Amikihia Knits - Marake Top

Marake - To be clear, open, exposed to view (te reo Māori). Marake is about boldly stepping out into the open.

Marake is a seamless top down cardigan with set in sleeves. The back shoulders and neck are cast on and shaped with short rows. The back yoke is worked down with armhole shaping before being placed on waste yarn. The fronts are picked up from the back shoulders and worked down to form the neckline and armhole shaping. The front and back yokes are joined, and the body worked down flat with 4 body shaping options (straight, waist and hip shaping, hip shaping and cropped). The sleeves are picked up and short rows are worked to form the sleeve cap before either short-puffed sleeves, long-puffed sleeves or long-tapered (fitted) sleeves are worked. Moss stitch borders create the neckband and button bands. Buttons are added to complete this fun versatile cardigan.
One of the fun things about Marake is the pattern explains how to adjust the height of the puffed sleeve, you can have a gentle puff as in the photos, or go full-on puff!

Marake has a companion sweater called Kōpani (to be closed, shut in). Both have a set-in sleeve construction of the same dimensions and all five sleeve options (three here and two in the companion pattern) fit either bodice. Mix and match your look with these two patterns, maybe it will be light summery colours with short sleeves or dark and moody with long sleeves. Whether you are feeling expansive and open or nurturing and enclosed, these two garments will accompany you through every season.

Needles and Notions
US 3 / 3.25 mm circular needles 32” / 80 cm long and for small circumference knitting.
Adjust needle size as needed to obtain correct gauge.
US 2 / 2.75 mm circular needles for small circumference knitting and 32” / 80 cm long
Stitch markers – both circular and removable, tapestry needle and waste yarn
9 x ½” / 1 ¼ cm buttons

Fitting recommendations
Marake is intended to be worn with 1 – 3” / 2.5 – 7.5 cm of ease around the bust and 2- 4” / 5 – 10 cm ease in the upper arm. To work out which size to knit, take your actual bust measurement then knit the next size up from this, which will then give you the recommended ease. For example, if your actual bust circumference is 38” / 96.5 cm you would knit the 40” / 102 cm size garment which would give you 2” / 5 cm of ease in the bust and 3” / 7.5 cm in the upper arm.