Drawstring Camisole
Like a ceramicist who contemplates a fresh lump of clay and envisions the bowl or cup or plate that will emerge from it, when I first held our gorgeous new Spun Silk yarn, I clearly saw what it would become. I imagined a design that would give full expression to this yarn’s natural elegance and beauty. In fact, I imagined this Drawstring Camisole!
I knit it in effortless stockinette stitch and included neat hems and a no-fuss tie to secure the top. With its beautiful drape and soft, luminous silk, our Drawstring Camisole is a stunningly simple design and a very special knit!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
In the often unexpected, wonderful world of knitting, we let our Drawstring Camisole be just what it wanted to be… Beautiful! -Kristy
UPDATE: NOW IN PICNIC COTTON + NEW SIZES
JUNE 2022
The Drawstring Camisole is simply stunning in our beautiful Picnic Cotton, a 100% organically grown Pima cotton from Peru. This fingering-weight yarn knits into a lovely speckly fabric with a lovely drape. Duck under the shade of your beach umbrella and cast on for this light and airy top in Picnic Cotton!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Kristina McGowan. Click here to see even more of Kristina’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoDrawstringCamisole. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 4 (4, 5, 6, 6) skeins of Purl Soho’s Spun Silk, 100% silk. Approximately 715 (805, 920, 1045, 1170) yards required. We used the color Silver Bark.
- US 4 (3.5 mm), 24- or 32-inch circular needles, depending on size you are making
- Spare US 4 or smaller, 24- or 32-inch circular needles, for hems
- Size E crochet hook and fingering weight scrap yarn (for provisional cast on)
- Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- 1 stitch marker
Gauge
28 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Sizes
NOTE For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Size Tutorial!
33¼ (37¼, 41¼, 45¼, 49¼)
To fit actual chest circumference of 29¼-32¼ (33¼-36¼, 37¼-40¼, 41¼-44¼, 45¼-48¼) inches, with 1-4 inches of positive ease.
- Finished Chest Circumference: 33¼ (37¼, 41¼, 45¼, 49¼) inches
- Finished Length from Top to Bottom Edge: 25 (25 ¾, 26 ½, 27½, 28½) inches
- Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 15¼ (15¾, 16¼, 16¾, 17¼) inches
SAMPLE: The sample pictured here is size 33¼ inches, shown with ¾ inch of ease.
Note
You will work the front and back yoke sections separately from the top down, then join them to work the body in the round down to the bottom hem.
Pattern
Front
Create Front Tie Casing
With crochet hook and scrap yarn, use a provisional cast on to cast 50 (52, 54, 58, 60) stitches onto the main circular needles. Do not join to work in the round. (For some extra tips, visit our Provisional Cast On: a One-Step Method Tutorial.)
** Joining working yarn…
Row 1 (right side): Knit.
Row 2 (wrong side): Purl.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 four more times. Piece measures about 1¼ inches.
With the right side facing you, carefully undo scrap yarn from the provisional cast on while slipping the resulting 50 (52, 54, 58, 60) stitches onto the spare needles.
Fold the piece, wrong sides together and needles parallel. Slide the piece to the right-hand end of the needles and use the left-hand tip of the main needles to work the stitches on both needles together as follows:
Next Row (right side): * K2tog (one stitch from each needle), repeat from * to end. ***
Shape Front Yoke
Row 1 (wrong side): Purl.
Increase Row (right side): K2, make 1 left (m1L), knit to last 2 stitches, make 1 right (m1R), k2. [2 stitches increased]
Continuing in stockinette stitch, repeat the Increase Row every 4th row 3 (0, 0, 0, 0) more times, then every right-side row 29 (34, 30, 29, 27) times. [116 (122, 116, 118, 116) stitches]
FOR SIZES 37¼, 41¼, 45¼, AND 49¼ INCHES ONLY:
Next Row (wrong side): Purl.
Increase Row (right side): K2, [k1, yarn over (yo), k1] into same stitch, knit to last 3 stitches, [k1, yo, k1] into same stitch, k2. [4 stitches increased]
Repeat the last two rows – (1, 6, 9, 13) more time(s). [– (130, 144, 158, 172) stitches]
FOR ALL SIZES:
Cut yarn and place stitches on holder or scrap yarn.
Back
Create Back Left Tie Casing
With scrap yarn and crochet hook, use a provisional cast on to cast 25 (26, 27, 29, 30) stitches onto the main circular needles. Do not join.
Repeat from ** to *** of the Create Front Tie Casing section, keeping in mind that you’ll put 25 (26, 27, 29, 30) stitches onto the spare needles when you pick up the provisional cast on.
Cut yarn and place stitches on holder or scrap yarn.
Back Right Tie Casing
Work as for Back Left Tie Casing, but leave the stitches on the needles and do not cut yarn.
Join Back Tie Casings
Row 1 (wrong side): Purl across 25 (26, 27, 29, 30) Back Right Tie Casing stitches, with wrong side facing slip 25 (26, 27, 29, 30) on-hold Back Left Tie Casing stitches to left needle tip and purl across them. [50 (52, 54, 58, 60) stitches]
Increase Row (right side): K2, m1L, knit to last 2 stitches, m1R, k2. [2 stitches increased]
Continuing in stockinette stitch, repeat the Increase Row every 4th row 3 (0, 0, 0, 0) more times, then every right-side row 29 (34, 30, 29, 27) times. [116 (122, 116, 118, 116) stitches]
FOR SIZES 37¼, 41¼, 45¼, AND 49 ¼ INCHES ONLY:
Next Row (wrong side): Purl.
Increase Row (right side): K2, [k1, yo, k1] into same stitch, knit to last 3 stitches, [k1, yo, k1] into same stitch, k2. [4 stitches increased]
Repeat the last two rows – (1, 6, 9, 13) more time(s). [– (130, 144, 158, 172) stitches]
FOR ALL SIZES:
Do not cut yarn and do not turn work after last right-side row.
Join Front and Back
With right side facing, slip 116 (130, 144, 158, 172) on-hold Front stitches to left needle tip of working needle, then continuing with yarn attached to Back, knit across 116 (130, 144, 158, 172) Front stitches. Place marker for end-of-round. [232 (260, 288, 316, 344) stitches]
Working in the round, work in stockinette stitch until piece measures 15¾ (16¼, 16¾, 17¼, 17¾) inches from where you joined Front and Back (or to about ½ inch more than desired length).
Hem Bottom Edge
Working with wrong side facing, count back 10 rows from the row currently on the working needles. Beginning at end-of-round marker, carefully weave the tip of the spare needles into each stitch of that row, making sure that the right leg of each stitch is in front and that you have the same number of stitches on the spare needles as you have on the working needles.
Fold the hem so wrong sides are together and the needles are parallel, the spare needles in back and the working needles in front. Holding the needles parallel in your left hand, thread a tapestry needle and use Kitchener Stitch to graft the stitches together. For additional instructions, please visit our Kitchener Stitch Tutorial.
Make Drawstring Cord
Cast 280 (284, 288, 294, 298) stitches onto main circular needles using the Long-Tail method (or another non-provisional method). Do not join to work in the round.
Row 1 (right side): *K2tog through the back loops, slip resulting stitch back to left needle tip, repeat from * to end. Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitch.
With a tapestry needle, begin at center of Back and thread Drawstring Cord through one Back Tie Casing, through Front Tie Casing, and then through second Back Tie Casing. Tie ends together at center Back.
Finish
Weave in the ends and block gently.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
This is lovely! That hem looks pretty tricky, but I’m gonna try it. And I love that Spun Silk.
Thanks for the pattern!
Hi Kiersten,
Thanks for writing and for your interest in the pattern. We’re always here to answer any questions you may! Best of luck with the Camisole!
Kristy
This is a stunning camisole. I’d love to try it for my young teen granddaughter but I may be too much of a beginner for the casing and hem. Perhaps I should just move into the shop while working on this project?
Hi Jan,
We’re always here to help with any questions you may have along the way! Thanks for writing in!
Kristy
Absolutely gorgeous!
Juste magnifique
What is the model’s bust measurement?
Hi Mary,
Thanks for writing! Our model’s bust size is 32.
Best,
Kristy
What a fabulous hem! The tank is just beautiful-but the underarm it too low for my comfort, however…Could I add increases to bring the start of the side seam higher?
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for your kind comments! Working the Camisole from the top down makes it rather easy to check the measurements of the Front and Back as you go and when you get to the point where you think you might want to join them, you’ll just need to make sure that you have enough stitches for the Front and Back to accommodate your bust measurement. For both the Front and Back, you will have the same number of stitches and will take their total number and subtract that from the number of stitches needed for your bust measurement (which will be your bust measurement multiplied by your stitch gauge). You could then divide the number of additional stitches you’ll need by two and evenly cast these stitches on either side when you join the Front and Back. I hope this helps! Please let us know if it all makes sense or if you have any further questions! Good luck and thanks for writing!
Kristy
I am dying reading your reply Kristy. I barely made it through math class. Lol I’m going to make mine as printed for sizes. If the armholes are too large, I am just going to wear a bralette. They come in so many colors and styles now. Some are quite lovely and lend a whole new look to the top you are wearing. Easier than doing the math. Lol
Would this work in EuroFlax linen?
Hi Lila,
Yes, that yarn should also work! The suggested needle size and gauge for it seems to be US 2-4/6 stitches per inch and so you may have to experiment a bit with those needle sizes to match the pattern’s gauge (7 stitches per inch), but it should work! Thanks for writing in and best of luck with the Camisole!
Kristy
Love love this.
This is going to be my next project seeing the nights are drawing in…..
would a 5ply alpaca silk mix work?
Hi Fran,
We’re so glad you like the Camisole, and yes! An alpaca/silk mix should work well, you would just need to make sure you’re getting the right gauge! Please let us know if you have any further questions along the way and best of the luck with the project!
Kristy
I would like to make this top a little smaller than your smaller size but can’t cope with complicated maths. Do you think it will work if I use a smaller size needle? And what similar yarn would you recommend if I can’t get the Spun Silk in the UK?
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for writing in to us! I think that going down a needle size is a good idea, but this won’t shave off enough to go down a complete size (in my humble opinion). Since this pattern is top down, you can place the front up to your chest as you go and decide at which point you’d like to join in the round for the body. This is the best option for creating your own size. Best of luck and happy knitting!
-Adam
Like Catherine, not easy (or possible) to get Spun Silk in Australia either… What other yarn options would you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Pearly,
Thanks for the question. I suggest you look for any sport or DK weight yarn for this project. If you can’t get silk, can you possibly get bamboo or cotton? Both would be equally nice. Hope you enjoy the project!
-Adam
Love this beautiful camisole!! Just started knitting it… My question is for the section “Shape Front Yoke”. When you say “Continuing in stockinette stitch, repeat the Increase Row every 4th row 3 (0, 0, 0, 0) more times”, do you count 4 rows from this row, or are you counting from “Row 1 (wrong side): Purl” part, aka, 2 rows prior? In other words, are you increasing every 4 rows, or every 2 rows? Please advice! Thank you so much 🙂
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for your question! The fourth row is a knit side, so that means that row one will be a purl side. To break it down you will purl a row, knit a row, purl a row and then on the next row (knit) you will increase. The next row (purl) will be row one again. I hope this clears things up! Let me know how it goes!
Best,
Adam
Good morning,
I’m really excited to start this pattern. It’ll be adorable for fall. Thanks for providing it. While I like to challenge myself with new patterns, I already have some questions.
On the front yoke: “Continuing in stockinette stitch, repeat the Increase Row every 4th row 3 (0, 0, 0, 0) more times. “Does this mean for the larger sizes, we wouldn’t repeat the row at all or we would stick to repeating it 3 times?
Since this is a little more advanced for me I didn’t want to invest in expensive silk the first time around. I bought some very fine wool, classified as a 2, and it seems so small. What weight would your spun silk be considered?
Lastly, in case I have the right wool and I’m much bigger than I imagined, would you have instructions on how to increase the stitches for a bigger size? I can handle a little math.
Thank you so much for your time, I really appreciate it.
-Morgan
Hi Morgan,
Thank you for writing in! So happy you love the pattern! First of all, for the yarn choice, you will need a sport weight, or something that achieves about 6-7 stitches per inch. As for the increase directions, you’ll want to move on to the next set of increase directions if you are doing any of the sizes that indicated to repeat zero times. For example, if you are doing the second size in, then you will want to continue in stockinette stitch, increasing every right side row 34 times. Luckily, this pattern is easy to manipulate in regards to sizing. Since it’s made from the top down, you can choose to join in the round at any time for the body. Just remember that you’ll want to do the same for the front and back! Best of luck and happy knitting!
-Adam
I feel in love with this camisole. I have already bought the yarn and I had thought I saw DK weight but now I see it’s fingering to sport weight. Would DK weight work but just adjust the gauge?
Thank you. I’m making this for my daughter.
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
I’m so glad you love the pattern! Since this is camisole is knit from the top down you can easily adjust the pattern. I would do a gauge swatch to figure out your cast on and increase for the chest until you are satisfied with the width and can knit in the round. Let us know how it goes and don’t hesitate if you have any other questions!
Best,
Adam
This is a beautiful camisole. I’m just starting and the m1L and m1R increases are in the wrong place. I’d think that it’s meant to lean in the direction of the garment edge?
Thank you.
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for your question! The pattern is correct and the increases are this way because they are neater and cleaner looking. Best of luck on the pattern!
-Adam
Any estimate as to when the spun silver yarn will be back in stock? It’s simply stunning!
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in to us! We don’t know exactly when the silk will come back in, but if you go to the product page, you’ll be able to click a button to be notified when it comes back in stock. Hopefully sooner than later!
-Adam
Hi Kristy! (or Cassy or Adam)
I’m curious if it’s the drape of the yarn or the hemming technique that prevents the bottom hem from flipping up. Will this hem lay as flat if it’s made in a cotton?
Thank you!
<3 Jaclene
Hey Jaclene,
Long time to see! The hemming technique forms a tube, so this is why it’s not flipping up. The silk likes to go with gravity, so the fact that this top was made in silk helps the hem lay flat. If you wanted to do this in cotton you totally could. I suggest knitting two together on a larger needle for the bottom hem though. This will make the “seam” looser and will give you a lot more wiggle room when trying to flatten out the bottom edge during blocking. Best of luck!
-Adam
I’ve just completed this in an alpaca silk mix and am in love with its simplicity. I so wish I could get your silk yarn but live in the U.K. looking forward to what you have in store next….. thank you
Hi, Fran!
Thank you so much for your kind words!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
Thanks for the pattern, can’t wait to try it! 2 questions though- i could only get 4 ply yarn- will this affect the sizing of the top? Also my circular needle is 4mm (US 6) instead of 3.5mm (US 4) and I only have one of them.. can I improvise with what I have got and straight needles? I think more likely I will need to go and buy one more circular needle of the same size or slightly smaller, or will this combination of small yarn/ big needle throw my sizing and shape of the garment all out?!
Thanks very much!
Jade
Hi Jade,
Thanks for writing in! Changing the size of the yarn and needle will affect the fit and look of a pattern. Given that you are using smaller yarn and larger needles than called for, I would suspect that you would not be able to get the suggested gauge for this pattern and that the resulting fabric would be quite loose. I would suggest getting a US 4 needle and seeing if you can get gauge using the yarn that you have selected. If you can and you like the fabric that it is creating, you can proceed with the pattern as written. If you cannot get gauge and/or the fabric seems to loose, you may need to rework the pattern to work with the yarn that you have and you may need to change needle sizes.
I hope that this helps to explain things!
Cassy
Hi!
I LOVE this pattern! But I am having a hard time matching up your stitch counts. To create the front yoke your pattern says to do:
Continuing in stockinette stitch, repeat the Increase Row every 4th row 3 (0, 0, 0, 0) more times, then every right-side row 29 (34, 30, 29, 27) times. [116 (122, 116, 118, 116) stitches]
Which means that 34 right side rows should equal 122 stitches but what Im getting is 34 right side rows equals 128. Im just hoping you can clarify this for me so I can knit the pattern right! Thank you!!
Im sorry, I also left out that I casted on 52 stitches to make my camisole 37in
Hi Linda,
Thanks for writing in! Given that you are knitting the size 37, you cast on 52 stitches. The first increase round, increase by 2, bring your total number of stitches up to 54. Then you will continue in stockinette, repeating the increase row every 4th round 0 times for your size and then every right side row 34 times for your size. This should bring your total stitch count to 122 stitches (54 stitches plus 34 repeats x 2 stitches increased = 54 + 34 + 34 = 122).
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi I just finished the front and I have 150 stitches instead of 144, I had 122 plus 6 rows increasing 4 stitches that adds to 24 stitches plus 4 in the beginning that gives me the 150 stitches . please let me know if that is ok or did I make a mistake
122+4+24=150
Thank you
Hello Maria,
Thank you for writing in! I think I can help. I think you have have mixed up a couple of your numbers from sizes 37 1/4 and 41 1/4. This is an easy mistake to make! What I like to do is to circle all the numbers relevant to the size i’m making before I get started.
For size 37 1/4; after you do your first round of increases you will have 122 stitches. Then you will do an increase row which will add four stitches. You will then repeat this increase once more adding four more stitches.
122+4+4 =130
For Size 41 1/4; after you do your first round of increases you will have 116 stitches. Then you will do an increase row which will add four stitches. You will then repeat this increase six times adding twenty four more stitches.
116+4+24 =144
I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions.
-Marilla
Dear Marilla,
Simply Beautiful! I am partially disabled and it’s difficult to use both hands at times. I have found that a loom allows me to knit with much more ease in my condition. Any chance that this pattern converts to a loom pattern? Single or double stitch, round or flat? Or maybe you have another pattern of its sort? Thanks for the inspiration and your kindness to share such amazing creations! Oh, and this yarn looks just luxurious! I can’t wait to try it on my next project!
Warm regards,
Jamie
Hello Jamie,
Thank you for writing us and for your kind words! It means a lot. Unfortunately I know very little about loom knitting so I may not be much help. This pattern starts at the top of the camisole with the top front and top back are knit flat before joining them and knitting the body in the round. The whole piece is done in stockinet. I’m not sure what type of increases you are able to do on a knitting loom, but I think you could do it if you take out the hemmed edges? I hope this makes sense and apologies that I am not more knowledgable on this subject! Let us know how it goes or if you have any more questions.
Warmly,
Marilla
Hello, this may have been asked already…I’d like to try to use a cotton yarn for this, as much as your silk is beautiful. What weight would you recommend? Fingering? Sport? Lace?
Hello Anabel,
Thank you for reaching out! The gauge for this project is 28 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch. This means you will want to use a sport weight yarn. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Hi, I love the look of your drawstring camisole. Such a pretty piece. I like the simplicity of it. As I’m a beginner, I’ve encountered a problem while trying to create the front tie casing. I’ve cashed on 50 stitches and also knitted the 10 rows of knit and purl stitches. However, my piece only measures about 1 inch. Can I knit more rows so as to make it to 1 1/4 inches?
Hello Linda,
Thank you for reaching out! You are correct- I would just keep knitting until you have 1 1/4 inch. I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
Warmly,
Marilla
Hi, I absolutely love this pattern, but I am having difficulty with the bottom hem. I have completed the pattern, but the hem keeps rolling up, and it seems that no matter what I do, it won’t lie flat. I used cotton yarn instead of silk, so maybe that could be it, but I was wondering if you had any suggestions that I could use to flatten the seam?
Hi Lydia,
Thanks for writing in! It may be that the cotton does not lay as flat as the silk does. Silk does have a fair amount of drape that can make edges lay quite flat. I would suggest wet or steam blocking the bottom hem and pinning it into place until it dries. This should help flatten it out!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you! I will try steam blocking it!
Hi!
The camisole is absolutly magnifique! I’m wondering if I could tranform it in a mid-long dress by just adding rounds to the bottom. Do you think it would work/be still beautiful?
Thank you!
Hi Alice,
Thanks for writing in! You could certainly make this lovely camisole longer! You may need to modify the pattern to account for more room on the bottom and decreases that would decrease out the additional stitches. You should also keep in mind that silk will grow over time under its own weight, so you may want to make the dress a bit shorter than you would like. It may take a little bit of trial and error but if you are up for a challenge, you should go for it!
Best,
Cassy
HI
I am knitting the camisole but am stuck at the point where the needles are held parallel and directions say knit the 2 stitches together. Can you post a video , if possible of how to do this please. I am stumped
Hi Mala,
Thanks for writing in! We have a video tutorial for knitting a hem just like this!
Here’s the link:
Knit Hem
I hope this helps!
Carly
Would Cattail Silk work for this pattern?
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for writing in! I do think that Cattail Silk could work well for this pattern. It is a touch thinner than the yarn that we used here but can certainly knit at the suggested gauge and have quite a nice drape at said gauge. As always when substituting yarns, you will want to be sure to knit up a gauge swatch!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi
I love the camisole, but I am french and… it is hard for me to understand the pattern ?
Is it possible to have it in French ? I want to make it for a surprise for my daughter.
Thanks for answer per email
Hello Myriam,
Thank you for writing us! Unfortunately we do not currently have the resources to translate this pattern, but I will certainly pass along your request!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Hi,
I am starting to knit this pattern using 85% merino wool and 15% silk blend. Because its a stockinette stitch, the neck seems to roll. Did it do this for the yarn used for this pattern?
Thanks!
Lisa
Hello Lisa,
Thank you for reaching out! The hem in collaboration with the drape of the yarn prevented any curling when we knit this up. If you are having issues with curling, blocking your camisole will likely relax the fiber enough to eliminate any curling.
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
Marilla
I am knitting the drawstring camisole. I’m a bit confused so perhaps I’m not reading the pattern correctly.
I have continued in the stockinette stitch repeat for the 37.25 version. After I get to 122 stitches the pattern it says i repeat the last 2 rows for sizes 37.25 6 more times for a total of 130 stitches? It doesn’t appear as if this lower portion will measure 15”. And when do I just continue to knit in stockinette to give it the length?
Hope I’m explaining myself well.
Hello Sherrill,
Thank you for reaching out! The main part of the body is knit after you join the front and back of the camisole. This will happen after you have completed the front yoke and the back.
I hope this makes sense. Let us know if you have any further questions and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I love this camisole but don’t have the patience to knit it – I am thinking of adapting into a sewing pattern based on measurements. Probably a light cotton fabric and will use homemade bias tape for the drawstring. Any thoughts?
Hello Zoe,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your creative ideas! This sounds like a lovely idea! You will just want to keep your seam allowance in mind when drafting your pattern. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Happy sewing,
Marilla
Hi! I’m just finished with the body of this beautiful piece. My first garment!! But having trouble with the bottom hem. Do you cut the working yarn when you’ve reached the desired length and then start the Kitchener stitch with a new piece of yarn. Or do you somehow continue with the working yarn without cutting it from the rest of the piece. Thank you for your beautiful site and all the help!
Hi Erin,
Thanks for writing in! It is always so exciting when someone knits their first garment! You will be using your working yarn to do the Kitchener stitch, but you do have to cut it in order to do so. I would suggest cutting it but leaving about three to four yards to make sure you have enough yarn to work the Kitchener stitch all the way around the hem!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello,
I would slowly need to start summer projects and woul love to male this. Would it work in Cattail silk (which I have at home already:))?
Thanx!
Hi Katra,
Thanks for reaching out! Although Cattail Silk is somewhat thinner than Spun Silk, you should be able to obtain the same gauge as this tank top. I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch, both to check your stitches per inch and to see if you are happy with the fabric – it’s possible that it might be a bit sheer at this gauge, but the best way to find out is to swatch it!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Beautiful cam and beautifully done, I have read thru this pattern different times, trying to gather the courage to attempt it, with comprehension issues, the back left/right tie casing, sorry to say I wish there were additional pictures or video to accompany, I have done sweaters socks and feel I could possibly complete this, although to purchase yarn and time in such a beautiful garment then not complete has me feeling timid to begin
Have others found the wording of pattern construction an issue or is it just me, with comprehension issues
Might try anyway
Thank you for this lovely pattern
Good luck to all excited to see your end result
Hi Kim,
Thank you so much for the kind words and for writing in! Although we started with a provisional cast on for our Drawstring Camisole, the method for creating the drawstring casings is otherwise the same as the one we use in our Knit Hem tutorial, so hopefully that video helps explain for this step a bit better. I do hope you give it a try, as it is indeed a lovely top!
Best,
Julianna
Hi!
I am a Brazilian stitcher and I love your patterns!
This camisole is wonderful and it is the first pattern I’m knitting from your site.
I’m using a pure cotton thread to knit it, and almost everything is ok, adapting your instructions. But…
I don’t understand when you say:
“Increase Row (right side): K2, [k1, yarn over (yo), k1] into same stitch, knit to last 3 stitches, [k1, yo, k1] into same stitch, k2. [4 stitches increased]”
How it increases 4 stitches if each (yo) just increase one single stitch and there are only two (yo) in the row?
Another doubt: what do you mean with “into same stitch” after [k1,yo,k1]? I watched your Yarn Over video and it is ok for me, except for this “into same stitch” in the pattern.
Thank you very much!
Best regards,
Juliana
Hi Juliana,
Thanks for reaching out! For this increase, you will be working all three steps (knit, yarn over, and knit again) into the same stitch. In other words, when you come to the indicated stitch, you will insert your needle, wrap your yarn, and bring the new stitch back through as you normally would knit, but do not slide the stitch off the left hand needle. Next, work a yarn over by wrapping the working yarn around the right hand needle, then insert it into the same stitch (which you still haven’t slid off of the left hand needle) and knit the stitch again. You can now slide the stitch off the left hand needle, and should have increased two stitches instead of just one.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hi there! I would love to knit this beautiful camisole and was wondering if you could suggest a yarn to substitute for the spun silk since it is no longer available.
Thank you.
Hello Katie,
Thank you for reaching out! The best substitution for this top would be Alchemy’s Silken Straw.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi! I am relatively new to knitting but I decided to attempt this pattern because the top is beautiful! It’s definitely a bit of a challenge but not so much that I couldn’t figure it out. I’ve made my way through the front piece and am now about halfway through the back piece but am thinking ahead to when I have to join the front and the back and eventually hem the bottom of the piece. So my first question is, when it comes time for me to join the front and the back, would 32″ circulars work for the smallest pattern size you have listed or would you recommend 24″? I believe I have the back piece on 32″ circulars but the needles have interchangeable wires so I’m trying to decide if I should make the switch now when there are fewer stitches on the needles or if it’ll work as is. I was also wondering about the hemming technique; the kitchener stitch seems pretty complicated and while I think I could figure it out, I think techniques like the bound off hem and sewn hem look a little easier (from my limited research). What are your thoughts on this? I’m not sure how the drape of the hems differ between the three or if there was a specific reason the written directions use the kitchener stitch to hem. Thank you for the pattern, its been a lot of fun and I’m excited to wear it!
Hi Tali,
Thank you so much for your kind words! Great questions! For the smallest size, you could use a 32 inch needle but I think things would be a bit easier and more comfortable on a 24 inch needle.
The kitchener stitch can be a bit tricky at first but once you get the hang of it, it creates a lovely finish. One of the reasons that we love it hear is that it creates a more elastic join that integrates with the fabric quite well. A bound off hem could certainly work here as well. It is a bit more bulky and a bit more visible but so long as you don’t bind off too tightly, it will still have some give. The sewn hem has a lot less give and is more rigid than the others and as such might not be the best choice here but if it is what you are most comfortable with, go for it. The thing that I love most about knitting is that you can do whatever you want and make something yours!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Since you know longer carry this yarn, any recommendations on what I can use.
Hi Kim,
Great question! Burnish would be just about perfect for this top – it has a sheen and drape very similar to silk, although it’s not quite as bright at Spun Silk. Field Linen and Cotton Pure would also be good yarns to substitute, though as always, when substituting yarns, I highly recommend knitting a gauge swatch.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Would Burnish work as a substitute?
Thanks
Howdy!
I am working on the front yoke right now. Unfortunately, I seem to be doing something wrong. If you’re looking at the wrong side, on the left the angle seems more drastic. Does anyone know what this means? This is my first project that isn’t a scarf!
Thanks,
Ashtyn
Hi Ashtyn,
Thanks for reaching out! It’s hard to say exactly what is going wrong without seeing your work, but is it possible you are forgetting the m1R at the end of each right side row, or working it incorrectly so that a stitch is not added? Each right side row should add two stitches, one at each end, so I would start by counting your stitches to see if you have the right number. You may also find our Make One Right and Make One Left tutorial helpful!
Best of luck and I hope that helps!
Julianna
Would Purl Soho ever bring back Spun Silk or is it gone for good? I love this pattern and I think that the original yarn looks so beautiful!
Hi Katie,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately Spun Silk has been discontinued and won’t be returning – I’m so sorry about that! However, our new Burnish would be lovely in this camisole! It doesn’t have the same shine as Spun Silk, but it is supremely drapey and lovely to work with, so I think you will be quite happy with it!
Best,
Julianna
Hi, the yarn I’m looking at using has a gauge swatch of 27 stitches to 32 rows for size US 3 needles– would I be able to use this yarn for this pattern? I haven’t purchased the yarn yet so I haven’t done the swatch myself but I wanted to make sure it was close enough so I wouldn’t have to return the yarn.
Thanks,
Katie
Hi Katie,
Thanks for writing in! I can’t say for certain if the yarn will work until you swatch it, but it does sound like it is in the right range! I would definitely recommend blocking your swatch and adjusting your needle size if necessary, but I think you have a very good chance of being able to obtain the correct gauge.
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
I am at the bottom hem and confused by the use of “right leg” in this part: “weave the tip of the spare needles into each stitch of that row, making sure that the right leg of each stitch is in front”. I am picking up loops, and not clear on where the right leg is. Maybe an illustration would help? Thanks.
Hi Carmella,
Thanks for reaching out! Our Knit Hem tutorial shows how to pick up the purl bumps for a knit hem. Essentially, this instruction to have the right leg in front means that you want to make sure the stitches aren’t twisted on the needle after you pick them up.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hi, I love your work!
I have a question:-)
Can you explain this or do you have any video for this? I’m a bit confused..
“Fold the piece, wrong sides together and needles parallel. Slide the piece to the right-hand end of the needles and use the left-hand tip of the main needles to work the stitches on both needles together as follows“
Thank you
L
Hi Leah,
Great question! Although it’s not exactly the same, this is very close to the technique we use for our Knit Hem tutorial. In the tutorial we show picking up the stitches as you go, but for this camisole, you will already have both sets of stitches on the needles. You will be knitting them together in the same manner.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi! I’ve never knitted anything in my life but during this quarantine I’m going for it with this gorgeous camisole! I’m knitting with Burnish and I’ve just come to the point where I have to “Next Row (right side): * K2tog (one stitch from each needle), repeat from * to end. ***” on the front casing. I don’t quite understand how to K2tog “using one stitch from each needle”. I think I understand how to K2tog using two stitches from one needle, however 🙂 — any visuals of how you knitted the front casing together would be so wonderful. I’m loving this and I appreciate your team so much! You’re keeping me sane.
Warm Regards,
Haley
Hi Haley,
Thank you so much for kind words! I think you might find our Knit Hem tutorial helpful. Although there are a few differences – mainly that, for this top, you will be using stitches from the provisional cast on instead of picking them up from the cast on edge – I think this video demonstrates how to knit together stitches from two different needles quite well!
Best,
Julianna
Hi. Do you have the instructions in Italian ?.
Thank you
Hi Katia,
Thanks so much for reaching out! Unfortunately we don’t currently have the resources to translate our patterns, but I’m so glad to hear that you’re inspired by the project!
Best,
Cassandra
Hi. I’d love to knit this top but I see the yarn is no longer available? I have sock weight 100% silk yarn in my stash. Would that be an ok substitute? I would need about 800 yards for a small?
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for writing in! Spun Silk was a sport weight silk, so your fingering weight yarn might be too thin. It couldn’t hurt to knit a gauge swatch, however, to see if you are able to match our gauge!
You will need 715 (805, 920, 1045, 1170) yards for each size. Although Spun Silk has been discontinued, both Burnish and our new Spectrum Silk make excellent substitutes and would be perfect for this top!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi. Do you have the instructions in spanish?
Thank You
Hi Martha,
Thanks for writing in! At present, our patterns are only available in English. We certainly appreciate the request!
Best,
Julianna
Hi!! I have two questions: 1. would your mineral silk yarn work as a direct yarn substitute? and 2. working with provisional cast on, you usually end up with one less stitch when you remove the scrap yarn; which half stich do you tend to pick up to match the number of stitches and have edges line up neatly?
thank you!!!
Hi Natasha,
Our Mineral Silk is a very fine yarn and would create a very sheer fabric. We recommend the Burnish as a substitute. If you are looking that metallic shimmer that the Mineral Silk provides, you can knit with the Burnish and Mineral Silk at the same time, and it won’t affect the gauge significantly.
For the provisional cast-on question: I recommend picking up a stitch either at the beginning or end of the row.
I hope this helps!
Happy Knitting,
Oscar
What a beautiful design! How do your get the diagonal edges in the armholes so even and neat? I have made a swatch, but my stitches tend to be loose on the edges.
Do you have a tip for solving this issue?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Maria,
Thanks for reaching out! I would be sure that when you reach the edges that you are not over stretching the previous rows stitch and that when you work the final stitch you keep the yarn tight! Also when you block the finished top you will be able to re distribute the stitches for the best finished look. I suggest checking out our Blocking tutorial, it is an excellent resource to use!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thank you so much for your reply! I will check out your blocking tutorial 🙂
Could I use a combination of Mineral Silk and Cattail Silk for this pattern?
Thanks!
Josephine
Hi Josephine,
Thanks for reaching out! I think the combination of the two would be lovely for this camisole! I would just recommend double-checking your gauge prior to beginning!
Please let us know how this turns out, happy knitting!
Gianna
Hi Gianna,
Thanks! Would Spectrum Silk be a direct substitute for Spun Silk? And how many skeins of Spectrum Silk would I need?
Many thanks!
Josephine
Hi Josephine,
Thanks for your response! Spectrum Silk is a great option! It isn’t quite the same as our Spun Silk, which was quite shiny and drapey while Spectrum Silk has a very soft sheen but an overall more matte finish. However, they are very similar in the overall gauge and weight! This pattern uses 715 (805, 920, 1045, 1170) yards depending on the size, so for Spectrum Silk (153 yards per skein), you will need 5 (6, 6, 7, 8) skeins!
I hope this helps!
Gianna
I love the pattern and I can’t wait to wear this. I have one question…
What does “into the same stitch mean”?
Increase Row (right side): K2, [k1, yarn over (yo), k1] into same stitch, knit to last 3 stitches, [k1, yo, k1] into same stitch, k2. [4 stitches increased]
Is there a video tutorial for this?
Hi Mimi,
Thanks for reaching out! The “[k1, yo, k1] into the same stitch” is basically a double increase, meaning that the increases into the one stitch will result in three stitches, all originating from the same stitch. I’m afraid we don’t have a tutorial video for this particular technique, but I’d be happy to explain how to work it!
To work this stitch, you’ll knit the first stitch on the left-hand needle as you normally would. But, instead of slipping the stitch off the left needle, leave it in place. Now, keeping that stitch on the left needle, bring your yarn over the right needle to the front of your work to create the yo. Then, put your right needle back into the same stitch on the left needle and knit it again, and slip that stitch off the left needle. You should now have three stitches where there had been one (the initial stitch, the yarn over you created, and the last stitch you just worked)!
If you have any questions about this, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] for additional assistance!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hi,
I love this pattern! I’m currently working on the back…I’ve worked patterns like this before where you join two pieces and I always end up with a hole where I joined. How do I avoid a hole when joining the back left tie casting and back right tie casting?
Hi Christine,
Thanks for reaching out! I’ve made this pattern myself and it was such a fun knit! When you’re joining the back tie casings, I would follow the directions as written by purling across the back Right tie casing and then across the back Left tie casings. Once you’ve completed your garment, then I’d recommend going back and using the tail from the Left tie casing to close up any gaps at the join by carefully weaving the tail in. We have a great tutorial on Weaving in Your Ends that shows various techniques on how to hide your tails, depending on which stitch you’re using.
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hello,
I am very excited to try this pattern but wanted to confirm the increases for the Front Yoke. Do I increase every fourth round for the Large or every round?
Hi Rachel!
Thank you for reaching out to us! For any size that isn’t the smallest size, you will purl row 1 for the front yoke, work the increase row for row 2, purl row 3, then work the increase row every right-side row 29 (34, 30, 29, 27) times. All sizes do the first increase row, since the “continue” instruction says “repeat increase row 3 (0, 0, 0, 0) more times,” and all sizes in the parenthesis do not to repeat the increase row before moving on to the next instruction.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Margaret
Is there a video tutorial in joining the front and back? I’m not figuring it out and probably overthinking it.
Thank you!
Hi Shannon,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m afraid that we do not have a tutorial for this step of the pattern though. We’re so sorry about that!
But I can absolutely help explain how to join the front and back. After slipping the on-hold stitches of the front back onto a circular needle, all you’ll need to do is knit across them using your working yarn! Then, you’ll just continue working in the round.
I hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I’m working the small size in this pattern. I really hate grafting, I was wondering if the hem would work if i did a three needle bind-off? I don’t mind the slight extra bulk or the ridge which would be on the inside anyway. Do you think it would work? Thanks for your help!
Hi Pinka,
Thanks for reaching out, and that’s a great idea. You can absolutely use a three-needle bind-off at this point in the pattern!
All the best,
Lili
I really want to knit this top, it looks beautiful in both the Cotton Picnic and the Spun Silk. But I have some leftover beautiful stash of Cotton Pure and was thinking of using it to knit this with a ombré effect. The pattern calls for fingering, not sport weight yarn though. Do you think this pattern would knit just as nicely in the Cotton Pure? If so, do you suggest I make any changes?
Hi Ann,
Thanks for reaching out! I’d recommend knitting up a gauge swatch in Cotton Pure. If you like the texture of the knit fabric at the correct gauge, then you can absolutely knit this pattern as written in Cotton Pure! The fabric will be a bit denser than originally designed, but you might like that effect.
Another way you could modify the pattern to work for Cotton Pure is to knit a different size at a larger gauge. Here’s how to figure out which size to make: First, make a gauge swatch in pattern with your intended needles. Once you know how many stitches you’re getting per inch, multiply that number by the chest circumference measurement for your original size. Then, compare the resulting number to the stitch counts around the body of each size (232 (260, 288, 316, 344) stitches). The size that comes closest is the one you should make!
I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Lili