THE AISHA TOP

Hello! My name is Olya.

Thank you for knitting with me!

In this file you will find the detailed instructions on how to knit this lace tank top.
I want you to succeed so please read through each section carefully and follow the video tutorials
provided.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me through DM in Instagram @o.malica
Tag your progress and finished work with #malica_mk
Happy knitting! May your tension be perfect!
SIZES: XS, S, M, L
GARMENT FIT: straight silhouette, snug-fitting
CONSTRUCTION: top is sewn together down the sides, it is knitted as separate pieces (front and back)
MEASUREMENTS OF FINISHED WORK: number of stitches for sizes S, M, L are mentioned in brack-
ets separated by a comma (_,_), if there is one figure, it means it works for all the sizes. Measurements are
calculated for the height from 160cm to 175cm: (5' 3'' to 5' 7'')
▪ Across chest (width of the front part): 40 (44, 48, 52) cm / 15 3/4'' (17 1/4'', 19'', 20 1/2'');
▪ Length of the top from the bust line to the hem: 34 (34, 36, 36) cm / 13 3/8'' (13 3/8'', 14 1/4'', 14 1/4'');
▪ Length of the top from the top point of triangles to the hem: 48 (50, 52, 54) cm / 19'' (19 3/4'', 20 1/2'',
21 1/4'').

Diagram 1 – Pattern of the article

MATERIALS:
YARN: VITA Cotton LILY 50gr/125m. 100% mercerized cotton
▪ For sizes XS – S (4-5 balls)
▪ For sizes M – L (6-7 balls)
*You may use any similar yarn that has the same gauge.
NEEDLES (STRAIGHT):
▪ 2mm - for knitting a hemline (ribbing) of an article and the shoulder straps
▪ 3mm - for a body of the top
ADDITIONAL INSTRUMENTS:
▪ Two additional yarns in contrasting colors
▪ Darning needle
▪ Scissors
▪ Stitch markers

Gauge: (measured after garment was washed!)

24 stitches x 28 rows = 10 x 10 cm (4'' x 4'') with a stockinette stitch, 3mm needles
IMPORTANT! Use needle sizes that coordinate with the required gauge.
Please read everything carefully before starting!

NOTES

Stockinette Stitch: Row 1 – knit. Row 2 – purl.

Double ribbing: (watch video below for reference)
1) Take two different colors of yarn and knitting needles one size smaller than the ones used for the
body of the top.
2) Cast on using the long tail cast on method.
3) Join knitting with your working yarn, slip stitch purlwise, knit each stitch into the back loop, knit
the last stitch into the back loop too.
4) Turn your work, slip stitch purlwise, / (keep the yarn in front of the needle), slip the next stitch
purlwise, insert the right needle into the in-between stitch made after knitting the previous row, pull
up a loop/ knit the last stitch into the back loop. (knit this row tighter than usual, the amount of
stitches on the needle will double in this row)
5) Turn your work, slip stitch purlwise, /slip stitch purlwise while the yarn is in front, knit the next
stitch/ - repeat till the last stitch, the last stitch is knitted into the back loop. Repeat row 5 till the
desired height.
6) Unravel the two different color yarns in the order shown in the instructional video.
Ribbing binding off:
7) Take a needle used for the body, slip stitch purlwise and then:
“False join” transition from ribbing to the body (for the front side): /insert right needle into first stitch
purlwise (holding yarn behind the work), then insert into second stitch knitwise beginning to pull the stitch
behind through first, knit through the pulled knit stitch/ continue to the end of the row. Now you decreased
the amount of stitches to the original count.
A smooth transition (for the back side): / holding yarn behind the work, pick up the knit stitch, transfer
it over the preceding purl stitch and knit this purl stitch./ continue to the end of the row. Now you decreased
the amount of stitches to the original count.
Video “Double ribbing” – https://youtu.be/myvQAtT0TnI
THE MAIN DESIGN
Diagram 2
 DETAILED EXPLANATION OF EACH PATTERN ACCORDING TO ROWS

Pattern “Snake”
▪ Row 1 (knit row-right side): 3 purl stitches,
yarn round needle, knit 2 together, 3 purl
stitches
▪ Row 2 (purl row-wrong side): 3 knit
stitches, 1 purl stitch, purl the yarn round
needle stitch, 3 knit stitches
▪ Row 3 (knit row): 3 purl stitches, knit 2 to-
gether, yarn round needle, 3 purl stitches
▪ Row 4 (purl row): 3 knit stitches, purl the
yarn round needle stitch, 1 purl stitch, 3
knit stitches
(this pattern repeats every 4 rows)

Pattern “Cable to the left”

▪ Row 1 (knit row): yarn round needle, 4
knit stitches, SKP, 4 knit stitches
▪ Row 2 (purl row): purl all the stitches in-
cluding the yarn round needle stitch
▪ The rest of the rows are knitted in the same
way, shifting a yarn round needle stitch and
SKP stitch one step to the left!
(this pattern repeats every 10 rows)

Pattern “Cable to the right”

▪ Row 1 (knit row): 4 knit stitches, knit 2
stitches together, 4 knit stitches, yarn
round needle stitch
▪ Row 2 (purl row): purl all the stitches in-
cluding the yarn round needle stitch
▪ The rest of the rows are knitted in the same
way, shifting all the stitches knitted to-
gether and a yarn round needle stitch one
step to the right!
(this pattern repeats every 10 rows)
Pattern “Net”

▪ Row 1 (knit row): // knit 3 stitches, pass the 1st stitch over the second and the third just knitted
stitches, yarn round needle// - repeat 3 more times, then knit 3 stitches, pass the 1st stitch over
the second and the third just knitted stitches
▪ Row 2 (purl row): purl
▪ Row 3 (knit row): knit 1 stitch, yarn round needle, //knit 3 stitches, pass the 1st stitch over the
second and the third just knitted stitches, yarn round needle// - repeat 3 more times, knit 1
▪ Row 4 (purl row): repeat Row 2
(this pattern repeats every 4 rows)
Video of the Pattern “Net” – https://youtu.be/rNc8wbXOU2c

WORK DESCRIPTION

FRONT PANEL

Please, watch ribbing video for reference as this step might be difficult.
Using 2mm needles and additional strands of contrasting colors longtail cast on 95 (105, 115, 125) and
knit the double ribbing 1 cm / 3/8'' in height (or more but then the length of the garment will increase).
Using 3mm needles, bind off the ribbing –a “false join” transition side will be the right side (knit rows),
turn and purl the wrong side row.
The next knit row we start knitting according to the Diagram 2.
Compare the quantity of stitches with the initial cast on: 95 (105, 115, 125), including slip stitches!

Position of stitches for a front panel for each size:

▪ For size XS – 1 slip stitch, 3 purl stitches, a row of “The main design”: exclude the first “Snake”
pattern and start knitting from the pattern “Cable to the left”, at the end of the row exclude the “Snake”
pattern again, purl 3 stitches, knit last stitch into the back loop.
▪ For size S – 1 slip stitch, a row of “The main design”, knit last stitch into the back loop.
▪ For size M – 1 slip stitch, purl 5 stitches, a row of “The main design”; at the end of the row, purl
remaining 5 stitches and knit last stitch into the back loop.
▪ For size L – 1 slip stitch, purl 2 stitches, + additional “Snake” pattern, “The main design”, “Snake”
pattern again, purl 2 stitches, knit last stitch into the back loop.
Mark the position of all pattern combinations with the stitch markers!
Each right side row is knitted according to its ordinal number vertically following “The main design”
Diagram 2 with stitch position for each size, as indicated above.
In the purl row: purl all the stitches of previous row, knit all the knit stitches, purl all the yarn round
needle stitches!
Knit the front panel according to the design until the cleavage line – 34 (34, 36, 36) cm / 13 3/8'' (13
3/8'', 14 1/4'', 14 1/4'').

DECREASING FOR STRAPS

The amount of the initial cast on stitches is uneven, BUT it can be even in the case when the 1 st
row of the “Net” pattern has been knitted - then the “Net” pattern consists of 14 stitches which
makes the total number of stitches even.
When the front panel has necessary length, please make sure that the number of stitches is even!
Divide the front panel stitches into 2 equal parts, put a stitch marker in the middle.
Row 1 (right side): DECREASE: knit two together into the back loop, then follow the pattern, slip the
last stitch.
The second part of stitches should be slipped onto an extra needle for convenience.
Row 2 (wrong side): DECREASE: purl the skipped stitch and the next purl stitch together, then follow
the pattern according to the purl rows, slip the last stitch.
THE DECREASE PRINCIPLE: in order to make both sides of the triangles look neat, IT IS IM-
PORTANT to decrease the slip stitch and the next stitch together, paying attention to what kind of stitch
it is:
▪ If the next stitch after the slip stitch is a knit stitch: knit two stitches together into the back loop.
▪ If the next stitch after the slip stitch is a purl stitch: purl two stitches together.
Video. Decrease. https://youtu.be/OsGP7_ck5og
Keep decreasing the triangles this way until you have 3 stitches left, put them on a stitch holder or scrap
piece of yarn. Return to the remaining stitches of the second triangle, repeat decrease sequence from first
triangle.

BACK PANEL

Using 2mm needle and additional strands of contrasting colors longtail cast on 94 (104, 114, 124) stitches
and knit a double ribbing of the same height as the front panel ribbing.
Using 3mm needles bind off a ribbing using a smooth transition (see Notes)
The back panel is knitted with a stockinette stitch with the same height as the front panel and until the
lowest part of the bust line; then all the stitches are divided into two equal parts, and the triangles are
formed using the stockinette stitch with THE SAME DECREASE TECHNIQUE as used for the front
panel triangles.
 SHOULDER STRAP

Shoulder strap starts from the top of a triangle, using three remaining stitches and 2mm needles.
The hollow cording technique is used:
Step 1. Knit 3 stitches
Step 2. Without turning your work, slip knitted stitches from the right needle to the left one, pull the
yarn tighter.
Repeat steps 1-2 until the cording reaches the necessary height:
For sizes:
▪ XS-S: 7,5 – 8,5 cm / 3'' – 3 1/2''
▪ M – L: 6,5 – 7,5 cm / 2 1/2'' – 3''
The length of a shoulder strap may be regulated as desired considering your preferences.
Don’t bind off the shoulder strap stitches.
Video. Shoulder Strap – cording: https://youtu.be/oteLXfyAfek
When all 4 shoulder straps are finished, sew the front panel straps to the back panel straps symmetrically
using the mattress stitch.
Video: sewing of the shoulder straps: https://youtu.be/Ejzgc04bxW8

BLOCKING

Block front and back panels by steaming

▪ Put a damp cloth on top and back pieces
▪ Hold an iron above the piece without touching it so the steam straightens the stitches.

ASSEMBLY AND SEWING TOGETHER

With the right sides facing you, seam the front and the back panels together using mattress stitch.
Technique of Mattress Stitch:
Lay the pieces next to each other right side facing up.
Insert the darning needle in the left piece down up after the first stitch of the
row.
Insert the needle from front to back into the corresponding spot on the sec-
ond piece connecting lower parts.
Insert the needle from front to back into the same spot of the left piece
where the needle has been inserted earlier, and pull it out one row higher,
picking up the in-between stitch.
Insert the needle downward from front to back into the same spot of the right piece, where the needle
had been inserted earlier, and pull it out in the next row, picking up the in-between stitch.
Repeat the two last steps, always catching an in-between part between stitches. Repeat for a few
stitches and then pull the working yarn tight. Repeat until you seam the side up to the armpit. The slip
stitches will be located on the wrong side.

Video. Vertical mattress stitch. https://youtu.be/hw5TlHbGL98

Final step – Steaming and blocking

Neatly weave in the ends.
Wash and dry the knitted garment according to the care suggestions given on the particular yarn You
use.
Feel free to share your finished works under the tag on Instagram #aisha_top