Loose & Drapery Neck Top Knitting Pattern

After a few festive celebrations since the end of last year, with non-stop eating, zero exercise and long hour of sitting, I am regretful to say that I need something to cover my lower abdominal and this drapery neckline top does the magic.

Whenever, people look at me, even with the slightest angle to the lower part of me, I am nervous and need to find something to cover my bulging tummy… oh…. can you imagine how bad it is!!!

During working days, I can easily hide this ugly sight by wearing loose-fitting clothes that not require any tuck-in. Now, I am at Disneyland on a semi-vacation, I am wearing jeans, pants, T-shirts and I don’t want to let the tummy outshine me in every photo, I need something decent to cover it up.

So, I designed an easy to knit “loose & drapery neckline top” that look casual yet trendy for the vacation. I am so glad to have it completed just in time for the trip.

Unlike many knitting patterns for garments, this drapery neckline top pattern doesn’t require arm and neckline shaping. Thus, there is no complicated shaping pattern to follow because everything here is done with a straight line.

To help in killing the dullness in working with only knit and purl stitches, I added an optional beginner’s challenge at the back of the pattern – to knit a Stockinette Lace Ladders. You can skip this and replace with the normal Stockinette pattern if you prefer a simple one.

The back piece is fast to complete but the front one might take you sometimes as it is bigger and you need to knit more than 250% of stitches compare to the back pattern.

Hope that you like this easy drapery neckline top knitting pattern. I will continue with my vacation and shopping, as always, will gather some information for you on a crafter paradise shopping zone 😉

Drapery Neckline Top

Knitting Pattern

Yarn
Katia – Soda (White), qty=50g x 8
[This yarn has discontinued, you can either buy from your local or online yarn shops (contact Katia for more information), or find a substitution]
Composition: 95% Cotton, 5% Nylon
Yarn length:146 each
Weight: worsted
Tools
Knitting Needle – 4.5mm
Crochet hook – 4.5mm for casting stitches on knitting needle
Tapestry needle
White lace thread or light weight yarn

Finishing Size
Loose fit: USA size 10 or M/L
Approximate dimension: 21″ (W) x 31 1/2″ (L)

Tension
20 sts and 26 rows to 4″ x 4″ [10cm x 10cm] on 4.5mm needles in stockinette st.
Remark: stockinette st means K on RS, P on WS.

Abbreviations
k – knit
p – purl
st(s) – stitch(es)
kfb – knit front and back (increment stitch)
k2tog – knit 2 together (decrement stitch)
ssk – slip slip knit (decrement stitch)
yo – yarn over
RS – right side
WS – wrong side

Stockinette Lace Ladders Pattern
1st row (RS) – ssk, (yo) twice, k2 tog
2nd row (WS) – p1, (p1, k1) into double yo, p1

Pattern Dimension

Click on the photo to view a bigger image.
Or, click here to download a printable pdf document for the dimension of the Back and Front knit pieces.

Back
With 4.5mm crochet hook, cast on 106 sts on 4.5mm knitting needle.
Starting with a K row, work in stockinette st for 150 row.
With RS, k3, start 1st-row stockinette lace ladders pattern, repeat 25 times, k3.
Continue with 2nd row on WS then repeat for 20 rows with this pattern.
Continue to knit with the stockinette st for another 36 row.
Cast off.

Remark: you may replace the stockinette lace ladders pattern with normal stockinette stitch if you are not comfortable working in this pattern.

Front
With 4.5mm crochet hook, cast on 110 sts on 4.5mm knitting needle.
Starting with a K row, work in stockinette st and make increment stitch with kfb on the first and the last stitch on RS only, repeat for 140 row. (250 sts)
Work with stockinette st (without increment stitch) for the next 66 row.
Cast off.

Make Up
Steam-block the knitted front and back piece to the correct dimension before joining up.
Join side with mattress stitch for 140 row. Join shoulder with shoulder seam stitch for 37 sts. If you find the yarn is hard to sew, substitute it with white lace thread or lightweight yarn.
Gather up part of the shoulder seams to suit your shoulder width.
Gather up one side of the side seam.

Knitting process – The Katia Soda yarn in white color during the work in progress.

Blocking process – Dampen the knitted front and back pieces, open flat on a few pieces of dry towels. Adjust the shape according to the dimension, pin on the towel. Press with steam iron with medium heat until the knitted piece is dry and fixed to the dimension.
Check the highest heat your knitted piece is able to handle, be careful and not to burn the yarn.

Join all the seams according to the instructions.
Done!