A Great Simple Tank Top Knitting Pattern

I’m thinking about knitting a new tank top or two for summer. I have a lot of bamboo yarn and I knit a boxy sweater with some of it a few years ago but it turns out it’s a little too boxy (it falls off my shoulders and that’s not really what I wanted) so I’m thinking about turning some of it into a tank top instead (and probably still making a beach sweater at some point).

The Thea Top pattern from Susanne Müller is a nice basic tank top knitting pattern for everyday. It has a scoop neck and is mostly Stockinette with a little ribbing on the edges.

It uses worsted weight yarn and it looks like the original was a wool, viscose and linen blend (the pattern listing is in German though there is an English translation for the instructions).

It comes in four sizes and you can buy the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Susanne Müller]

It’s a common complaint among women and femme dressing folk that our clothes do not include enough (and enough useful) pockets. And even if your clothes do have good pockets, there’s always a chance that you’d rather have another pocket to put some essentials in rather than having to carry a whole bag.

But because we are knitters, we can take this problem into our own needles and knit ourselves some auxiliary pockets.

Beatrice Mase did just that, with a kind of fancy toolbelt pocket accessory that they call VELVET Pockets.

The stitch pattern has a plush, sort of velvet effect, thus the name, but it’s worked with regular fingering/sock weight yarn. (The sample uses wool, but you could experiment with other fibers, too.) It calls for 776 yards of 710 meters, which you might just have in your sock yarn stash.

The pattern includes several pockets of different sizes, with the main body of the pocket worked flat in one piece and the exterior pockets sewn on at the end. You also have the option of adding screw rivets and a coordinating clasp that make it look even more toolbelt chic.

The design is worked with a loop of knit fabric at the top so it can slide onto a belt. The pattern includes explanatory diagrams, photo and video tutorials and is adjustable to fit different sizes of belts.

It’s almost enough to make me want to start wearing belts again, even though I haven’t for years. Because who wouldn’t want a few extra little pockets to hold things when you don’t have enough to really justify carrying a bag around?

The pattern is available in English and French on Ravelry and you can also buy a kit complete with the yarn, rivets and clasp (the pattern is not included in the kit) direct on Etsy.

[Photo: Beatrice Mase]

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