KNIT TANK TOP (FREE KNITTING PATTERN)
Are you looking for a tank top knitting pattern? This summertime top is, literally, a breeze to make! Its neck and armhole treatments are incorporated into the knitting of the pieces.
This body-conscious design flatters most everyone: its incorporated V-neck and all those vertical ribs seem to elongate the figure. You'll appear taller and slimmer. For a perfect close fit, this sweater is designed with negative ease. The ribbed pattern will allow the fabric to stretch to fit the body, so knit the size you would normally knit for yourself. The instructions include 1 selvedge stitch on each side; these stitches are not included in the finished measurements.
Skill level: Intermediate
Fit: Very close-fitting
Sizes: Small (Medium, Large, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X). Instructions are for the smallest size, with changes for other sizes noted in parentheses as necessary.
Finished Measurements:
Bust: 31 (34, 37, 39, 42, 45, 47)/[79 (86, 94, 99, 106.5, 114, 119.5)cm]
Length: 23 (23 1/2, 23 1/2, 24, 24, 24 1/2, 24 1/2)
/58.5 (59.5, 59.5, 61, 61, 62, 62)cm]
Step 1
Materials:
- Muench Yarns/Lana Grossa’s Linea Pura Taglia (6-super bulky weight;100% mako cotton; each approximately 1 3/4 oz/[50g] and 99 yds/[90m]): 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10) balls of Violet #5 Super Bulky
- Size 13 (9mm) knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge
- 3 stitch markers
- Blunt-end yarn needle
Gauge: 12 stitches and 20 rows = 4"/[10cm] in the Fisherman's Rib. To save time, take time to check gauge.
Step 2
Stitch pattern Fisherman Rib (multiple of 2 + 1 stitches) row1 (WS): Knit across. row 2: P1, *k1 in the row below, p1; repeat from the * across. Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for the pattern.
Step 3
BACK
Cast on 49 (53, 57, 61, 65, 69, 73) stitches.
Begin the Fisherman's Rib, and work even until the piece measures approximately 15 1/2"/[39.5cm] from the beginning, ending after a right-side row.
Shape Armholes
Bind off 2 (4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 8) stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows‚ 45 (45, 49, 49, 53, 57, 57) stitches remain.
Next row (ws): K5, p1, knit to the last 6 stitches, p1, k5.
Next row: [P1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1, sssk, work in pattern to the last 8 stitches, k3tog, [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1--41 (41, 45, 45, 49, 53, 53) stitches remain.
Next row: Knit across.
Next row: P1, *k1 in the row below, p1; repeat from the * across.
Repeat the last 4 rows 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3) more times‚ 33 (33, 37, 37, 41, 41, 41) stitches remain.
Continue even until the piece measures approximately 20 (20 1/2, 20 1/2, 21, 21, 21 1/2, 21 1/2)"/[51 (52, 52, 53.5, 53.5, 54.5, 54.5)cm] from the beginning, ending after a right-side row.
Shape Neck
row 1 (wS): K11 (11, 13, 13, 15, 15, 15), p1, k4, k1f&b, k4, p1, k11 (11, 13, 13, 15, 15, 15)--34 (34, 38, 38, 42, 42, 42) stitches.
row 2 (rS): Work 9 (9, 11, 11, 13, 13, 13) stitches in pattern, k3tog, place a marker, [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1; join a second ball of yarn and [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1, place a marker, sssk, work in pattern to the end of the row‚ 15 (15, 17, 17, 19, 19, 19) stitches remain each side.
row 3: Work even.
row 4 (decrease row): Work in pattern to 3 stitches before the first marker, k3tog, slip the marker, [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1; for the second side of the neck, with the other ball of yarn, [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1, slip the marker, sssk, work in pattern to the end of the row‚ 13 (13, 15, 15, 17, 17, 17) stitches remain each side.
Repeat the Decrease Row every other row 3 more times, 7 (7, 9, 9, 11, 11, 11) stitches remain each side.
Continue even until the piece measures approximately 22 (22 1/2, 22 1/2, 23, 23, 23 1/2, 23 1/2)"/[56 (57, 57, 58.5, 58.5, 59.5, 59.5)cm] from the beginning, ending after a wrong-side row.
Shape Shoulders
Bind off 2 (2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) stitches at the beginning of the next 4 rows, then bind off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.
Step 4
FRONT
Work same as the Back until the piece measures approximately 15 1/2 (16, 16, 16 1/2, 16 1/2, 17, 17)"/ [39.5 (40.5, 40.5, 42, 42, 43, 43)cm] from the beginning, ending after a right-side row. Place a marker on the middle stitch.
Shape Neck
row 1 (ws): Continuing the armhole shaping same as for the Back, work to 5 stitches before the marked center stitch, p1, k4, k1f&b, k4, p1, knit across to the end of the row.
row 2 (rs): Continuing the armhole shaping same as for the Back, work in pattern to 8 stitches before the center, k3tog, place a marker, [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1; join a second ball of yarn and [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1, place a marker, sssk, work in pattern to the end of the row.
rows 3-9: Working both sides at once with separate balls of yarn, continue the armhole shaping same as for the Back, and work 7 rows even at the neck edges.
row 10 (decrease row): Continuing the armhole shaping same as for the Back, work in pattern to 3 stitches before the first marker, k3tog, slip the marker, [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1; for the second side of the neck, with the other ball of yarn, [p1, k1 in the row below] twice, p1, slip the marker, sssk, work in pattern to the end of the row.
Continuing the armhole shaping same as for the Back, repeat the Decrease Row every 8 rows 3 more times‚ 7 (7, 9, 9, 11, 11, 11) stitches remain each side.
Continue even until the piece measures approximately 22 (22 1/2, 22 1/2, 23, 23, 23 1/2, 23 1/2)"/[56 (57, 57, 58.5, 58.5, 59.5, 59.5)cm] from the beginning, ending after a wrong-side row.
Shape Shoulders
Work same as for the Back.
Finishing
Darn in all remaining yarn tails. Block both pieces to the finished measurements. Sew the shoulder seams. Sew the side seams.
Step 5
This pattern is excerpted with permission from Knitting the Perfect Fit: Essential Fully Fashioned Shaping Techniques for Designer Results
by Melissa Leapman and published by Potter Craft.
