With warmer weather on its way everyone is looking for ways to add to their spring wardrobe. Our latest knit tops below are great for transitioning into warmer weather. They layer perfectly, are stylish, and are impressive handmade projects to add to your spring wardrobe! Drop Stitch Knit Top in Patons Grace, Ginger KNIT SKILL LEVEL: EASY This easy knit pattern incorporates an interesting and simple technique of dropping stitches to create an effortlessly breezy top. It’s a perfect layering piece for spring, or for wearing on long summer days spent at the beach. Basic Knitting Techniques Below we outline the basic knitting techniques you’ll need to know to knit this top. Cast On Knit Stitch Purl Stitch Knitting Techniques for shaping Below we outline the knitting techniques you'll need to know to work the increases and decreases in this pattern, which creates the shaping in this top. Knit 2 Together K2tog = Knitting next two stitches together to create decreases. Knit Front and Back Kfb = Increase 1 stitch by knitting into front and back of next stitch. This type of increase is simple to create and used often in sweater patterns. To work this increase you make a knit stitch through the front of your stitch. Now, without sliding the stitch off the needle you knit into the back of the original stitch and make another knit stitch. Then you slide these stitches off of your left needle and onto your working needle. The diagram below will show you how to create this increase by knitting into the back of the stitch after knitting through the front. Drop Stitch Knit Pattern Repeat The stitch repeat in this pattern, which creates those rows of dropped stitches throughout the top, is an easy and fun stitch to work through. Below we break down step by step how to create this drop stitch pattern repeat. 7th row: Knit, wrapping yarn around needle three times each stitch. First, you’ll want to work a knit stitch. When working a knit stitch, you usually only wrap the yarn around your needle once. However, to create the rows of drop stitches which make up this knit top you’ll need to wrap the yarn around your working needle three times. Knitting Tip: Be mindful of your tension when wrapping the yarn around your needle three times. With so much yarn on your needle, tight tension may make it difficult to work the following row! Once you slip your knit stitch off you’ll notice that the yarn is wrapped around your needle three times in that stitch. This will allow you to drop the extra loops and create the drop stitch repeat on the next row. 8th row: Knit, dropping extra two loops of each stitch. Onto the next row! This is the exciting part where you get to drop your extra loops and see the beginnings of the drop stitch pattern repeat. You begin by working a knit stitch, being careful to pick up only one of the three wraps that you made in the previous row. You will allow the other two wraps to drop off of your needle. These extra loops make up the drop stitches which repeat throughout this top. There you have it! The drop stitch pattern repeat is not as as intimidating as it may seem when looking at the finished project. It’s an interesting way to jazz up a knit stitch and create a great piece for spring! Get In Line Knit Tank in Patons Silk Bamboo, Ivory KNIT SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE Our next knit top is an intermediate knit pattern, the Get In Line Knit Tank. This tank top is a great piece for spring & summer, and the softness and drape of Patons Silk Bamboo makes it comfortable and easy to dress up or down. The pattern includes three different lengths you can knit this tank top in to suit your personal style! Basic Knitting Techniques Below we outline the basic knitting techniques you’ll need to know to knit this top. Cast On Knit Stitch Knitting Techniques for shaping Below we outline the knitting techniques you'll need to know to work the increases and decreases in this pattern, which creates the shaping in this top. Knit 2 Together K2tog = Knitting next two stitches together to create decreases. Make 1 M1 = Make 1 stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and knitting into back of loop. Slip, Slip, Knit Ssk = Slip next 2 stitches knitwise one at a time. Pass them back onto left-hand needle, then knit through back loops together. This intermediate knit pattern may seem best suited for an experienced knitter. However, if you’ve learned the techniques above then you’ll easily be able to create this beautiful knit top. Keep in mind that most of this pattern’s challenges will come from the increases and decreases used to create the shaping throughout this tank top. If you are keeping track of your stitches and counting your rows, you’ll have no problem navigating the shaping! Knitting Tip: Using a stitch marker helps a lot in keeping track of your stitches. Aside from the beautiful shaping in this knit tank top, this pattern includes a stitch repeat of simple garter stitch with a slip stitch, creating sleek vertical lines which accentuate the elegant drape of Patons Silk Bamboo. Below we show you how to complete this stitch repeat. This stitch repeat is found throughout the entire pattern, as this is what creates the tank top’s texture, Some increases and decreases are integrated into this stitch repeat in order to create shaping in certain sections of the garment, while maintaining the overall texture. We are using a portion of the pattern which has no shaping involved to best showcase this stitch repeat. 1st row: (WS). *K4. Sl1Pwyf. Repeat from * to last 4 stitches. K4 For the first four stitches you will simply knit. On the fifth stitch you will be slipping your stitch purlwise, meaning you will place your working needle through the front of the stitch as if you were purling, and slip the stitch onto your working needle. However, before slipping purlwise you must first place your working yarn in front. Once you’ve placed your yarn in front and have slipped your stitch purlwise, your working yarn is ready to again knit the next four stitches. This stitch repeat is quite simple and beautiful! The key in knitting this tank top, and for following most patterns, is to keep count of your stitches and your rows. This will help you create flattering shaping in your knitted garments and unity in its texture. We hope you found our guide in knitting these spring tops helpful! Check out our YouTube page for more tutorials for both knit and crochet. We’d love to see your take on these spring patterns, share your finished project with us on Facebook and Instagram using #yarnspirations. Featured Yarns
