Knitting (derived from the word ‘knot’) is the process of using two of more needles to create a fabric made of a series of loops.
Loops and loops and more loops makes something wearable. Here is Chasing Rainbows.

CHASING RAINBOWS  is named after the fabulous 4ply hand-dyed yarn by Abby Parkes of Luxury Yarns. A real rainbow of deliciousness, worked alongside two double-knitting yarn weights: Cobblestone (browny grey) and Merry O (orange -  Too Darn Hot), although you can mix it up and use all sorts of colours and textures.

CHASING RAINBOWS  can be knitted in multiple sizes. It is  worked in the round from top down. You cast on at the collar, the yoke is worked, sleeve stitches are placed on holder or waste yarn, the body is completed, then sleeves are worked last.

I’m a maker. Every pattern I design is a passion of making. I have been reading, absorbing, understanding the struggle of round, fat, out-size (!), plus-size women finding size-inclusive knitting patterns. I have been fat (obese) – at the moment I am less – I weigh less, but I haven’t reduced the Belinda in me. I have mostly designed for ‘one size fits all’. I now realise that this does not ‘fit all’ – most of my garment designs have previously fitted the 12-22 UK sizing. This is not ‘all’, far from it. So here is my first garment that I hope will fit as many people as possible.

A big thank you to my super-duper maths-checking hubby Alan for working out the numbers.

FOR YOU TO MAKE

Please refer to SIZE to see how many skeins you need of each yarn type

COBBLESTONE, DK - 212m/100g, 70% superwash merino, 20% silk, 10% yak

MERRY O, DK - 212m/100g, 50% superwash merino, 50% silk, 10% yak

WARM MOONSHINE -  4ply, 400m/100g 70% superwash merino, 20% silk, 10% yak (Chasing Rainbows colourway: hand-dyed by Luxury Yarns)

4mm double-pointed needles or 100cm circular needle (use magic loop method) for collar + 4mm 50cm circular needle or 100cm circular needle (use magic loop method) for body + 3.5mm double-pointed needles or 100cm circular needle (use magic loop method) for sleeves + sewing-up needle

ABBREVIATIONS
k: knit   |   p: purl   |   Rnd: round   |   st/sts:  stitch/stitches    
pm / slm / m: place marker / slip marker / marker
BORnd: beginning of rnd

Cable Cast-on
Insert tip of right-hand needle between st on left-hand needle and 2nd st on needle. Wrap working yarn between needles (as if to knit). Draw out a loop between these 2 sts and place back on left-hand needle.

GAUGE
20 sts and 24 rounds in stocking stitch 10cm on 4mm needle

SIZE: finished garment measurements. Choose a size based upon your chest/bust measurement + desired ease.

40cm/80cm – 15.5”/33” (2 x Merry O, 1 x Cobblestone, 1 x Warm Cobblestone)
45cm/90cm  – 18”/36” (2 x Merry O, 1 x Cobblestone, 1 x Warm Cobblestone)
50cm/100cm  – 20”/40” (2 x Merry O, 1 x Cobblestone, 1 x Warm Cobblestone)*
55cm/110cm – 21.5”/43” (3 x Merry O, 2 x Cobblestone, 2 x Warm Cobblestone)
60cm/120cm - 23.5”/47” (3 x Merry O, 2 x Cobblestone, 2 x Warm Cobblestone)
65cm/130cm – 25.5”/51” (4 x Merry O, 3 x Cobblestone, 3 x Warm Cobblestone)
70cm/140cm  - 27.5”/55” (4 x Merry O, 3 x Cobblestone, 3 x Warm Cobblestone)
75cm/150cm – 29.5”/59” (5 x Merry O, 4 x Cobblestone, 3 x Warm Cobblestone)

* Belinda: size 12/14 wearing 50cm/100cm  – 20”/40” (2 x Merry O, 1 x Cobblestone, 1 x Warm Cobblestone)