The PetiteKnit Bea Blouse: An Elegant Mohair Knit with Simple Construction
The PetiteKnit Bea Blouse: An Elegant Mohair Knit with Simple Construction
There is something special about a garment that looks beautifully refined but is still enjoyable and approachable to knit. The Bea Blouse by PetiteKnit is exactly that: a softly structured, seamless blouse with an elegant boat neckline, gentle sleeve shaping and the unmistakable lightness of silk mohair.
We have created a Bea Blouse Knit Kit to make planning the project easier. Choose your size and colour, and the yarn quantity is bundled for you — no calculations or half-used balls left to chance.
What does the Bea Blouse look like?
The Bea Blouse has a clean, wide boat neckline and a neat silhouette designed to sit close to the body. Its softly shaped sleeves add a subtle feminine detail without making the finished garment feel overly dressy.
It works beautifully with jeans for everyday wear, but the light mohair fabric and elegant neckline also make it easy to style with skirts or tailored trousers. Because the fabric is warm without being bulky, the blouse is ideal for layering through New Zealand’s changeable seasons.
How is the Bea Blouse constructed?
The Bea Blouse is worked seamlessly from the top down, so there are no garment pieces to sew together at the end.
You begin at the boat neckline. German short rows raise the back of the neck for a better fit. The upper yoke is shaped first with increases for the sleeves and then with raglan increases. Once the sleeve stitches are placed on hold, the body is joined and worked in the round in stockinette stitch. The sleeves are returned to the needles and knitted in the round last.
Working from the top down also gives you opportunities to try the blouse on as you go and check the length before finishing.
The pattern is rated 2 out of 5 for difficulty. It is a good next garment for a confident beginner who is comfortable knitting in the round and ready to work increases, decreases and German short rows.
What yarn does the Bea Blouse use?
The blouse is knitted with two strands of lace-weight silk mohair held together throughout. Holding two strands together builds a fuller fabric while retaining mohair’s soft halo and remarkably light feel.
The pattern is written for silk-mohair yarns measuring approximately 210–225 metres per 25 grams. PetiteKnit also lists a lighter 20-gram mohair measuring 240 metres as an option. The essential test is not the label alone: your chosen yarn must produce the required gauge and a fabric you like after washing and blocking.
Yarn requirements
The table below shows the approximate total meterage required across both strands for a silk-mohair yarn measuring about 210 metres per 25 grams.
| Size | XXS | XS | S | M | L | XL | 2XL | 3XL | 4XL | 5XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total metres | 1,470 | 1,470 | 1,470–1,680 | 1,680 | 1,680 | 1,680–1,890 | 1,890 | 2,100 | 2,100 | 2,310 |
These figures are the combined meterage for both strands. For example, when knitting from two identical balls at once, each strand supplies roughly half of the total meterage.
Choosing a yarn substitute
A successful substitute should be close to the pattern yarn in three ways:
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Meterage: Look for a lace-weight silk mohair around 210–225 metres per 25 grams, or another mohair that can achieve the stated gauge when held double.
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Fibre and halo: Silk mohair gives the Bea Blouse its lightness, drape and soft haze. A yarn with a different fibre blend may create a denser, flatter or heavier blouse.
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Finished gauge: The required gauge is 21 stitches and 30 rows to 10 cm in stockinette stitch on 4 mm needles after washing and blocking.
The original pattern suggests several suitable silk mohair styles, including yarns from Mohair by Canard, Isager, Sandnes Garn, Filcolana and Knitting for Olive. These examples are useful benchmarks, but availability varies. Our kit has been assembled around a yarn selected to suit the pattern and simplify the quantity calculation.
Always knit and wash a generous swatch before beginning. Mohair fabric can relax after washing, and its halo can make repeated unravelling difficult. If your swatch has too many stitches per 10 cm, try a larger needle; if it has too few, try a smaller needle. Aim for both the stated gauge and a fabric you would enjoy wearing.
If you would like to use a different yarn from our range, bring your swatch or pattern into the Milford shop and we can help compare meterage, fibre content and drape.
How should the Bea Blouse fit?
The design is intended to have approximately 2 cm of negative ease, meaning the finished blouse is about 2 cm smaller than your actual bust measurement. Measure around the fullest part of your upper body and use that measurement to choose your size rather than selecting your usual ready-to-wear size.
| Size | XXS | XS | S | M | L | XL | 2XL | 3XL | 4XL | 5XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designed for bust (cm) | 75–80 | 80–85 | 85–90 | 90–95 | 95–100 | 100–110 | 110–120 | 120–130 | 130–140 | 140–150 |
| Finished bust (cm) | 78 | 83 | 88 | 93 | 98 | 108 | 118 | 128 | 138 | 148 |
| Back length (cm) | 46 | 49 | 51 | 53 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 62 | 63 |
If you fall between sizes or prefer a looser fit, consider the finished measurements and the way you plan to wear the blouse. Remember that changing the intended ease may also change the amount of yarn required.
What needles will you need?
The pattern recommends 4 mm circular needles in 40 cm, 60 cm and 80 or 100 cm lengths, plus 4 mm double-pointed needles for the sleeves. You can use a long circular needle and the Magic Loop method instead of double-pointed needles. Adjust your needle size as needed to obtain the correct washed and blocked gauge.
Is the Bea Blouse your next project?
The Bea Blouse is an excellent choice if you want a wearable mohair garment with an elegant finish and manageable construction. The top-down method, simple stockinette fabric and minimal finishing allow the beautiful yarn and silhouette to take centre stage.
Choose your size and favourite colour in our Bea Blouse Knit Kit, or visit us in Milford for help planning your project.