Hiya … so if you’ve been reading my blog regularly, thank you, and I owe you an apology. I haven’t posted much this summer and I’m sorry. When I look back, there’s no real reason for it, and I’m not going to try and come up with one either. In truth, I have been a little scattered. Now I’m used to that in my knitting life, but not everywhere else. All I can do is persevere and try and not make it happen again. In order to do this, I’ll try and make my posts more regular – like you’re used to. Even though I haven’t posted as much as I would have liked, I have been knitting – a lot. And we’ll get to a lot of it as well. In the meantime though, I’d like to revisit the project that got interrupted when my brains got scrambled … the summer top that we were reverse engineering.
If you remember the basic gist of my conclusions, I really liked the concept of the top, just not the execution in the production. Reverse engineering this is actually quite easy and I received some good comments that will help in putting it together. I have started this top in two different ways:
- In one version I am using a DK weight yarn (Silke-Tweed by Drops, 52% silk and 48% wool) for the entire thing.
- In the other I am using Melody bu Jojoland – a 100% fingering weight merino wool. I am using this yarn doubled for the body and single stranded for the cowl.
When you look at the top up close (it’s hard to see from the pictures), you notice that it’s actually a tank top with two large rectangles that make up the cowl that are actually attached to it. The seaming happens along the waist and along the sides to the shoulder. The two rectangles are seamed along their sides and the top is kept open in order to allow it to fall over your head. As I said, the concept is great – it’s the production execution that leaves a little to be desired. I’m also not sold on the seam along the waist, but I currently don’t have a better idea. So what I’m doing is making a fitted tank, then the cowl, and attaching them together. I know some of you have were knitting this along with me, so I’m finishing up the pattern today and tomorrow. Actually, here is the pattern for the large and small tank. I will have the medium, and extra large this week. Once I have actually finished knitting this and gotten some pictures of it, I will put it all together (all the sizes) into one pattern for you. It should be a great project for next spring or even early fall if you finish it now before starting all your winter sweaters!
Gauge – 22 stitches = 4″ and 30 rows = 4″ (5.5 sts per inch, 7.5 rows per inch). The bracketed numbers are for size small. Where there is only 1 set of numbers, it applies for both sizes.
Back
Cast on (101)119 stitches and work 2″ of garter stitch (15 rows). On your next row (wrong side), increase (1)2 stitches evenly across the row. Work 2 rows of stocking stitch so that you’re back to a right side row facing. We’re going to start our shaping right away.Work all shaping one stitch in. I prefer to use a stocking stitch for my selvage stitch to make the sewing up later easier. Your decreases should also be done in the following manner;
- on the right side of the garment, decrease by knitting the next 2 stitches together through the back loop. This gives you a left slant to the decrease and will follow the seam nicely. You will also see this written in older patterns as sl1, k1, psso (slip 1, knit 1, pass the slip stitch over the knitted stitch). It’s much simpler to just do k2tog tbl (knit 2 together through the back loop).
- on the left side of the garment decrease as k2tog. This gives the desired right slant to your decrease.
- increases can be done in any manner you like, but again, I prefer the raised increase. Lift the bar between the two stitches and place it on your left needle. Knit or purl into the back of the stitch as needed to keep the pattern.
Remember, on the right side you will work your edge stitch first, then decrease, and on the left side you will decrease, then work your edge stitch. Following this,
Decrease 1 stitch at each side on every (12th)2nd row (1x)14x.
Decrease 1 stitch at each side on every (14th)4th row (2x)6x.
Increase 1 stitch at each side on every (12th)2nd row (1x)13x.
Decrease 1 stitch at each side on every (14th)4nd row (2x)7x.
You now have (102)121 stitches on your needle again. Continue in stocking stitch until the piece measures (14.5″)17″.
Underarm and Neck Shaping
Cast off (5)9 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows. (92)103 stitches. Continue in stocking stitch until the piece measures (22.5″)24″. On the next row, work (27)32 stitches, then knit the next two stitches together. Turn your work and working on this shoulder, knit until the piece measures (23.5″)25″. Place the (28)33 stitches on a holder.
Place the center (34)35 stitches on a holder, and joining a new ball of yarn to the remaining stitches, repeat your shaping for the right shoulder. Place the shoulder stitches on a holder as well.
Front
Work the front as the back, and at the same time, when piece measures (20.5″)22″, start neck shaping as follows:
Using the short row method (*If you’re unfamiliar with short rows, you can brush up from this post – SHORT ROWS), work your neck edge in this manner;
Work (37)43 stitches, SR. Continue using short rows using 2 stitches fewer 2x. Then short row using 1 stitch less(5x)6x. Continue in pattern to (23.5″)25″. Place the shoulder stitches on a holder.
Place the center (18)17 stitches on a stitch holder and attach another ball of yarn to the right shoulder. Repeat the shaping for this shoulder and place the stitches on a holder.
Putting it together
Using the 3 needle bind off, join your shoulder seams. Join your side seams. Using a similar sized circular needle of desired length, pick up approximately (102)100 stitches around your neck edge and work in garter stitch for approximately 1″ (or desired length). Remember that when working in the round, garter stitch is worked by knitting one row then purling one row. Pick up approximately 106 stitches around armhole edge and knit 1″ in garter stitch (again using a circular needle).
If you see any problems with this pattern please let me know. I’ll post the tank pattern for the medium and extra large shortly.
Hugzzz 😎