Cottage Garden
“I WAS inspired by my garden when designing this tank top: dark tulips, small cowslips, and remembrance of love in the mist, all on varying backgrounds of green with grey stone paths - and it would not be a garden without butterflies,” says Mary Henderson. “The neckline is square to give the impression of a floral edge. The tank top is knitted in the round with steeks at the armholes and at the neckline, finished with corrugated rib.”
PATTERN NOTES
The long-tail cast-on method is recommended.
Chart A (Ribbed Hem Chart) is worked in Seeded Rib. Charts B and C are worked in stocking stitch in the round.
When working steeks, at any colour change rounds, start the new colour before the steek, leaving a 2-3cm yarn tail. Work same row of Steek Chart as Chart C.
PREPARING AND CUTTING STEEKS
With a crochet hook and yarn A, work a row of double crochet (US single crochet) up the steek, picking up through the right ladder of one stitch to the left of the centre stitch and the left ladder of the centre stitch. Break yarn. Rotate work and repeat for the other side of the centre stitch. Once completed, cut the ladder between the crochet rows using sharp embroidery scissors.
BODY
Using 3mm circular needles, 60-80cm long and yarn A, cast on 234 ( 252: 270: 288: 306: 324: 342: 360) sts.
Join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts.
Pm for beg of rnd and after 117 ( 126: 135: 144: 153: 162: 171: 180) sts to mark halfway point.
Work Rnds 1-18 of Chart A.
Change to 3.25mm circular needles, 60-80cm long.
Rnd 1: *Starting with stitch 6 ( 2: 15: 11: 6: 2: 15: 11) of chart, work Rnd 1 of Chart B to mrk, working 18-st repeat 5 ( 6: 7: 7: 7: 8: 9: 9) times and ending after stitch 14 ( 1: 5: 10: 14: 1: 5: 10) of chart; rep from * once more, this time beg with stitch 15 ( 2: 6: 11: 15: 2: 6: 11), working 18-st repeat 6 ( 6: 6: 7: 8: 8: 8: 9) times, and ending after stitch 5 ( 1: 14: 10: 5: 1: 14: 10).
Cont in Chart B patt as set through Rnd 46 of chart.
Next rnd: *Starting with stitch 6 ( 2: 15: 11: 6: 2: 15: 11) of chart, work Rnd 1 of Chart C to mrk, working 18-st repeat 5 ( 6: 7: 7: 7: 8: 9: 9) times and ending after stitch 14 ( 1: 5: 10: 14: 1: 5: 10) of chart; rep from * once more, this time beg with stitch 15 ( 2: 6: 11: 15: 2: 6: 11), working 18-st repeat 6 ( 6: 6: 7: 8: 8: 8: 9) times, and ending after stitch 5 ( 1: 14: 10: 5: 1: 14: 10).
Cont in Chart C patt as set through Rnd 32 of chart or until work meas desired length to underarm, ending last round 6 ( 6: 7: 8: 9: 10: 11: 13) sts before end.
BEGIN ARMHOLE SHAPING
Continuing in Chart C patt as set, cont as foll:
Next rnd: Slm, place next 13 ( 13: 15: 17: 19:
21: 23: 27) sts on a holder, cast on 11 sts using the backwards loop method, pm, K2, SSK, patt 96 ( 105: 112: 119: 126: 133: 140: 145) sts, K2tog, K2, pm, place next 13 ( 13: 15: 17: 19:
21: 23: 27) sts on a holder, cast on 11 sts, pm, K2, SSK, patt 96 ( 105: 112: 119: 126: 133: 140: 145) sts, K2tog, K2.
102 ( 111: 118: 125: 132: 139: 146: 151) sts each for Front and Back; 2 sets of 11 steek sts.
Dec round: Slm, work Steek Chart to mrk, slm, K2, SSK, patt to 4 sts before mrk, K2tog, K2, slm, work Steek Chart to mrk, slm, K2, SSK, patt to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. 4 sts dec’d.
Rep last rnd 4 ( 6: 8: 8: 10: 12: 12: 14) times more.
92 ( 97: 100: 107: 110: 113: 120: 121) sts each for Front and Back; 2 sets of 11 steek sts. Work even in patt until armhole meas
10 ( 10: 10: 12: 12: 13: 13: 13) cm from beg of shaping.
SHAPE NECK
Next rnd: Work steek, patt 24 ( 24: 24: 26: 26: 26: 29: 29) sts, place next 44 ( 49: 52: 55: 58:
61: 62: 63) sts on a holder, pm, cast on 11 sts using the backwards loop method, pm, patt 24 ( 24: 24: 26: 26: 26: 29: 29) sts, work steek, patt to end.
24 ( 24: 24: 26: 26: 26: 29: 29) sts for each Front shoulder, 92 ( 97: 100: 107: 110: 113: 120: 121) sts for Back; 3 sets of 11 steek sts.
Work even in patt until armhole meas
18 ( 19 :20: 21: 22: 22 :23: 23 ) cm from beginning of shaping.
Next rnd: *Remove mrk, cast off 11 sts of steek (removing mrk), patt to next mrk; rep from * twice more, patt to end of rnd. Break yarns. With RS facing, join
24 ( 24: 24: 26: 26: 26: 29: 29) sts of each shoulder using a three-needle cast off. Place centre 44 ( 49: 52: 55: 58: 61: 62: 63) sts of Back on a holder.
MAKING UP
Prepare armhole and neck steeks as directed in Pattern Notes.
NECKBAND
Using 3mm circular needles, 40cm long (or DPNs if preferred), and yarn A, starting at left shoulder seam, pick up and knit
THE NECKLINE IS SQUARE, TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF A FLORAL EDGE IN A COTTAGE GARDEN
20 ( 22: 24: 22: 24: 24: 24: 26) sts to front neck holder, place removable mrk in last st worked, knit 44 ( 49: 52: 55: 58: 61: 62: 63) from holder, pick up and knit 1 st in corner and place removable mrk in this st, pick and knit 19 ( 21: 23: 21: 23: 23: 23: 25) sts up to right shoulder seam, then knit 44 ( 49: 52: 55: 58: 61: 62: 63) from back neck holder.
Join to work in the rnd.
128 ( 142: 152: 154: 164: 170: 172: 178) sts.
Rnd 1: *(K1C, P1A) to end of round.
Rnd 2: *(K1C, P1A) to 2 sts before marked st, K1C, s2kpo in C, K1C,
(P1A, K1C) to 1 st before marked st, s2kpo in C, (K1C, P1A) to end.
4 sts dec’d.
Rnd 3: *(K1D, P1A) to 1 st before marked st, s2kpo in D, P1A, (K1C, P1A) to 1 st before marked st, s2kpo in D,
(P1A, K1C) to last st, P1A. 4 sts dec’d. Rnd 4: *(K1G, P1A) to 2 sts before marked st, K1G, s2kpo in G, K1G,
(P1A, K1G) to 1 st before marked st, s2kpo in C, (K1G, P1A) to end.
4 sts dec’d.
Rnd 5: as Rnd 3.
112 ( 126: 136: 138: 148: 154: 156: 162) sts. Rnd 6: (K1C, P1A) to end of round.
Cast off knitwise using yarn A.
ARMHOLE BANDS
Using 3mm circular needles, 40cm long (or DPNs if preferred) and yarn A, pick up and knit 13 ( 13: 15: 17: 19: 21: 23: 27) sts from underarm holder, pick up and knit 52 ( 54: 56: 58: 62: 64: 64: 66) sts to shoulder seam, 1 st from shoulder seam, and 52 ( 54: 56: 58: 62: 64: 64: 66) sts to beg of round.
Pm and join to work in the round.
118 ( 122: 128: 134: 144: 150: 152: 160) sts.
Rnds 1 and 2: (K1C, P1A) to end. Rnd 3: (K1D, P1A) to end.
Rnd 4: (K1G, P1A) round.
Rnd 5: (K1D, P1A) to end.
Rnd 6: (K1C, P1A) to end.
Cast off knitwise using yarn A. Repeat for other armhole.
FINISHING
Weave in ends.
Slip stitch steek facings to the wrong side.
Block gently to measurements, following any yarn care instructions on the ball band.