  by
Julia Trice
About a year ago I designed
a tank top for myself in All Season's Cotton
using a really beautiful, yet simple stitch
pattern along the bottom edge. The stitch pattern
and the yarn spoke to me -- they clearly wanted
to be re-made into a different piece -- something
very Zen and organic in feel.
Over time, the design took
shape in my mind as a yoga top that is both
streamlined and detailed. The front is very
basic -- all the magic takes place in the back
where the tabs let a bit of skin peek through.
Except for the sexy back openings, the top has
good coverage. It falls down over the hips for
a fit that doesn't ride up with movement.
The knitting for Asana is
incredibly simple -- knit, purl and a bit of
increasing and decreasing. The most difficult
aspect of this top is that it involves a little
basic sewing -- you'll need to pull out the
old Singer to secure the straps and the Velcro,
or if you're brave, do a little hand stitching.
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model: Julia
Trice
photos: MBWD
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| To fit bust size 32[34,36,38,40,42,44]
inches (shown in 32" size) |
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Note: Measurements "including
tab" are taken when the top is laid out flat
and open, and allow for approximately a 5-inch overlap.
(The amount of overlap is adjustable and will be customized
by you in the finishing stages.) The waist measurement
"without tab" is taken across the bodice
of the top before the waist tabs are added.
Chest (including tab): 37[39,41,43,45,47,49] inches
Waist (including tab):34[36,38,40,42,44,46] inches
Waist (without tab): 18[20,22,24,26,28,30] inches
Hips (including tab):38[40,42,44,46,48,50] inches
Length: 15.5[16,16.5,17,17.5,18,18.5] inches
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Rowan All Season's Cotton [60% cotton, 40% acrylic;
98 yd/90m per 50g skein]; color: Organic(178); 4[5,5,5,6,6,6]
skeins
1 set 24 inch US #6/4.25mm circular needles
1 set US #7/4.50mm straight needles
2 yds 0.5 inch-wide grosgrain ribbon
18 inches of Velcro stripping
sewing thread in a color to match yarn
2 stitch markers
10 safety pins
straight pins
tapestry needle
sewing needle
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15 sts/34 rows = 4 inches
in garter rib pattern on US #6/4.25mm needles
15 sts/26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on
US #7/4.50mm needles
Take time to check both gauges.
(Note: Although my needles were 1 US size apart, there
was a difference of only 0.25 mm in their thickness).
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[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations can be found here]
Garter Rib
(worked over a multiple of 4 sts):
Row 1 [WS]: [P2, k2]
to end.
Row 2 [RS]: [K2, p2] to end.
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 Lower
Band
Using US #6/4.25mm
needles, CO 144[152, 160, 168, 176, 184, 192]
sts.
Work 23[23,
25, 25, 25, 27, 27] rows in garter rib.
Next
Row [RS]: BO 30 sts kwise, p84[92, 100,
108, 116, 124, 132], work rem 30 sts in Garter
Rib as set.
Next
Row [WS]: BO 30 sts pwise, k to end. (A 2-row
purl ridge has been formed.) 84[92, 100, 108, 116,
124, 132] sts rem.
Bodice
Work
6 rows in stockinette st, using US #7/4.50mm needles,
beginning with a RS (knit) row and slipping first
st of each row kwise.
Work
waist shaping
Next Row [RS]: Sl1 kwise, k12,
k3tog, k52[60, 68, 76, 84, 92, 100], k3tog
tbl, k13.
Work 5 rows
in stockinette st, slipping first st of each
row kwise.
Next
Row [RS]: Sl1 kwise, k11, k3tog, k50[58,
66, 74, 82, 90, 98], k3tog tbl, k12.
Work 5 rows in stockinette st, slipping first
st of each row kwise.
Next Row [RS]: Sl1 kwise, k10, k3tog,
k48[56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96], k3tog tbl, k11.
Work 5 rows in stockinette st, slipping first st
of each row kwise.
Next Row [RS]: Sl1 kwise, k9, k3tog, k46[54,
62, 70, 78, 86, 94], k3tog tbl, k10.
68[76, 84, 92, 100, 108, 116] sts rem.
Work 11[11, 13, 13, 13, 15, 15] rows in stockinette
st, slipping first st of each row kwise.
Next Row [RS]: Sl1 kwise, k9, m1, k1, m1,
k46[54, 62, 70, 78, 86, 94], m1, k1, m1, k10.
Work 5 rows in stockinette st, slipping first st
of each row kwise.
Next Row [RS]: Sl1 kwise, k10, m1, k1, m1,
k48[56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96], m1, k1, m1, k11.
Work 5 rows in stockinette st, slipping first st
of each row kwise.
Next Row [RS]:
Sl1 kwise, k11, m1, k1, m1, k50[58, 66, 74, 82,
90, 98], m1, k1, m1, k12.
80[88, 96, 104, 112, 120, 128] sts.
Work 5[5, 7, 7, 7,
9, 9] rows in stockinette st, slipping first st
of each row kwise.
Upper
Band
Next Row [WS]:
Using US #6/4.25mm circular or straight needles,
CO 30 sts, p across bodice sts, CO 30 sts. 140[148,
154, 162, 170, 178, 186, 194] sts.
Work in Garter Rib
for 35[37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47] rows (ending with
a RS row).
BO all sts
pwise.
Waist
Tabs (Make 2)
Using US #6/4.25mm
needles, CO 32 sts.
Work
in Garter Rib for 23[23,25,25,25, 27, 27] rows.
BO all sts pwise.
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 Try
on the top to determine placement of waist tabs, and
sew tabs in place at sides of bodice, exactly at your
waist.
Try on the top again, using
safety pins to fasten the wraps to determine where
the Velcro should be placed. Be sure that you have
a nice, tight fit, such that the top would stay up
without the addition of the grosgrain shoulder straps.
Sew in the Velcro, and try
on the top yet again to determine the length and placement
of the grosgrain ribbon shoulder straps. Sew straps
in place, folding over ends before sewing to prevent
fraying.
Weave in ends, making sure
to neaten up the area where you CO for the upper back
wrap. Toss on some cute tights and get yourself some
downward dog!
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 Julia
lives steps away from her LYS where she teaches
knitting and spends her free time either using
her needles or thinking about it on her blog,
Mind
of Winter.
She hopes to be a recovering attorney someday,
but for the moment the law still manages to get in
the way of her knitting career on a daily basis.
She is eternally grateful for the company of her
often-patient and always wonderful husband and their
animal menagerie (one canine, two feline) in her nation's
capitol.
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| Pattern & images
© 2005 Julia Trice. Contact Julia |
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