Colorwork in the front, cute keyhole detail in the back, what more could you want from this cool retro top? Knit in two pieces from the bottom up and seamed at the sides and shoulders, this top has a straightforward construction with lots of coverage from the summer sun. Pair it with mint or salmon-colored pants for a show-stopping vintage ensemble!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL) to fit bust 30 (34, 38, 42, 46)”
2” positive ease recommended.
Shown in size S
Gauge: 23 sts and 31 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking
Materials
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima (100% Pima Cotton; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams): 3741 Shamrock (MC, 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) balls), 3738 Spearmint (C1, 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) balls), 3711 China Pink (C2, 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) balls)
Needles: US size 6 (4.0 mm) straight or 24” circular
Notions: Markers, stitch holders, tapestry needle, four bobbins for intarsia, one 0.5” button
Abbreviations
Wrap and Turn (W&T): Yarn forward to the front of the work, slip the next stitch purl-wise, yarn back, slip the stitch you wrapped back to the left needle, turn the work.
Pattern Notes
The pattern is worked from the bottom up in two pieces (front and back).
Prior to starting be sure to prep your yarn by winding 5 yards of MC onto two bobbins, approx. 20 yards of MC onto a third bobbin, and 20 yards of C1 on a fourth bobbin.
Pattern
Front
Lower Border
With MC, CO 111 (115, 129, 141, 153) sts.
Rows 1-6: Knit.
Row 7 (RS): Knit.
Row 8 (WS): Purl.
Work previous 2 rows total of 7 (7, 7, 7, 7) times.
Waist Shaping
Row 1 (RS): K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (2 sts dec’d)
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: P1, p2tog, p to last 3 sts, ssp, p1. (2 sts dec’d)
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: Purl.
Work Rows 1-6 a total of 6 (6, 6, 6, 6) times.
Work Rows 1-3, 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) more time. (85 (89, 103, 115, 127) sts)
Waist
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: Purl.
Work Rows 2-3 a total of 3 times.
Bust Shaping
Row 1 (RS): K1, RLI, k until last st, LLI, k1. (2 sts inc’d)
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: Purl.
Work Rows 1-4 a total of 5 (5, 5, 5, 5) times. (95 (99, 113, 125, 137) sts)
Work Rows 1-2, 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) more time. (97 (101, 115, 127, 139) sts)
Next Row (RS): K29 (31, 38, 44, 50), pm, k39, pm, k to end.
Next Row (WS): Purl across row, working the first row of the Colourwork Chart between the markers.
Work Rows 1-4, 2 (2, 2, 2, 2) more times, working the Colourwork Chart between the markers. (99 (103, 117, 129, 141) sts)
Arm Shaping
Cont to work Colourwork Chart between the markers.
Row 1 (RS): Knit.
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Rep previous 2 rows 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) more time.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: K8 (8, 9, 10, 11), p until 8 (8, 9, 10, 11) sts rem, k to end.
Work Rows 5-6 a total of 3 (3, 3, 3, 3) times.
For the rest of the Front, after Row 19 in the Colourwork Chart, cont to work the diagonal line between the MC and C1 (dark green and light green in the sample). In each row the C1 portion should get one stitch closer to each armhole. Cont until all of the sts in the row are C1.
Row 7 (RS): BO 5 (5, 6, 7, 8) sts, k to end. (94 (98, 111, 122, 133) sts)
Row 8: BO 5 (5, 6, 7, 8) sts, k3, p to first marker, k to second marker, p to last 3 sts, k3. (89 (93, 105, 115, 125) sts)
Row 9: K3, ssk, k until 5 sts rem, k2tog, k3. (2 sts dec’d)
Row 10: K3, p until 3 sts rem, k3.
Work Rows 9-10 a total of 7 (7, 7, 7, 7) times. (75 (79, 91, 101, 111) sts)
Next Row (RS): Knit.
Next Row (WS): K3, p unto 3 sts rem, k3.
Next Row: Knit.
Work previous 2 rows a total of 1 (3, 3, 5, 5) times.
Remove markers.
Split Straps
Row 1 (WS): K3, p14, pm, k41 (45, 57, 67, 77), pm, p14, k3.
Row 2 (RS): Knit.
Row 3: K3, p to marker, k to marker, p until 3 sts rem, k3.
Work Rows 2-3 a total of 2 (2, 2, 2, 2) times.
Row 6: K20, BO 35 (39, 51, 61, 71), k to end.
Place sts from Left Shoulder on a stitch holder, cont with Right Strap.
Row 7: K3, p14, k3.
Row 8: Knit.
Work Rows 7-8 a total of 11 (11, 12, 13, 14) times.
Right Shoulder Edge
Row 1 (WS): K3, p14, k3.
Row 2 (RS): K13, W&T.
Row 3: P10, k3.
Row 4: K7, W&T.
Row 5: P4, k3.
Row 6: Knit, working the wraps together with their sts.
Row 7: K3, p14, k3.
BO all sts.
Left Strap
Transfer Left Strap sts from holder to needle, reattach C1 yarn to the Left Strap with RS facing.
Row 1: K3, p14, k3.
Row 2: Knit.
Work Rows 1-2 a total of 11 (11, 12, 13, 14) times.
Right Shoulder Edge
Row 1 (WS): Knit.
Row 2 (RS): K3, p10, W&T.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: K3, p4, W&T.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: K3, p until 3 sts rem, working wraps tog with their sts, k3.
BO all sts.
Back
Lower Border
With MC, CO 111 (115, 129, 141, 153) sts.
Rows 1-6: Knit.
Row 7 (RS): Knit.
Row 8 (WS): Purl.
Work previous 2 rows total of 7 (7, 7, 7, 7) times.
Waist Shaping
Row 1 (RS): K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (2 sts dec’d)
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: P1, p2tog, p to last 3 sts, ssp, p1. (2 sts dec’d)
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: Purl.
Work Rows 1-6 a total of 6 (6, 6, 6, 6) times.
Work Rows 1-3, 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) times. (85 (89, 103, 115, 127) sts)
Waist
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: Purl.
Work Rows 2-3 a total of 3 times.
Bust Shaping
Row 1 (RS): K1, RLI, k until last st, LLI, k1. (2 sts inc’d)
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: Purl.
Work Rows 1-4 a total of 7 (7, 7, 7, 7) times. (99 (103, 117, 129, 141) sts)
Arm Shaping
Row 1 (RS): Knit.
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Rep previous 2 rows 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) more time.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: K8 (8, 9, 10, 11), p38 (40, 46, 51, 56), pm, k7 (7, 7, 7, 7), pm, p38 (40, 46, 51, 56), k8 (8, 9, 10, 11) sts.
Work Rows 5-6 rows a total of 3 (3, 3, 3, 3) times.
Row 7: BO 5 (5, 6, 7, 8) sts, k to end. 94 (98, 111, 122, 133) sts
Row 8: BO 5 (5, 6, 7, 8) sts, k3, p to first marker, k to second marker, p to last 3 sts, k3. (89 (93, 105, 115, 125) sts)
Split Back
Row 8: K3, ssk, k until first marker, k2 (2, 2, 2, 2), k2tog. (2 sts dec’d)
Place 44 (46, 52, 57, 62) sts from left hand needle onto a stitch holder. (43 (45, 51, 56, 61) sts on needles)
Right Side of Back
Row 1 (WS): K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 2 (RS): K3, ssk, k until 3 sts rem, k2tog, k3. (2 sts dec’d)
Work Rows 1-2 a total of 2 (2, 2, 2, 2) times. (39 (41, 47, 52, 57) sts)
Row 5: K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 6: K3, ssk, k to end of row. (1 st dec’d)
Work Rows 5-6 a total of 4 times. (35 (37, 43, 48, 53) sts)
Row 13: K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 14: Knit.
Work Rows 13-14 a total of 1 (3, 3, 3, 5) times.
Right Back Neckline and Strap
Row 1 (WS): K16 (20, 23, 28, 33) sts, p until 3 sts rem, k3.
Row 2 (RS): Knit until 4 sts rem, kfb, k to end. (36 (38, 44, 49, 54) sts)
Row 3: Knit until marker, p until 3 sts rem, k3.
Row 4: Knit until 4 sts rem, kfb, yo, k2tog, k1. (37 (39, 45, 50, 55) sts)
Row 5: Knit until marker, p until 3 sts rem, k3.
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: BO 17 (19, 25, 30, 35) sts, k3, p until 3 sts rem, k3. (20 (20, 20, 20, 20) sts)
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: K3, p14, k3.
Work Rows 8-9 a total of 11 (11, 12, 13, 14) times.
Right Shoulder Edge
Row 1 (WS): Knit.
Row 2 (RS): K3, p10, W&T.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: K3, p4, W&T.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: K3, p until 3 sts rem, working wraps tog with their sts, k3.
BO all sts.
Left Side of Back
Place sts from holder onto needles.
With RS facing, K3, k until 5 sts rem, k2tog, k3. (43 (45, 51, 56, 61) sts)
Row 1 (WS): K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 2 (RS): K3, ssk, k until 3 sts rem, k2tog, k3. (2 sts dec’d)
Work Rows 1-2 a total of 2 times. (39 (41, 47, 52, 57) sts)
Row 5: K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 6: Knit until 5 sts rem, k2tog, k3. (1 st dec’d)
Work rows 5 and 6 a total of 4 times. (35 (37, 43, 48, 53) sts)
Row 13: K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 14: Knit.
Work Rows 13-14 a total of 1 (3, 3, 3, 5) times.
Left Back Neckline and Strap
Row 1 (WS): K3, p14, pm, k to end.
Row 2 (RS): K3, kfb, k to end. (1 st inc’d)
Row 3: K3, p until marker, k to end.
Work Rows 2-3 a total of 2 (2, 2, 2, 2) times. (37 (39, 45, 50, 55) sts)
Row 6: BO 17 (19, 25, 30, 35) sts, knit to end. (20 (20, 20, 20, 20) sts)
Row 7: K3, p14, k3.
Row 8: Knit.
Work Rows 7-8 a total of 11 (11, 12, 13, 14) times.
Left Shoulder Edge
Row 1 (WS): K3, p14, k3.
Row 2 (RS): K13, W&T.
Row 3: P10, k3.
Row 4: K7, W&T.
Row 5: P4, k3.
Row 6: Knit, working the wraps together with their sts.
Row 7: K3, p14, k3.
BO all sts.
Finishing
Weave in ends.
Sew button opposite buttonhole and block.