I was inspired by the heat of Florida summertime to create this warm-weather project. Admittedly, it is probably a bit late in the season to post a pattern like this one. I finished this top in April. It's amazing it's getting posted at all.
This camisole is a fairly straightforward top, embellished with a couple of simple slip-stitch motifs to add visual and structural interest, done in a luxurious, lustrous mercerized cotton. Mine is made to fit my 36" bust, but the shaping should be easily adaptable to fit and flatter your own body shape. It begins with a waist band made made to fit the wearer; then, picking up along the edge, the top is formed with strategic increases and decreases and shoulder straps mirroring the waist band pattern; and finally, picking up around the opposite waist band edge, the bottom is added.
Size: To fit a 36" bust
Yarn: ONLine Linie 12: Clip, 100% cotton, Color 168 - Teal (3 skeins)
Needles: US 6
Gauge: 24sts x 24 rows = 4" in SS
NOTE: My BOs are done in k1p1 bind-off, for purely aesthetic reasons (to keep the chain-edge out of view). If you prefer, you may do standard BOs.
Stitch patterns come from the Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns.
Stitch patterns come from the Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns.
WAIST BAND:
CO 8 sts
k3, p2, k3, turn
Row 1 (RS): p3, wyif sl 2 pwise, p3
Row 2 (WS): k3, p2, k3
Repeat these 2 rows until band measures 36" when stretched slightly (alternately, long enough to fit over the bust and lie around the rib cage).
Graft, or BO and sew ends together.
TOP:
With circular needles, beginning at seam, pick up and knit around band edge: (appx) 125 sts
Increase for bust:
Row 1: Place marker (#1) at beg of row. *k3, m1, k4, m1* - repeat around, placing marker (#2) after 40 sts and marker (#3) after 40 more (this is the front of the shirt), then work 80 sts as established to end of rnd (back of the shirt).
Row 2, & even-numbered rows through Row 10: k even
Row 3: k 12, m1, k to last 3 sts before marker #2, m1, k 3 to marker. k 3, m1, k to last 12 sts before marker #3, m1, k 12 to marker. k even across back.
Row 5: Repeat row 3.
Row 7: k 12, m1, k 8, m1, k 13, m1, k 8, m1, k 3 to marker #2. k 3, m1, k 8, m1, k 13, m1, k 8, m1, k 12 to marker #3. k even across back.
Row 9: k 12, m1, k 9, m1, k 15, m1, k 9, m1, k 3 to marker #2. k 3, m1, k 9, m1, k 15, m1, k 9, m1, k 12 to marker #3. k even across back.
Row 11: k 12, m1, k 10, m1, k 17, m1, k 10, m1, k 3 to marker #2. k 3, m1, k 10, m1, k 17, m1, k 10, m1, k 12 to marker #3. (56 sts per side of front.) k 30, ssk, k 16, k2tog, k 30 to end.
Next Row: k even across front; after marker #3, k 30, BO 18 sts.
*Top will now be worked back & forth rather than in the round; next row begins here.*
Bust:
Row 1 (RS): k 30 to marker #1. k 12, m1, k to last 3 sts before marker #2, m1, k 3. k3, m1, k to last 12 sts before marker #3, m1, k 12 to marker. k 21, ssk, k 7. turn.
Row 2 (WS): p 8; place these 8 sts on stitch holder (for strap). p to marker #3. p even across front. p 21, p2tog, p 7. turn.
Row 3: k 8; place these 8 sts on stitch holder (for strap). k to marker #1. k 12, m1, k to last 3 sts before marker #2, m1, k 3 to marker. k 3, m1, k to last 12 sts before marker #3, m1, k 12 to marker. (60 sts per side of front.) k 10, ssk, k 9. turn.
Row 4: BO 10 sts at beginning of row. p 10 to marker. p even across front. p 10, p2tog, p 9. turn.
Row 5: BO 10 sts at beginning of row. k 10 to marker. k even across front. after last marker, ssk, k 8 to end. turn.
Row 6: BO 9 sts at beginning of row. remove marker #3. p even across front. after last marker, p2tog, p 8 to end. turn.
Row 7: BO 9 sts at beginning of row. remove marker #1. k even across front to last 10 sts, k2tog, k to end. turn.
Row 8: BO 9 sts at beginning of row. p even to last 10 sts, ssp, p 8 to end. turn.
Next Row: BO 9 sts at beginning of row. k 2, ssk, k to last 4 sts before marker, k2tog, k 2. attach 2nd ball of yarn; with new yarn, k 2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k 2.
*Front will now be separated into left/right fronts; continue to work both sides simultaneously, using separate balls of yarn, to ensure the two halves match.*
Decreasing for bust:
Row 1 and all WS/odd-numbered Rows: p even.
Row 2: k 2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. Repeat on 2nd half.
Row 4: k 2, ssk, k 9, ssk, k 16, k2tog, k 9, k2tog, k 2. Repeat.
Row 6: k 2, ssk, k 8, ssk, k 14, k2tog, k 8, k2tog, k 2. Repeat.
Row 8: k 2, ssk, k 7, ssk, k 12, k2tog, k 7, k2tog, k 2. Repeat. 34 sts remain per half.
Row 9: p even.
Decreasing toward shoulder straps:
RS - "RS Dec Row": k 2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k 2. Repeat on 2nd half.
Work RS Rows as RS Dec Rows and WS Rows even until 24 sts remain per half, ending after a RS Row.
Next Row ("WS Dec Row"): 1st half: p to last 4 sts, ssp, p2. 2nd half: p2, p2tog, p to end.
Continue to work, alternating WS Dec Row and RS Dec Row until 16 sts remain per half, ending after a WS Row.
Switch back to working RS Dec Rows and WS Even Rows until 8 sts remain per half, ending after a WS Row.
Shoulder Straps:
RS Rows: k1, p2, wyif sl 2 pwise, p2, k1.
WS Rows: k3, p2, k3.
Work these 2 rows until each strap measures 14" slightly stretched (or, if you can try the shirt on at this point, long enough to comfortably reach the held sts on the back).
Last WS row, p even, then graft to sts on holders. The piece should resemble a bra at this point.
Optional (but recommended):To reduce the amount of curling around the top edge, with crochet hook of comparable size, work a single row of single crochet stitches around all top edges.
BOTTOM:
With circular needles, beginning at seam, pick up and knit around band edge: (appx) 125 sts.
Increase Row: *k 3, m1, k 4, m1* repeat around, placing marker at beginning of row and after 80 sts to separate front and back - 160 sts total.
Pattern = Fabric Stitch w/ Slip Stitch Edge:
Row 1: sl 1st st kwise; *wyif sl 1 pwise, k1* to last st; sl 1 st kwise.
Row 2: sl 1 st pwise; k to last st; sl 1 st pwise.
Row 3: k 1; *k 1, sl 1 st pwise* to last st; k 1.
Row 4: k across.
Row 1 = Setup Row: Back - k 25, place marker, work Row 1 of patt across 30 sts, place marker, k 25 to marker. Front - k 16, place marker, work Row 1 of patt across 16 sts, place marker, k 16, place marker, work Row 1 of patt across 16 sts, place marker, k 16.
Continue to work as established: Back - k 25, work patt between markers, k 25; Front - k 16, work patt between markers, k 16, work pattern between markers, k 16.
Continue in this manner until bottom measures 8" long, ending after row 4 of pattern.
Hip shaping:
Increase Row: Back - k 8, m1, knit/work in patt as established between markers to last 8 sts of back, m1, k 8. Front - repeat.
Alternate this increase row with 1 regular row for a total of 4 increase rows; end after row 4/regular row.
Work 1 row p even, with 1 additional m1 to achieve an odd # of total sts.
Work in seed st for 1". BO in patt (k1 p1 BO).
