Knit Summer Breeze Top

Close to twenty years ago I had a black top that had a very simple shape, wide sleeves, simple details for the edgings, and a v-neck. I loved it. I could dress it up for work, or down with a pair of jeans to run errands. Either way it was so comfortable to wear, a major plus for me.

I wore it for many years, and it was starting to show how much I loved it. With great sadness I had to get rid of it.

This summer I was thinking about what I could make to have more hand made items for my summer wardrobe, and this memory came to mind. I wanted to create something that had the comfort, versatility, and ease in styling with the simplistic design elements.

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As soon as this top was completed, I have been wearing it as much as I can. I wear it over sleeveless dresses, with a pair of leggings or jeans. Now, as the weather cools, I will pair a long sleeve top underneath to continue wearing it into the fall. I can even see me wearing it with a turtle neck and a thick cowl – all layered up and warm for winter.

I find this top so comfortable and easy to wear, just as much as the one I had 20 years ago. I hope you love this pattern just as much, and find it becoming a staple item in your wardrobe – handmade or not.

Other knit patterns by City Farmhouse Studio:

Knit Summer Breeze
by City Farmhouse Studio

See the machine knit version of the pattern HERE

Get the printable PDF version of the pattern (without ads) HERE
Add it to your Ravelry queue HERE

Cotton Fair – 3.5oz/100g – 317 yd/290 m – 52% Cotton/48%Acrylic – Category 2 Fine Yarn – 3 (3, 4, 4) 4, 5 [5, 5 ,5] skeins. Get it HERE

Suggested Yarn Alternatives: Paintbox Yarns Cotton Mix DK, Bernat Softee Cotton, Bernat Softee Baby Cotton, Hobbii Acacia, Lion Brand LB Collection Cotton Jeans, Knit Picks Memento

Knitting Needles Size 7 (4.5mm) 
Crochet Hook G (4 ¼ mm) (optional for edging)

Sizes: XS (S, M, L) XL, 2X [3X, 4X, 5X] 
(model in images has 35” bust and wearing a size M)
Finished garment bust circumference: 39 (41 ¾, 45 ¼, 48 ¾) 52 ⅛, 57 [61 ¼, 66, 71] inches
Finished garment length:  24 (24 ½, 24 ¾, 25) 25 ½, 25 ½ [25 ¾, 26 ½ , 26 ½] inches  

Gauge: 4” x 4” = 23 sts x 29 rows

Notes:
A YouTube video showing cast on, short rows, cast off, crochet edging and more information about the construction can be found at https://youtu.be/WQe3nJiw44g

Acronyms:
RS:  right side
WS: wrong side
SC:  single crochet

Front:
Long tail cast on 104 (110, 120, 138) 148, 162 [174, 188, 202] stitches.

*Work 3 ⅓ (2 ¾, 2 ¾, 7) 7, 5 ½ [5 ½, 5 ½, 4 ⅛] inches in stockinette, stopping after a ws row.  Increase 1 stitch on each side on next row*

Repeat from * to * 3 (4, 4, 0) 0, 0 [0, 0, 0] more times.  Stitches 112 (120, 130, 140) 150, 164, [176, 190, 204].  

Knit in stockinette until garment measures 15 (14 ¾ , 14 ¼, 13 ¾) 12 ¾, 12 ⅛ [11 ¼, 11 ¼, 10 ½] inches from cast on edge.  Place markers on edge for sleeves.  

Knit in stockinette until garment measures from cast on 17 ¼ (17 ¾, 17 ½, 17 ¼) 17 ¼, 17 ¼ [ 17 ¼, 17 ¾, 17 ½]   ending after a WS row. 

Begin neck line shaping:
Knit 50 (53, 58, 67) 72, 79 [85, 92, 99] stitches.  Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Purl the row.

Knit 48 (51, 56, 65) 70, 77 [83, 90, 97] stitches, leaving 2 more left unworked than the previous.  Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Purl the row.  

Repeat knitting a row leaving two more stitches left unworked, wrapping stitch, and purling back 4 (5, 5, 5) 5, 6 [6, 6, 6] more times.  40 (41, 46, 55) 60, 65 [71, 78, 85] stitches will be worked at the end of the repeat

Knit 39 (40, 45, 54) 59, 64 [70, 77, 84] stitches, leaving one additional stitch left unworked. Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Purl the row.

Repeat knitting a row leaving one more stitch left unworked, wrapping stitch, and purling back 8 (7, 8, 9) 10, 9 [9, 10, 10] more times.  31 (33, 37, 45) 49, 55 [61, 67, 74] stitches will be worked at the end of the repeat.

Knit the 31 (33, 37, 45) 49, 55 [61, 67, 74] shoulder stitches until garment measures 24 (24 ½, 24 ¾, 25) 25 ½, 25 ½ [25 ¾, 26 ½, 26 ½] inches from cast on edge.  

Bind off shoulder stitches just worked or take off on waste yarn.  

Adjust work to be able to work on the opposite shoulder.  WS:  Purl 50 (53, 58, 67) 72, 79 [85, 92, 99] stitches.  Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Knit the row.

Purl 48 (51, 56, 65) 70, 77 [83, 90, 97] stitches.  Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Knit the row.  

Repeat purling a row leaving two more stitches left unworked, wrapping stitch, and knitting back 4 (5, 5, 5) 5, 6 [6, 6, 6] more times.  40 (41, 46, 55) 60, 65 [71, 78, 85] stitches will be worked at the end of the repeat

Purl 39 (40, 45, 54) 59, 64 [70, 77, 84] stitches, leaving one additional stitch left unworked. Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Knit the row.

Repeat purling a row leaving one more stitch left unworked, wrapping stitch, and knitting back 8 (7, 8, 9) 10, 9 [9, 10, 10] more times.  31 (33, 37, 45) 49, 55 [61, 67, 74] stitches will be worked at the end of the repeat. 

Purl the 31 (33, 37, 45) 49, 55 [61, 67, 74] shoulder stitches until garment measures 24 (24 ½, 24 ¾, 25) 25 ½, 25 ½ [25 ¾, 26 ½, 26 ½] inches from cast on edge.  

Bind off shoulder stitches just worked or take off on waste yarn.  

Bind off neckline: RS: Pick up 15 (15, 17, 18) 18, 18 [20, 20, 21] stitches on edge of neck up to live stitches.  Knit each live stitch of neckline, picking up the wrapped yarn and knitting it with the new stitch.  Pick up 15 (15, 17, 18) 18, 18 [20, 20, 21] stitches on opposite edge of neck.  Bind off stitches.

Back:
Long tail cast on 104 (110, 120, 138) 148, 162 [174, 188, 202] stitches.

*Work 3 ⅓ (2 ¾, 2 ¾, 7) 7, 5 ½ [5 ½, 5 ½, 4 ⅛] inches in stockinette.  Increase 1 stitch on each side on next row*

Repeat from * to * 3 (4, 4, 0) 0, 0 [0, 0, 0] more times.  Stitches 112 (120, 130, 140) 150, 164, [176, 190, 204].  

Knit in stockinette until garment measures 15 (14 ¾ , 14 ¼, 13 ¾) 12 ¾, 12 ⅛ [11 ¼, 11 ¼, 10 ½] inches from cast on edge.  Place markers on edge for sleeves.  

Knit in stockinette until garment measures 23 ¼ (19, 24 ⅛, 24 ½) 24 ¾, 24 ¾ [24 ¾, 25 ½, 25 ½] inches from cast on edge, ending after a WS row.

Begin neckline shaping:
Knit 39 (42, 46, 55) 59, 56 [73, 79, 86] stitches.  Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Purl the row. 

Knit 31 (33, 37, 45) 49, 55 [67, 73, 80) stitches.  Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Purl the row.  

Size [3X, 4X, 5X]:  Knit [61, 67, 74] stitches, leaving six additional stitches left unworked. Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Purl the row.

Bind off shoulder stitches just worked or take off on waste yarn.  

Adjust work to be able to work on the opposite shoulder.  WS:  Purl 39 (42, 46, 55) 59, 56 [73, 79, 86] stitches.  Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Knit the row. 

Purl 31 (33, 37, 45) 49, 55 [67, 73, 80) stitches.  Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Knit the row.  

Size [3X, 4X, 5X]:  Purl [61, 67, 74] stitches, leaving six additional stitches left unworked. Wrap yarn around next stitch and turn your work.  Knit the row.

Bind off shoulder stitches just worked or take off on waste yarn.  

Bind off neckline: RS: Pick up 1 (1, 1, 1) 1, 1 [2, 2, 2] stitches on edge of neck up to live stitches.  Knit each live stitch of neckline, picking up the wrapped yarn and knitting it with the new stitch.  Pick up 1 (1, 1, 1) 1, 1 [2, 2, 2] stitches on opposite edge of neck.  Bind off stitches.

Seam the shoulders of the front and back panel.

Sleeve: 
Pick up 104 (112, 120, 128) 144, 152 [164, 172, 182] stitches on the edges of the body panels between markings.  

Knit in stockinette 8 ¼ (8 ½, 8 ¼, 8 ¼) 8 ¼, 7 ¾ [7 ¾, 6 ½, 5 ¾] inches.  Bind off all stitches.

Sew all seams.  

Edging:
Refer to the Youtube video for more details and information if you are not as familiar with crochet.  Alternatives to the crochet edging are: i-cord edging, 3 rows of reverse stockinette, garter or seed stitch.

For sleeve and hem edging:  With crochet hook G and a slip knot on the hook, sc evenly in each stitch around edges.  Then, starting in the first sc made sc around again.  After two rows of sc have been completed slip stitch in the first sc of the second row, and slip stitch around. Slip stitch in the first slip stitch made.  Bind off by pulling yarn through last loop on hook. 

For neck edging:  With crochet hook G and a slip knot on the hook, sc evenly around neckline in each stitch.  Then, starting in the first sc made slip stitch around.  Bind off by pulling yarn through last loop on hook