Racerbacks are great way to have a summery knit that you can
wear and not sweat to death in. This textured
tank is meant to be layered over another lightweight item like
a tank top or a t-shirt, and provides lots of visual interest.
The bands change stitches 5 times so the knitting doesn’t
get dull, and the lovely cotton blend yarn is lightweight, breathable
and fantastic to wear.
The Kollage yarn didn’t grow a lot
in wet blocking, which was wonderful, and the generous yardage
meant fewer ends to weave in.
model: Julie
Crawford photos: Guy
Crawford
SIZE
A[B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J]
(shown in size A, worn with 1 inch
of negative ease)
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] 1
US #6/4mm circular needle; 24 or 32 inches for smaller sizes,
32 or 40 inches for larger sizes
Notions Stitch
marker Stitch
holder Yarn needle
GAUGE
16 sts/32 rows = 4” in
Checkerboard Pattern, after blocking
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
Shaping Note: Within the lace pattern,
each yarnover increase is paired with a
decrease. When increasing or decreasing at edge of work (shaping
at neckline, armholes, etc), be sure to work a yarnover with
its paired decrease (k2tog or ssk). If there are not enough
sts to work both the yarnover and its paired decrease, work
those sts in stockinette st instead.
3-st cluster: P3tog but do not drop sts from left needle; k
same 3 sts together but do not drop from left needle, p same
3 sts together again and drop from left needle. Total number
of sts has not changed.
inc1: The increase used for this pattern is the backward loop
increase. It is the first increase shown here, referred to as
m1.
(This increase is different from the
m1 increase used in most Knitty patterns.)
LOWER BODY
CO 129[138, 144, 153, 162, 168,
177, 192, 210] sts. Place marker and join to begin working in the
round, being careful not to twist.
K 1 round.
FIRST BAND (Cellular Stitch, from Barbara Walker's
A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns) Round 1: [K2tog, yo, k1] to end. Round 2: K all sts. Round 3: [Yo, k1, k2tog] to end. Round 4: K all sts.
Repeat Rounds 1-4 until work measures
2.5[2.5, 2.5, 3, 3, 3, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5] inches, ending with Round
2 or 4.
P 1 round.
K 1 round.
P 1 round.
K 1 round, evenly decreasing 1[2, 0,
1, 2, 0, 1, 0, 2] sts. 128[136, 144, 152, 160, 168, 176, 192,
208] sts.
SECOND BAND (Checkerboard Stitch) Rounds 1-2: [K2, p2] to end. Rounds 3-4: [P2, k2] to end.
Repeat Rounds 1-4 until work measures
5[5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7] inches, ending with Round 2 or 4.
P 1 round.
K 1 round.
P 1 round.
K 1 round.
THIRD BAND (Linen Rib Stitch) Round 1: [K1, sl 1 purlwise with
yarn held to front of work] to end. Round 2: K all sts.
Repeat Rounds 1-2 until work measures
7.5[7.5, 7.5, 9, 9, 9, 10.5, 10.5, 10.5] inches, ending with
Round 2.
P 1 round.
K 1 round.
P 1 round.
K 1 round.
FOURTH BAND (Hindu Pillar Stitch, from Connie
Chang Chinchio's Trellis and Keyhole
Tank) Round 1: [K1, work 3-st cluster] to end. Round 2: K all sts.
Repeat Rounds 1-2 until work measures
10[10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 14, 14, 14] inches, ending with Round
2.
P 1 round.
K 1 round.
P 1 round.
Sizes A, C, D, E, F, H, J Only:
K 1 round, evenly increasing 2[-, 1,
3, 0, 2, -, 3, 2] sts. 130[-, 145, 155, 160, 170, -, 195, 210]
sts. Proceed to Bust Section.
Sizes B, G Only:
K 1 round, decreasing 1 st. -[135, -,
-, -, -, 175, -, -] sts. Proceed to Bust Section.
BUST SECTION (Lace Rib) Round 1: [Yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1] to end. Round 2: K all sts.
Repeat Rounds 1-2 until work measures
12[12, 12, 14, 14, 14, 16, 16, 16] inches or desired length to
underarm, ending with Round 1.
Note: If altering length, note that armholes
are quite deep; see schematic for measurements.
Next Round: BO 6[6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10] sts, k44[46, 51, 55,
57, 60, 62, 71, 76] (45[47, 52, 56, 58, 61, 63, 72, 77] sts on
right needle after bound off sts), BO 6[6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9,
10] sts, k to end. Upper front will be worked back and forth
over last 73[76, 81, 85, 88, 93, 96, 105, 113] sts worked; place
remaining 45[47, 52, 56, 58, 61, 63, 72, 77] sts on st holder
for upper back.
UPPER FRONT Note: Upper front and back are worked in Lace Rib pattern as
established. Work RS rows in pattern as set. On WS rows, p all
sts. Shaping is worked on WS rows. See Pattern Notes re. shaping
in lace pattern.
Work 1 RS row in pattern. Next Row [WS]: P2tog, p to last 2 sts,
ssp.
Repeat these 2 rows 0[1, 2, 2, 2, 3,
3, 5, 7] times more. 71[72, 75, 79, 82, 85, 88, 93, 97] sts.
Continue in pattern until work measures 4[4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6,
6.5, 7, 7.5] inches from beginning of armhole shaping, ending
with a RS row.
Shape Neckine: Next Row [WS]: P14[14, 14, 16, 16, 16,
18, 18, 20] and place these sts on st holder for right strap;
BO next 43[44, 47, 47, 50, 53, 52, 57, 57] sts, p to end. Left
strap will be worked over remaining 14[14, 14, 16, 16, 16,
18, 18, 20] sts.
Left Strap:
Work 1 RS row in pattern. Next Row [WS]: P2tog, p to end.
Repeat these 2 rows three times more.
10[10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 14, 14, 16] sts.
Continue in pattern until work measures 8[8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10,
10.5, 11, 12] inches from beginning of armhole shaping, ending
with a RS row. Place sts on st holder.
Right Strap:
Place held sts of right strap on needle
and join yarn with RS facing.
Work 1 RS row in pattern. Next Row [WS]: P to last 2 sts, ssp.
Repeat these 2 rows three times more.
10[10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 14, 14, 16] sts.
Continue in pattern until work measures 8[8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10,
10.5, 11, 12] inches from beginning of armhole shaping, ending
with a RS row. Place sts on st holder.
UPPER BACK Place held sts of back on needle and join yarn with RS facing.
Sizes A, B, C, D, E, F Only:
Work 3 rows in pattern.
Next Row [WS]: P2tog, p to last 2 sts,
ssp.
Repeat these 4 rows 2[1, 0, 0, 1, 0,
-, -, -] times more. 39[43, 50, 54, 54, 59, -, -, -] sts.
All Sizes:
Work 1 RS row in pattern.
Next Row [WS]: P2tog, p to last 2 sts,
ssp.
Repeat these 2 rows 5[7, 9, 9, 8, 10,
13, 15, 16] times more. 27[27, 30, 34, 36, 37, 35, 40, 43] sts.
Work 3 rows in pattern.
Next Row [WS]: P1, inc1, p to last st,
inc1, p1.
Repeat these 4 rows 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 3,
4, 4, 4] times more. 31[31, 34, 38, 42, 45, 45, 50, 53] sts.
Work 1 RS row in pattern.
Next Row [WS]: P1, inc1, p to last st,
inc1, p1.
Repeat these 2 rows 10[10, 10, 10, 10,
10, 11, 11, 11] times more. 53[53, 56, 60, 64, 67, 69, 74, 77]
sts.
Continue in pattern until work measures 8[8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10,
10.5, 11, 12] inches from beginning of armhole shaping, ending
with a WS row.
It is a good idea to check length before working next row. Pin
front straps to upper back and try on top; garter stitch ridge
at base of bust section should sit just below bust. Adjust length
of upper front and back as necessary before continuing.
Next Row [RS]: Work 10[10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 14, 14, 16] sts in
pattern, BO next 33[33, 36, 36, 40, 43, 41, 46, 45] sts, work
in pattern to end. Two sets of 10[10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 14, 14,
16] sts remain.
Graft each set of sts to held sts of corresponding front strap.
FINISHING
Weave in ends and block.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Julie Crawford lives in Toronto, Canada,
with her husband and two cats. She works for a nonprofit
by day, and knits like crazy at night.
