Mirage

It’s been a while since I posted a knitting project. I really wanted to be able to share this project this week, and I made it just under the wire! My newest project is so freshly off the needles that the photos were taken last night at sunset before blocking it.

In June, I wrote about a new knitting project that had me excited. The hitch in my excitement was that I was knitting with white yarn. I was so worried about staining the yarn that it took me six weeks to knit a straightforward stockinette sleeveless top!

So many of my usual knitting routines were disrupted. I wouldn't take it with me out of the house where any number of disasters could be lurking. I wouldn’t pick it up to knit a few rows while I was cooking in case I had missed cleaning some food off my hands or had a random splash on my clothes. And I wouldn’t knit it while my children were up and about because they like to touch the yarn. That didn’t leave me with a lot of knitting time.

All of those precautions were quite silly, of course, because if the yarn can’t survive the knitting it surely won’t survive the wearing.

Pattern Details

The pattern that I knit is Mirage by Shellie Anderson. It was published by Shibui Knits and features two of their yarns: Fern in 100% cotton for the main structure of the top, and Silk Cloud in 60% mohair and 40% silk for the detail at the bottom.

My measurements happen to fall squarely between the sizes for M and M/L. Based on the number of Ravelry reviews saying the pattern runs large, I opted to make the smaller size. The fit, which doesn't seem to have been changed by blocking, is perfect with no modifications.

I really appreciated the details that went into the pattern, such as the sloped bind-off for nicely curved armholes and the steps for avoiding weak spots when binding off in the center of a row. I’m not sure the different cast-ons were necessary, but I enjoyed adding one more technique to my repertoire.

The pattern includes instructions for a sleeveless shell or short-sleeved tee, both with A-line shaping. I like that the top can be dressed up or down, and I can see this becoming a go-to pattern that would be easy to adapt for even more options.

This was my first time knitting with Shibui Knits yarns, by the way, and they’re lovely. (No affiliation.) Fern is possibly the softest cotton I’ve tried. The yarn is a little pricey for me, though, so it will remain a special occasion purchase.

And on that note, I’m ready to wear my new white sleeveless shell — as long as I don’t leave the house or encounter any food or other people!