Another Great Tank Top Knitting Pattern

No knitting pattern roundup is going to be exhaustive, and of course as soon as I write one I start seeing more of the same type of project that I wish I had shared in that roundup.

So it was with the tank top knitting pattern post I did recently, because of course new tank tops are being released all the time in the summer, and the algorithm is just going to keep showing me more of what I’ve been looking at (seriously, Pinterest, I like other things aside from tank tops, thank you very much).

In that spirit I couldn’t help sharing Bari, an easy tank top knitting pattern from the Berroco Design Team. This project is worked in the round from the bottom up in a stitch pattern that’s mostly stockinette with some seed stitch ridges added in for texture.

The design comes in nine sizes, with bust measurements ranging from 38 to 70 inches, or 96.5 to 178 cm. It’s meant to be worn with 2-4 inches or 5-10 cm of positive ease.

This is another one of those projects where the yarn choice makes a big difference. They used Berroco Vernazza, a really cool (in both senses of the word) yarn that starts with a base of undyed cotton and linen that’s wrapped in colorful viscose. The combination of fibers and colors gives any project worked with it a marled look, and it’s also lightweight and breathable.

If you must substitute, your project won’t have quite the same look and feel, but a cotton/linen yarn would be a nice choice here. The yarn is worsted weight so you have a lot of options.

You can find this free pattern on Berroco’s website.

Looking for more summer knitting patterns? Here’s a collection of summer knit tops from last year, and some summer ponchos if you’re looking for a little more coverage.

[Photo: Berroco]

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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