Hallie Bow-Back Top

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: Finished Bust Size 30 (34, 38, 42, 46, 50)” to fit bust 28 (32, 36, 40, 44, 48)”

2” positive ease recommended.

Shown in size 34”

Gauge: 22 sts and 30 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking

Materials

Yarn: Berroco Vintage DK (52% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 8% Nylon; 290 yards [265 meters]/100 grams): 2104 Mushroom (MC, 3 (3, 4, 4, 5, 6) skeins), 2185 Tidepool (CC, 1 skein for all sizes)

Needles: US size 4 (3.5 mm) 16” and 29” circulars; US size 5 (3.75 mm) 29” circulars

Notions: Markers, stitch holder, tapestry needle

Abbreviations

BOR: Beginning of round

Pattern Notes

This top begins at the bottom with a folded hem. If you prefer, ribbing can be substituted. The waist shaping happens along the princess lines in the front. The back has a deep scoop, and the front neckline is a shallow scoop. Set-in sleeves are worked from the top down, seamlessly, using short rows. The bow is worked separately and sewn in.

Pattern

Using smaller, longer circular needles and MC, CO 170 (192, 214, 236, 258, 280) sts. Join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist. PM for BOR.

Work in St st for 1.5”.

Next Rnd (Picot Turning Rnd): *K2tog, yo; rep from * around.

Switch to larger needles.

Work in St st until piece meas 1.5” from Picot Turning Rnd.

Fold piece along Picot Turning Rnd with wrong sides together. Join hem to working round by knitting a stitch from needle and a stitch from the CO edge together as one stitch. Continue in this manner around.

Work in St st until piece meas 7.5” from Picot Turning Rnd.

Waist Shaping

Next Rnd: K21 (24, 28, 30, 33, 35), pm for waist shaping, k43 (48, 51, 58, 63, 70), pm for waist shaping, k21 (24, 28, 30, 33, 35), pm for side, k to end.

Dec Rnd: K to 2 sts before first m, ssk, sm, k to next m, sm, k2tog, k to end, slipping side marker when you reach it. (2 sts dec’d)

Rep Dec Rnd every 6th rnd 4 more times. (160 (182, 204, 226, 248, 270) sts)

Work even in St st for 2”.

Inc Rnd: K to 1 st before first m, M1R, k1, sm, k to next m, sm, k1, M1L, k to end, slipping side m when you reach it. (2 sts inc’d)

Rep Inc Rnd every 4th rnd 3 more times. (168 (190, 212, 234, 256, 278) sts)

AT THE SAME TIME, when piece meas 14” from CO, divide for open back: K to side m, slipping first bust shaping m as you come to them, k32 (36, 38, 45, 49, 52), BO 19 (21, 24, 25, 29, 34). This is the new BOR, and you are now working back and forth in rows. Turn work.

Dec Row (WS): P1, p2tog, p to last 3 sts, p2togtbl, p1. (2 sts dec’d)

Dec Row (RS): K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, working bust increases if necessary, k2tog, k1. (2 sts dec’d)

Rep the last 2 rows once. (141 (161, 180, 201, 219, 239) sts)

Next Row (WS): Purl.

Rep the Dec Row (RS) once, then every 4th row 5 more times. (10 sts decreased on each side of open back)

NOTE: The decreases will end AFTER the underarm bind off.

AT THE SAME TIME, divide for armholes.

Next Row (RS): K to 5 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7) sts before side m, BO 5 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7), remove m, BO 5 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7), k across Front sts to 5 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7) sts before side m, BO 5 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7), remove m, BO 5 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7), k to end. The 18 (22, 28, 31, 33, 36) sts just worked are the Right Back. Place Left Back and Front sts on holder or waste yarn.

Right Back

Row 1 (WS): Purl.

Row 2: K1, ssk, k to end. (1 st dec’d)

Rep Rows 1-2 twice more. (15 (19, 25, 28, 30, 33) sts)

Work even until armhole meas 7 (7.25, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9)”, ending after a RS row.

Short Row Set 1: P10 (14, 20, 23, 25, 28), W&T, k to end.

Short Row Set 2: P5 (9, 15, 18, 23), W&T, k to end.

Purl 1 row, picking up wraps.

BO knitwise.

Left Back

Place held sts back onto needle. Join yarn to work a WS row.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (1 st dec’d)

Rep Rows 1-2 twice more. (15 (19, 25, 28, 30, 33) sts)

Work even until armhole meas 7 (7.25, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9)”, ending after a WS row.

Short Row Set 1: K10 (14, 20, 23, 25, 28), W&T, p to end.

Short Row Set 2: K5 (9, 15, 18, 23), W&T, p to end.

Knit 1 row, picking up wraps.

Purl 1 row.

BO knitwise.

Front

Place held Front sts back onto needle. Join yarn to work a WS row.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (2 sts dec’d)

Rep Rows 1-2 twice more. (67 (75, 82, 97, 107, 118) sts)

Work even until Front meas 4” from underarm, ending after a WS row.

Next Row: K30 (34, 40, 43, 45, 48), BO 9 (9, 4, 13, 19, 24), k to end.

Place Left Front sts on holder.

Right Front

Row 1 (WS): P to last 2 sts, p2togtbl. (1 st dec’d)

Row 2: BO 2, k to end.

Rep Rows 1-2 once. (23 (27, 33, 36, 38, 41) sts)

Rep Row 1.

Next Row: Ssk, k to end. (1 st dec’d)

Rep last 2 rows once. (20 (24, 30, 33, 35, 38) sts)

Next Row: Purl.

Next Row: K1, ssk, k to end. (1 st dec’d)

Rep last 2 rows 3 more times. (16 (20, 26, 29, 31, 34) sts)

Next Row: Purl.

Next Row: Knit.

Next Row: Purl.

Next Row: K1, ssk, k to end. (15 (19, 25, 28, 30, 33) sts)

Work even, if necessary, until armhole meas 7 (7.25, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9)”, ending after a WS row.

Short Row Set 1: K10 (14, 20, 23, 25, 28), W&T, p to end.

Short Row Set 2: K5 (9, 15, 18, 23), W&T, p to end.

Knit 1 row, picking up wraps.

Purl 1 row.

BO knitwise.

Left Front

Join yarn to work a WS row.

Row 1: BO 2, p to end.

Row 2: K to last 2 sts, k2tog. (1 st dec’d)

Rep Rows 1-2 once. (27 (31, 37, 40, 42, 45) sts)

Next Row: P2tog, p to end. (1 st dec’d)

Next Row: K to last 2 sts, k2tog. (1 st dec’d)

Rep last 2 rows once. (23 (27, 33, 36, 38, 41) sts)

Next Row: Purl

Next Row: K to last 2 sts, k2tog, k1. (1 st dec’d)

Rep last 2 rows 3 more times. (19 (23, 29, 32, 34, 37) sts)

Next Row: Purl.

Next Row: Knit.

Next Row: Purl.

Next Row: K to last 2 sts, k2tog, k1. (18 (22, 28, 31, 33, 36) sts)

Rep last 2 rows twice more times. (16 (20, 26, 29, 31, 34) sts)

Work even, if necessary, until armhole measures 7 (7.25, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9)”, ending after a RS row.

Short Row Set 1: P10 (14, 20, 23, 25, 28), W&T, k to end.

Short Row Set 2: P5 (9, 15, 18, 23), W&T, k to end.

Purl 1 row, picking up wraps.

BO knitwise.

Seam shoulders.

Sleeves

Work both alike.

With RS facing, using 16” circular needles, begin at the center of the underarm BO and pick up 28 (29, 31, 33, 36, 40) sts up to shoulder seam (one st for every two rows), pm, then pick up 28 (29, 31, 33, 36, 40) sts down to center of underarm. PM and join to work in the round.

Short Row 1: K to marker, k 5, W&T.

Short Row 2: P to m, remove m, p5, W&T.

Short Row 3: K to wrapped st, knit it, W&T.

Short Row 4: P to wrapped st, purl it, W&T.

Rep Short Rows 3 & 4 until there are only 4 sts left unwrapped on each side of underarm marker. After the last purl short row, k to end, picking up wrap.

K 1 round, picking up last wrap.

K 5 rounds.

Ribbing Rnd: *K1tbl, p1; rep from * to end.

Rep Ribbing Rnd 3 more times.

BO in patt.

Bow

Larger Bow Piece

With needles appropriate for small-diameter knitting in the rnd, using CC, CO 44. Join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist.

Work in St st until piece meas 8″.

BO all sts.

Smaller Bow Piece

With needles appropriate for small-diameter knitting in the rnd, using CC, provisionally CO 18. Join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist.

Work in St st until piece meas 4″.

Wrap around center of larger bow piece, then graft ends together.

Finishing

Weave in ends. Wash and block body and bow separately.

Neckband

With RS facing, using longer circular needles, begin at Right Shoulder seam. Pick up and knit 2 sts for every 3 rows down to Back BO, then 1 st in every bound-off st, then 2 sts for every 3 rows up Left Shoulder, down to Front Neck BO, then 1 st in every bound-off st, then 2 sts for every 3 rows up to Right Shoulder seam. PM for BOR. On first round, adjust st count to be a multiple of 4.

Ribbing Rnd: *K2, p2; rep from * to end.

Rep Ribbing Round 5 more times.

BO in patt.

Mark where you’d like the bow to sit in the open back. From WS, using MC, whip st bow to body, at the junction of the body and ribbing, through both layers of the bow.

Weave in ends.