For a more understated mermaid vibe, knit up this simple and timeless tee. Worked from bottom to top in the round, it features beautiful lace accents for just the right touch of charm. Especially in a sunset orange color, this tee is about to become a vital piece of your summer wardrobe.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: Finished Bust Size 31¼ (33½, 34¾, 39, 41¾, 45¼, 50)” / [79.5 (85, 88.5, 99, 106, 115, 127) cm].
0-1” negative ease recommended.
Shown in size 33½” / [85 cm].
Gauge: 23 sts and 30 rnds = 4” [10 cm] in St st
Materials
Yarn:
Knit Picks Lindy Chain (70% Linen, 30% Pima Cotton; 180 yards [167 meters]/50 grams): 24270 Coral, 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6) hanks
Needles: US size 5 (3.75 mm): 29” circular and DPNS; US 4 (3.5 mm): circular.
Notions: Markers; scrap yarn or stitch holders; spare DPNS.
Abbreviations
M1L (make 1 left) – With left needle, lift strand between needles from front to back, knit lifted loop through the back to twist stitch (left leaning increase).
M1R (make 1 right) – With left needle, lift strand between needles from back to front, knit lifted loop through the front to twist stitch (right leaning increase).
CC contrast color
m marker
MC main color
pm place marker
sm slip marker
wyif with yarn in front
Special Stitches
Lace Stitch (worked over 11 sts)
Row 1 (RS): K2tog twice, (yo, k1) 3 times, yo, ssk twice.
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Rep Row 1.
Row 6: Purl.
Rows 7-8: Knit.
Rep Rows 1-8 for patt.
Garter Stitch
Knit every row.
Pattern Notes
Top is worked from the bottom up in the round to the armholes. The front and back are worked separately back and forth in rows. After armhole shaping is completed, back is worked in Garter stitch, and the front in Lace stitch and then in Garter stitch. Shoulders are shaped with short rows and then seamed with 3-Needle BO. Sleeve stitches are picked up from the armhole, the sleeve cap is worked in short rows from the top down in the round.
Pattern
Edging
CO 188 (200, 208, 232, 248, 268, 296) sts, pm, join to work in the rnd.
Rnd 1 (RS): Knit.
Rnd 2 (WS): *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Rep Rnds 1-2, 3 more times.
Body
Set-up Rnd: K28 (30, 30, 35, 37, 42, 48), pm, k38 (40, 44, 46, 50, 50, 52), pm, k56 (60, 60, 70, 74, 84, 96), pm, k38 (40, 44, 46, 50, 50, 52), pm, k28 (30, 30, 35, 37, 42, 48). Cont in St st patt as est.
Next Rnd (Dec): (K to 2 sts before m, ssk, sm, k to m, sm, k2tog) twice, k to end – 4 sts dec’d; 184 (196, 204, 228, 244, 264, 292) sts. Work Dec Rnd every 7 (8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9) rnds 4 more times – 168 (180, 188, 212, 228, 248, 276) sts.
Work even until piece meas 6¼ (6½, 6¾, 7, 7¼, 7¼, 7)” / [16 (16.5, 17, 18, 18.5, 18.5, 18) cm].
Next Rnd (Inc): (K to m, M1R, sm, k to m, sm, M1L) twice, k to end – 4 sts inc’d; 172 (184, 192, 216, 232, 252, 280) sts.
Work Inc Rnd every 23 (22, 21, 20, 19, 19, 20) rnds 2 more times – 180 (192, 200, 224, 240, 260, 288) sts.
Work even until piece meas 14½” / [37 cm] from CO edge.
Divide Front and Back
Transfer 90 (96, 100, 112, 120, 130, 144) sts to holder for Front, removing markers – 90 (96, 100, 112, 120, 130, 144) sts rem on needle for Back.
Back
BO 4 (5, 6, 8, 8, 10, 11) sts at the beg of the next 2 rows – 82 (86, 88, 96, 104, 110, 122) sts.
BO 0 (0, 0, 4, 4, 4, 6) st(s) at the beg of the next 0 (0, 0, 2, 2, 2, 2) rows – 82 (86, 88, 88, 96, 102, 110) sts.
Dec Row (RS): K2, k2tog, cont in patt to last 4 sts, ssk, k2 – 2 sts dec’d; 80 (84, 86, 86, 94, 100, 108) sts.
Rep Dec Row every RS row 6 (7, 7, 6, 7, 9, 10) more times – 68 (70, 72, 74, 80, 82, 88) sts.
Switch to smaller needles.
Knit 2 rows.
Work Garter Stitch patt as est until Armhole meas 6½ (6¾, 7, 7¼, 7¾, 8, 8½)” / [16.5 (17, 18, 18.5, 19.5, 20.5, 21.5) cm], ending with a WS row.
Shape Neck
Next Row (RS): Cont in patt over 18 (20, 21, 21, 21, 23, 24) sts, place these sts for Right Shoulder on holder, BO 32 (30, 30, 32, 38, 36, 40) sts, 18 (20, 21, 21, 21, 23, 24) sts for Left Shoulder.
Left Shoulder
Shape shoulder using short rows as foll:
Short-Row 1 (RS): K13 (14, 15, 15, 15, 17, 18), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 2 (WS): Knit.
Short-Row 3: Sl 1, k10 (10, 11, 11, 11, 13, 14), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 4: Knit.
Short-Row 5: Sl 1, k4 (6, 7, 7, 7, 6, 7), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 6: Knit.
Short-Row 7: Sl 1, k to end, knitting wraps tog with wrapped sts. Place sts on holder.
Right Shoulder
Return 18 (20, 21, 21, 21, 23, 24) Right Shoulder sts to larger needle, reattach yarn.
Shape shoulder using short rows as foll:
Short-Row 1 (WS): Sl 1, k13 (14, 15, 15, 15, 17, 18), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 2 (RS): Knit.
Short-Row 3: Sl 1, k10 (10, 11, 11, 11, 13, 14), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 4: Knit.
Short-Row 5: Sl 1, k4 (6, 7, 7, 7, 6, 7), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 6: Knit.
Short-Row 7: Sl 1, k to end, knitting wraps tog with wrapped sts. Place sts on holder.
Transfer shoulder sts to needle.
Front
Shape armhole as for Back – 68 (70, 72, 74, 80, 82, 88) sts.
Switch to smaller needles.
Next Row (WS): Knit.
Lace
Next Row (RS): K1 (2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 5), pm, work Lace Stitch patt over 66 (66, 66, 66, 77, 77, 77) sts, pm, k to end.
Next Row (WS): K to m, sm, work Lace Stitch patt to m, sm, k to end.
Cont in Garter Stitch and Lace Stitch patt as est until Rows 1-8 of Lace patt are worked twice.
Knit 2 rows.
Cont in Garter Stitch patt as est.
Shape Neck
Next Row: Cont in patt over 18 (20, 21, 21, 21, 23, 24) sts, place these sts for Left Shoulder on holder, BO 32 (30, 30, 32, 38, 36, 40) sts, work to end of row, 18 (20, 21, 21, 21, 23, 24) sts rem for Right Shoulder.
Right Shoulder
Next Row (RS): Sl 1, k to end.
Next Row (WS): Knit.
Rep last 2 rows until Armhole meas 6½ (6¾, 7, 7¼, 7¾, 8, 8½)” / [16.5 (17, 18, 18.5, 19.5, 20.5, 21.5) cm], ending with a WS row.
Shape shoulder using short rows as foll:
Short-Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k13 (14, 15, 15, 15, 17, 18), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 2 (WS): Knit.
Short-Row 3: Sl 1, k10 (10, 11, 11, 11, 13, 14), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 4: Knit.
Short-Row 5: Sl 1, k4 (6, 7, 7, 7, 6, 7), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 6: Knit.
Short-Row 7: Sl 1, k to end, knitting wraps tog with wrapped sts. Place sts on holder.
Left Shoulder
Transfer 18 (20, 21, 21, 21, 23, 24) held sts to larger needle, reattach yarn ready to work a WS row.
Shape shoulder using short rows as foll:
Short-Row 1 (WS): Sl 1, k13 (14, 15, 15, 15, 17, 18), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 2 (RS): Knit.
Short-Row 3: Sl 1, k10 (10, 11, 11, 11, 13, 14), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 4: Knit.
Short-Row 5: Sl 1, k4 (6, 7, 7, 7, 6, 7), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 6: Knit.
Short-Row 7: Sl 1, k to end, knitting wraps tog with wrapped sts. Place sts on holder.
Transfer shoulder sts to needle. With RS tog, seam shoulders with 3-Needle BO.
Sleeves
With larger dpn and RS facing, beg at the shoulder seam, pick up and k31 (32, 34, 36, 38, 41, 47) sts evenly spaced to middle of underarm, pm, pick up and k31 (32, 34, 36, 38, 41, 47) sts evenly spaced to shoulder seam, join in the rnd – 62 (64, 68, 72, 76, 82, 94) sts.
Shape sleeve cap using short-rows as foll:
Short-Row 1 (RS): K8 (8, 9, 9, 10, 11, 12), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 2 (WS): P16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 22, 24), wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 3: K to wrapped st, knit wrap tog with wrapped st, k1, wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 4: P to wrapped st, purl wrap tog with wrapped st, p1, wrap next st and turn.
Rep last 2 rows 1 (1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2) more times.
Short-Row 1: K to wrapped st, knit wrap tog with wrapped st, wrap next st and turn.
Short-Row 2: P to wrapped st, purl wrap tog with wrapped st, wrap next st and turn.
Rep last two rows 13 (13, 13, 10, 11, 11, 13) more times.
Next row (RS): K to m, knitting wrap tog with wrapped st.
Begin to work in rnd.
Next Rnd: K to end, knitting last wrap tog with wrapped st.
Work even for 12 rnds.
Edging
Rnd 1 (RS): Knit.
Rnd 2 (WS): *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Rep last 2 rnds 2 more times.
BO loosely kwise.
Finishing
Weave in ends and block to measurements.