so i bought this odd cotton yarn, knit in a tube but i suppose it qualifies as a ribbon, and i thought it would be a raglan pullover. which it was, for about 10 seconds, when i then realized that it weighed 1000 pounds, and frogged it and turned it into this:
i didn't follow a pattern, just started the plain old raglan again, but with a larger neck, shaped the bust, and added yarn-overs at the top and bottom to make it interesting but still leave it bra-able. (inspired by that steek vest i saw here, tho i haven't seen the book it came from yet). and it actually turned out well! shocker! my math worked! yea math!
OK, here's my first attempt at writing a pattern for what I did. Please be patient if it's hard to understand, and let me know how to make it clearer!
Gauge: 3.25 stitches to the inch, on Size 10 ½ (6.5 mm) circular needles.
SECTION ONE: sleeves and the top V (where you do all those Yarn Overs).CO 13, PM, CO 23, PM, CO 13, PM, CO 10, YO 3, CO 10, PM.
Row 1: Join and knit round. Where you find the YOs, drop them off the left needle and make 3 new YOs on the right, then continue knitting (i.e. wrap the yarn around the needle three times).
Row 2: This is an increase row, so knit into the front and back of the last stitch before the stitch marker, slip the marker, knit one, knit into the front and back of the next one, and continue knitting. Or use any other increase method you like (YO, M1, etc). Treat YOs as above.
Row 3: Knit round. Treat YOs as above.
Rows 4-9: Repeat as for rows 2 and 3.
Rows 10-18: Repeat as for rows 2 and 3, but do 2 YOs instead of 3.
Rows 19-21: repeat as for rows 2 and 3, but do 1 YO instead of 3.
Row 22: BO Sleeves. I bound my sleeves off purl-wise because it looked better. Treat YO as above. Remove the stitch markers.
Row 23: CO 3 where each sleeve was as you knit round. Treat YO as above.
Row 24: Knit round, but place a stitch marker instead of doing a YO in the middle.
SECTION TWO: The bust shaping (where you increase a few for the bust, and then decrease for the stomach)Row 25: Knit round, at one stitch before the marker M1, K1, slip marker, K1, M1, and continue knitting round.
Row 26: Repeat row 25.
Rows 27-43: Knit round.
Row 44: K2T one stitch before marker, K1, slip marker, K1, SSK, and continue knitting the round.
Row 45: Knit round.
Row 46: K2T one stitch before marker, K1, slip marker, K1, SSK, and continue knitting the round.
Row 47: Knit round.
Row 48: K2T two stitches before marker, K2, slip marker, K2, SSK, and continue knitting in the round.
Row 49: Knit round.
Row 50: K2T two stitches before marker, K2, slip marker, K2, SSK, and continue knitting in the round.
(If you’ve got nice summer-time abs, I’d suggest you do more decreases than I did. You could also put decreases on the sides.)
Rows 51-54: Either knit round, or do more decreases.
SECTION THREE: The bottom upside-down V.Row 55: Knit round, YO after marker, continue knitting round.
For the next 5 rows knit as above using one YO in the center.
For the next 8 rows knit as above using 2 YOs.
For the next 12 rows knit as above using 3 YOs.
Continue knitting now with 4 YOs until the top is the length you desire. End with 4 rows of garter stitch to keep it from rolling, continuing the YOs, and bind off. Weave in ends. You rock!
Notes: You’re never knitting those YOs, you’re just letting the old ones drop off the needle and making new ones at every row.
Sizing: I have a 34” bust. This top is knitted with
several inches of negative ease. To make it bigger or smaller, just add or subtract to the cast-on row. Also, you could do more raglan increases (which are rows 2-21) to make it bigger. I just kept putting it on scrap yarn to try it on as I went – definitely do that before you bind off the sleeves, but remember to stretch it a little as you’re trying it on to mimic a snug fit.
