Antique Lace

A dowry find from the Victorian era, this silky, loose-fitting top can make you feel as though you belong to another slower-paced era. Knit in a delicate lace pattern, in three pieces, it is joined at the shoulders with a three-needle bind off. Short rows, giving shaping at the shoulders, allow the tapered fronts to lie evenly. Over a long-sleeved shirt, this light-as-air top serves as a vest. Over a camisole, it becomes the barest cover-up. It is equally beautiful knit in silk, in cotton, in linen, or in a fine-quality wool.