Welcome to a post dedicated to Seasalt Tank, one of the design from my Sydney Summer Knits ebook! If you need extra help in making your own version or want to know more about summer knits in general, it’s an article for you!
Once my first summer knitalong ended, I decided to gather all the valuable tips, videos and tutorials I shared with the event’s participants and put it in one post to provide advice and help to all the knitters. I hope you will find it useful!
You can find detailed information on how to make, style and even modify this summer knit in the ebook (100 pages full of valuable and interesting content!), which you can buy in my Ravelry or Payhip store. But in this post I will share all the extra resources that may help you work with Seasalt Tank pattern and make your knitting smooth and trouble-free. Enjoy!
Article content:
- Yarn and fabric properties.
- Stitch patterns.
- Blocking.
Yarn and fabric properties
Seasalt Tank can be successfully made from one strand of DK weight yarn or two strands of fingering weight yarn, which gives us a wide range of choices! This stitch pattern loves textured yarn, so the more individual threads, the better.
When looking for the perfect yarn, pay attention to yarn twist. We want yarn with a visible twist, texture, and matte finish. It should look slightly like a cord. This distinct twist of the strands nicely highlights the stitch patterns used in Seasalt Tank, giving the final project a lovely boho vibe. In this video, I am showing you two different yarns: Sandnes Garn Tynn Line which I used in my sample, and Rowan Denim Revive. Both have the same features but different weights:
The final project made from such yarn has nice texture. It is also a bit stiff, which showcases those particular stitch patterns very well and keeps them in great shape for a long time. The fabric has only minor elasticity when pulled sideways, so keep that in mind when choosing a size – do not increase the negative ease.
As we are working with DK weight yarn here, I do not recommend wool for this project as it will not be suitable for summer. But if you want to wear your tank all year round with cardigans, wool is an excellent choice too. However, keep in mind all the features I mentioned – do not pick spongy merino but rather rustic-looking yarns.
Stitch patterns
HEM
Watch this video to find out how to make the hem in Seasalt Tank:
MAIN STITCH PATTERN
A chart in Seasalt Tank pattern has an odd number of rows, which means that it will alternate between starting on WS and RS on every repetition. I think the only potentially problematic parts are row 2 and 3 of the chart.
Here is how to work the 2nd row both on WS and RS. What we are looking for is double p stitch and double k stitch – we simply need some extra length. Note that I am a combination style knitter, however I presented both ways – no worries, there is no reason to change the way you purl your stitches!
In the 3rd row of the chart we are making 5 stitches from 5 stitches, to create a fan-like shape.
Here is the 3rd row of the chart worked on the right side:
And the 3rd row of the chart worked on the wrong side:
Blocking
Read my article The gist of blocking your knits to learn more about the purpose and general rules of blocking. I believe it will help you understand the process.
Watch this short video to find out how to block your Seasalt Tank successfully:
Blocking instruction:
Block it with the front facing you.
Start with the shoulders. Fold them exactly at the center – it is the place when the top purl row is located. Pin them in place using at least three pins.
Pin the underarms to keep your tank in place before the next step.
Pair the corresponding back and front scallops. Pin them together through the hole to achieve the best possible shape and look. Pull slightly down when pinning.
Pin the sides in place to keep them the same width as the hem. The best place to pin is through the fan-like stitches.
Pull the back neck up slightly to open the stitch pattern in this area and get the same look on the entire top. Pin the neck carefully using lots of pins. This edge tends to get scalloped if you do not use enough pins.
Pin the armscyes the same way as sides.
About Sydney Summer Knits collection
Sydney Summer Knits collection contains four brand-new, unique summer patterns inspired by my new home – Sydney. You will find here three tops and one dress, each design mirroring a different feature of the city. All the designs are made in style closest to my heart, which I dare to name modern romanticism.
Read articles about: Filigree Cami, Darling Dress and Woollahra Tee:
Marzena
