Hdc 29, ch 1, turn
Row 54: Hdc29, ch 1, turn
Row 55: Dec, hdc 28, ch 1, turn
Row 56: hdc 28, ch 1, turn
Row 57: Dec, hdc 27, ch 1, turn
Row 58 : Hdc 27, ch 1, turn. Cut and tie off. Weave in ends
Repeat the entire thing a second time.
Connections
With the working side facing the inside (i.e. inside out) – sl st 27 across the shoulder seams. Cut and tie off, repeat on the other side.
Then tie on at the bottom of the peice, connect the two sides. Sl st up the sides of the piece to connect the vest – go up 35-40 rows depending on how much room you’d like in your sleeves, cut and tie off, then repeat on other side.
Sleeves
Round 1: Insert your hook into the seam in the armpit of the piece and tie on. Ch 1 and hdc 25 around to to the top/ shoulder seam, then hdc 25 down and sl st to connect
Round 2-30: Repeat round 1, dec at the beginning of every 3rd row.
Repeat on the other side. Weave in all ends. Should measure approx 8 in/ 20 cm long
Live your best life! xx