Free Knitting Patterns: Tank Top Edition

One of the winners of yesterday’s giveaway mentioned that she loves to knit herself a new lace tank top every summer. That sounds like a marvelous thing, and reminds me of the knit tank top languishing in my T-shirt drawer right now.

This is the Tiger Lily Tank from Lion Brand Yarn. Cute, isn’t it? (I tried to take a picture of myself wearing it, but honestly, it did not go well.) I really like this shirt, though it does show a little more cleavage than I normally do. Also, it came out a little shorter than I like, or than a woman who’s had a child and never exercises should wear. I need to pick up stitches behind the ruffle and work another ruffle to add a little more length, I think. (The yarn, buy the way is Nashua Handknits Natural Focus Ecologie Cotton, which apparently does not exist anymore, since their website doesn’t seem to be live anymore. The link is to my review at About.)

Thinking of tanks reminded me that Lion Brand shared a few more free tank top patterns in its newsletter recently, if you didn’t see it:

The Graceful Top has 2×2 ribbing on the bottom and a bodice of eyelets in diamond shapes
The Tranquil Green Tank Top is a deep V-neck with diagonal eyelets this time (still a 2×2 rib bottom)
The Shimmer Lace Top is a gorgeous top with allover eyelets that’s rated for the experienced knitter (and one commenter says she found the pattern impossible to piece together, so tread with caution)

Summer tops are great projects because they take less time than a sweater and, if it’s summer where you are, you can use them right away. Have a favorite summer top pattern? Spill it!

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The other day I saw a post from Pinterest about trends for summer and it said one of them was “cultivating whimsy.”

Well, I don’t know where Pinterest has been all this time, but we’ve been cultivating whimsy here at Craft Gossip for a long time. I love sharing projects that are a little different, things that make you smile when you see them, and will make you smile when you knit them and wear them or use them.

Such it is with the Tutti Frutti tee knitting pattern from Bea Creative Knits.

This cute little baby tee is worked top down in the round with contiguous shoulder construction to shape the sleeve caps. There are short rows for the neckline and folded hems with picot edging at the hemline, neckline and edges of the sleeves.

All of this would be great on its own, but then there’s the addition of a super cute fruit icon, which is added with duplicate stitch. There are a lot of options, including strawberry, banana, orange, cherries, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, kiwi, peach, dragon fruit, apple and pear, so it’s likely you can add on your favorite fruit.

It is offered in eight sizes, to fit a bust measurement ranging from 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) to 56-58 inches (142-147 cm). The design is meant to be worn with around 6.3 inches/16 cm of negative ease, but you can choose the fit you prefer. There’s also optional bust and waist shaping included in the pattern if you want to make it even curvier.

This is considered an advanced beginner or intermediate project because of all the skills involved, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun even if some of these techniques are new to you.

Grab a copy of the pattern for yourself form Bea Creative Knits on Etsy.

[Photo: Bea Creative Knits]

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