Cúr 2.0

As part of my ongoing quest to keep my archive of knitting patterns current and up to my latest standards, I am pleased to share with you the new and improved Cúr.

Published originally in 2018, this has always been one of my favourite designs, embodying my penchant for a nautical aesthetic, as well as that certain tension I seem to seek out between the practical and the theatrical.

But… as hard as that is to believe, 2018 was 6 years ago. In the course of that time, my design skills have improved, my pattern writing style has become more clear and consise, my size range has expanded, and my tastes have evolved. For all of these reasons, Cúr - while staying true to the spirit of the original - has received quite a significant overhaul.

All things considered, I think that I did manage to stay true to the original idea, which was: a fairly straightforward tank design, with a ‘frothy’ lace panel - a nod to the Irish word cúr, which means foam. As in sea-foam. Or coffee foam. The construction in a general sense also remains true to the original: a top-down knit with contiguous shoulders, which is a rather unusual choice for a tank and fun to knit.

The part of the original design which no longer resonated with me, was the flouncy frilly hem. My feeling now is that the lace panel makes more of an impact if the rest of the tank is kept quite simple. In the new version of the pattern the bodice of the tank is streamlined and flowy, but not frilly.

Likewise, I felt that the original i-cord edgings around the armholes, created a dis-balance. To offset the delicate texture of the lace, my feeling now is that a ribbed armhole works better.

But the thing that was really eating at me for the past couple of years about the original, was the lack of upper back shaping. I did not have the eye or experience to notice this 6 years ago. But now I see it as a very obvious design flow. The upper back of the original tank is basically a sharp-edged rectangular slab, which feels at odds with the organic and flowy feel of the front. In the updated pattern, there is some subtle shaping - adding a dip at the back of the neck, and greater articulation to the armholes.

Other things that have changed:

Sizes have been added to accommodate up to a 150cm/ 60” chest circumference, as is standard now with my patterns.

Although both solid and striped options were available previously, the stripes are now the default, whereas it was the other way around in the original.

The ‘filled in’ lace panel option is now the default as well, and you can simply work fewer rows for a more open neckline - whereas in the original, the open version was the default.

Overall, the instructions and stitch counts have been reworked completely, with significant improvements made to the clarity and flow of the pattern.

And finally… this! The new version of Cúr includes instructions for tank top or a tank dress. The dress is something I began to crave at the start of this summer, and it is what pushed me to finally revamp the design.

The bodice of the dress appears to be straight, but it is actually A-line, expanding radially to accommodate hips and the flow of movement. It is a very comfortable dress and is easy to wear despite its striking looks.

I knitted the new sample of Cúr with a yarn that I’ve used before and absolutely love for summer: The linen-merino singles base from the Irish indie dyer Life in the Long Grass.

Combining the best properties of the linen and woollen fibres, the yarn is soft, gentle, and airy. It is breathable in the heat, and cozy on cooler days. Very quick to knit with, and economical, because a little goes a long way.

If you are interested in yarn kits, they are available from LITLG:

Cúr Tank Top Kit
Cúr Tank Dress Kit

And of course the revamped pattern has now been published on ravelry.

I hope you enjoy the flow, simplicity, and versatility of this new version of one of my earliest published patterns!