WPF binding to parent ItemsSource DataContext from DataTemplate item

I have a ViewModel named "A", containing a property of type ObservableCollection(Of ChannelViewModel). The Model is actually inside this ChannelViewModel class and I'm ok with that.

In the View "A", I have a stackpanel with ItemsSource filled with the ObservableCollection. I added a DataTemplate to show a custom control "Channel" instead of the ChannelViewModel string. The Channel custom control needs to display ChannelViewModel data.

The problem is the DataContext of the Channel is not connected properly to each items of the list. I tried a bunch of things and nothing seems to work. I would appreciate some help please!

Here is the "A" View code:

<Window.DataContext> <ctrls:AViewModel/> </Window.DataContext> <StackPanel x:Name="uiStack" Orientation="Horizontal"> <ItemsControl ItemsSource="{Binding Channels}"> <ItemsControl.ItemTemplate> <DataTemplate> <ctrls:Channel DataContext="{Binding DataContext}" /> </DataTemplate> </ItemsControl.ItemTemplate> <ItemsControl.ItemsPanel> <ItemsPanelTemplate> <WrapPanel/> </ItemsPanelTemplate> </ItemsControl.ItemsPanel> </ItemsControl> </StackPanel> 

Here is "A" ViewModel :

Private aChannels As New ObservableCollection(Of ChannelViewModel) Property Channels As ObservableCollection(Of ChannelViewModel) Get Return aChannels End Get Set(value As ObservableCollection(Of ChannelViewModel)) aChannels = value OnPropertyChanged("Channels") End Set End Property Public Sub New() AddChannels() OnPropertyChanged("Channels") End Sub Private Sub AddChannels() For i As Integer = 1 To DeviceConfig.Channels.Count Channels.Add(New ChannelViewModel(i)) Next End Sub 

The Channel UserControl is (simplified):

<UserControl.DataContext> <ctrls:ChannelViewModel /> </UserControl.DataContext> <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal"> <Label x:Name="lblChannelNo" Content="{Binding ChannelNo}" /> <Label x:Name="lblChannelName" Content="{Binding ChannelName}" /> </StackPanel> 

And Channel ViewModel (simplified):

Public Class ChannelViewModel Inherits ViewModelBase Private aChannelNo As Integer = 0 Property ChannelNo As Integer Get Return aChannelNo End Get Set(value As Integer) aChannelNo = value OnPropertyChanged("ChannelNo") End Set End Property Private aChannelName As String = "N/A" Property ChannelName As String Get Return aChannelName End Get Set(value As String) aChannelName = value OnPropertyChanged("ChannelName") End Set End Property