Eggplant Tank Pattern

Read about it here.

Eggplant Tank

Supplies:

#2 circular needles
#4 circular needles

I cone of Valley cotton in 3/2 size from Webs, or Paton’s Grace (about 5 balls)

Gauge:

5 stitches = 1 inch on size 4 needles.

Finished size:

Fits a size 34 bust.

Some references you might use:

tubular cast on/bind off:
http://www.math.unl.edu/~gmeisters1/papers/Knitting/techniques.html

ssk:
http://knitting.about.com/library/bllearnssk.htm

Cast on 180 using tubular cast on using the #2 needles.

Here's how:

I use a crochet chain to do a provisional cast on. Chain 92 stitches.

Tip, tie a knot in the end of the yarn that you pull through to end the

chain, that way you know what end to undo to "unzip" the cast on.

Pick up the bumps along the back of the chain (90 total) using a size

two circular needle.

Set up row: K1, yo across row. K1 in last stitch.

Being careful not to twist the stitches join both sides. Slip the first stitch on the right hand needle to the left needle. K2tog. Place marker.

Work the round as follows: [K1, yarn in front, slip stitch] repeat across round

Next row [yarn in back, slip stitch, purl] repeat for this round.

Repeat for the next two rows.

Body of the tank:

Work in 1x1 ribbing for 2 ½ inches.

Switch to the size four circular needles and knit in plain stockinette stitch until the piece measures 13 inches from the cast on edge.

(If you need to adjust the finished length this is the place to do it. Add or remove a few inches as necessary. To figure out how much to adjust, measure from your armpit to where you want the tank to hit on your hip. Add about 1 ½ to 2 inches to this.)

Knit 60 stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Work the next stitches in 1x1 ribbing until you get to the last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Repeat this row until the 1x1 ribbing measures one inch. If you are concerned that the ribbing might not be tight enough, switch back to the number two needles just for the ribbing section.

Knit the first 60 stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Cut a length of yarn about 3 times the length of the ribbed section. Cast off these stitches only using the tubular bind off.

Top of shirt front:

Row 1: Looking at the right side of the tank, reattach the yarn on the right. Place the first three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Knit until you reach the last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 2: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 3: Place the first three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. K 2 tog. Knit until you reach the last six stitches. SSK. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 4: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Rows 5 – 12: Repeat rows 3 and 4 four more times.

You should now have 58 stitches left.

Row 13: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. [P2tog, yo] repeat to last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 14: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 15: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Knit to last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 16: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl next three stitches. [K2tog, yo] repeat to last four stitches, purl 3, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 17: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Knit to last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 18: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 19: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Purl to last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Row 20: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl to last stitch, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 21: Slip one stitch to right needle, purl 3, work in 1x1 ribbing purl to last four stitches, purl 3, slip last stitch to right needle.

Row 22: Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle. Work across in established 1x1 ribbing until last four stitches. Place the next three stitches on a cable needle. K1, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.

Bind off: Slip first stitch. Purl 3. Cut the yarn with a length about three times the length of the ribbing. Cast off ONLY the ribbing stitches using the tubular bind off. The first four and last four stitches should NOT be bound off.

Working on one set of four stitches at a time, reattach the yarn, then using the #4 circular needle work an i-chord until it measures 11 inches. Put the stitches on a stitch holder, and cut the yarn, leaving several inches to use to sew it to the back. Repeat on the other side with four remaining stitches.

At this point you might want to try it on to make sure that the i-chord is the right length, adjust as necessary.

Sew the ends of the i-chords to the back of the tank along the ribbed edge. I sewed mine five inches back from the front of the armpit section.

That's one snappy tank!!