At first bud a tulip’s elongated petals are packed tightly, protectively hugging its center, but it doesn’t take long for the stance of the petals to soften. Those lovely ovals separate slightly and open finally, giving a glimpse of what’s inside. Even as the petals flounce, they remain in an embrace, now catching the sunlight, as well as the attention of admirers.

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

Wanting to experience the beauty and femininity of a tulip’s structure, I designed this Tulip Tank Top to wrap and overlap, to gently hug my center… maybe even to attract some admirers!

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

I took advantage of the beauty and drape of Louet’s 100% linen Euroflax, knowing it would fall gracefully and catch the light with movement. I knit this piece primarily in stockinette stitch for a smooth finish and a pretty, little curl along the short-row-shaped edges. And over time, you can expect the linen to soften and relax, becoming better with each wear.

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

I may not be frolicking amidst the actual tulips this year, but my new Tulip Tank has me feeling as fancy-free as if I were! -Laura

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoTulipTankTop. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

  • 3 (3, 3, 4, 4) (4, 4, 5, 5) skeins of Purl Soho’s Field Linen, 100% linen. Each skein is 295 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 665 (740, 820, 925, 1015) (1095, 1180, 1305, 1395) yards required. We like the color Silver Thistle.

OR

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

  • 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) (5, 5, 6, 6) skeins of Louet’s Euroflax, 100% linen. Each skein is 270 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 730 (810, 905, 1020, 1120) (1205, 1315, 1440, 1540) yards required. This is the color Cloud Grey. (Please note, we no longer carry Louet’s Euroflax.)

You will also need…

  • US 5 (3.75 mm), 32-inch or longer circular needles
  • US 3 (3.25 mm), 32-inch or longer circular needles
  • US 3, 16- or 24-inch circular needles
  • stitch markers

Gauge

24 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on smaller needles

Sizes

NOTE For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Size Tutorial!

31 (35, 39, 43, 47) (51, 55, 59, 63)

To fit chest circumference of 26-29 (30-33, 34-37, 38-41, 42-45) (46-49, 50-53, 54-57, 58-61) inches with 2 to 5 inches of positive ease

  • Finished Chest Circumference: 31 (35, 39, 43, 47) (51, 55, 59, 63) inches
  • Length from Shoulder to Bottom Edge: 22½ (23, 23¼, 24¼, 24¾) (25, 25½, 26¼, 26½) inches
  • Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 14 inches

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

NOTES

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

SHORT ROW SHAPING: WRP-T (wrap and turn)

NOTE: For more information about this technique, please visit our Short Rows tutorial.

On the right side: Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to back. Turn work so wrong side is facing you.

On the wrong side: Keeping yarn in front, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to back. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to front. Turn work so right side is facing you.

SSSK (SLIP, SLIP, SLIP, KNIT)

Slip three stitches knitwise, one at a time. Insert left needle into front of slipped stitches and knit together. [2 stitches decreased]

PATTERN

BEGIN AT HEM

Using a Long Tail Cast On and larger circular needles, cast on 98 stitches, place marker (pm), cast on 83 (119, 155, 191, 227) (263, 299, 335, 371) stitches, pm, cast on 98 stitches. [279 (315, 351, 387, 423) (459, 495, 531, 567) total stitches]

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): Knit to end of row.

START SHORT ROW SHAPING

NOTES: In this section, you will be working back and forth in short rows, turning the work partway through each row. The markers indicate where the short row shaping begins. With each consecutive row you will work one stitch past the previously wrapped stitch, away from the markers and closer to the end of the row. For extra help, see Special Instructions.

Change to smaller 32-inch circular needles.

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to second marker, slip marker (sm), wrp-t (see Special Instructions).

Row 2 (right side): Knit to second marker, sm, wrp-t.

Row 3: Purl to wrapped stitch, slipping markers as you come to them, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, p1, wrp-t.

Row 4: Knit to wrapped stitch, slipping markers as you come to them, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, k1, wrp-t.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 forty-eight more times (at which point just one stitch remains after the wrp-t on each side).

Next Row (wrong side): Removing markers as you come to them, purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, p1 to end of row.

DIVIDE FRONT + BACKS

Division Row (right side): K93 (105, 117, 129, 141) (153, 165, 177, 189), place these stitches onto stitch holders or scrap yarn for Back Left; k93 (105, 117, 129, 141) (153, 165, 177, 189), place these stitches onto stitch holders or scrap yarn for Front; knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, k1 to end of row. [93 (105, 117, 129, 141) (153, 165, 177, 189) stitches remain for Back Right]

Backs

Shape Back Right

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

SIZES 51, 55, 59, AND 63 ONLY

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2: K2, slip slip slip knit (sssk, see Special Instructions), knit to last 5 stitches, knit 3 together (k3tog), k2. [4 stitches decreased]

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 – (–, –, –, –) (3, 4, 5, 7) more times. [– (–, –, –, –) (137, 145, 153, 157) stitches remain]

ALL SIZES

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2: K2, slip slip knit (ssk), knit to last 4 stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog), k2. [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 two (10, 11, 14, 22) (19, 20, 21, 20) more times. [87 (83, 93, 99, 95) (97, 103, 109, 115) stitches remain]

CONTINUE SHAPING BACK RIGHT

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2: Knit to end of row.

Row 3: Repeat Row 1.

Row 4: K2, ssk, knit to last 4 stitches, k2tog, k2. [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat Rows 1-4 twelve (9, 9, 9, 6) (6, 6, 6, 6) more times. [61 (63, 73, 79, 81) (83, 89, 95, 101) stitches remain]

Cut yarn and leave stitches on smaller 32-inch circular needles.

Shape Back Left

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

With smaller 16- or 24-inch circular needles, join yarn to wrong side.

Work as for SHAPE BACK RIGHT.

Do not cut yarn.

Overlap Backs

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

Lay piece on flat surface with wrong side facing up. Fold Back Right so that its cast-on corner meets the left underarm at the point where you divided Front and Backs. Fold Back Left so that its cast-on corner meets the right underarm (see above photo). Carefully flip the piece over so the right side of Front is facing you.

GRAFT BACKS + BIND OFF FOR NECK

Hold two circular needles with Back Left and Back Right stitches parallel with wrong sides of Backs facing you and working yarn coming from right end of back needles.

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

Working through stitches on both the back and front needles simultaneously, use left end of longer needles to…

Next Row (wrong side): P3 (3, 6, 9, 9) (9, 11, 13, 15), bind off following 55 (57, 61, 61, 63) (65, 67, 69, 71) stitches purlwise for Back Neck, purl to end of row. [6 (6, 12, 18, 18) (18, 22, 26, 30) total stitches remain: 3 (3, 6, 9, 9) (9, 11, 13, 15) stitches for each Shoulder]

Cut yarn.

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

FRONT

With smaller 16-inch needles, join yarn to wrong side.

SHAPE FRONT

SIZES 51, 55, 59, AND 63 ONLY

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2: K2, sssk, knit to last 5 stitches, k3tog, k2. [4 stitches decreased]

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 – (–, –, –, –) (3, 4, 5, 7) more times. [– (–, –, –, –) (137, 145, 153, 157) stitches remain]

ALL SIZES

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): K2, ssk, knit to last 4 stitches, k2tog, k2. [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 two (10, 11, 14, 22) (19, 20, 21, 20) more times. [87 (83, 93, 99, 95) (97, 103, 109, 115) stitches remain]

CONTINUE SHAPING FRONT

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): Knit to end of row.

Row 3: Repeat Row 1.

Row 4: K2, ssk, knit to last 4 stitches, k2tog, k2. [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat Rows 1-4 seven (4, 5, 6, 3) (2, 2, 2, 2) more times. [71 (73, 81, 85, 87) (91, 97, 103, 109) stitches remain]

SHAPE FRONT NECKLINE

Set-Up Row (wrong side): P8 (8, 10, 12, 12) (13, 15, 17, 19), pm, p55 (57, 61, 61, 63) (65, 67, 69, 71), pm, purl to end of row.

Row 1 (right side): Knit to next marker, sm, make 1 right (m1R), knit to next marker, make 1 left (m1L), sm, knit to end of row. [2 stitches increased]

Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 3: K2, ssk, knit to next marker, sm, m1R, knit to next marker, m1L, sm, knit to last 4 stitches, k2tog, knit to end of row. [2 stitches increased and 2 stitches decreased]

Row 4: Purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1-4 four (4, 3, 2, 2) (3, 3, 3, 3) more times [81 (83, 89, 91, 93) (99, 105, 111, 117) stitches]

Next Row (right side): Removing stitch markers as you come to them, k3 (3, 6, 9, 9) (9, 11, 13, 15), bind off following 75 (77, 77, 73, 75) (81, 83, 85, 87) stitches, knit to end of row. [6 (6, 12, 18, 18) (18, 22, 26, 30) total stitches remain: 3 (3, 6, 9, 9) (9, 11, 13, 15) stitches for each Shoulder]

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

FINISHING

SHOULDERS

NOTE: For help with Kitchener Stitch, visit our tutorial.

Use Kitchener Stitch to graft together Front and Back Shoulder stitches for both Left and Right Shoulders.

ARMHOLES

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho

With right side of Back facing you and beginning at center of underarm, use smaller 16-inch circular needles to pick up and knit 1 stitch from each stitch around entire Armhole edge, inserting needle through both Backs on back side and through just the Front on front side.

Join for working in the round and bind off loosely knitwise.

Repeat for other Armhole.

WEAVE IN ENDS + BLOCK

Weave in the ends and gently wet block.

Tulip Tank Top | Purl Soho