2 Split Back Tank Knitting Pattern

Finished Measurements

28 (32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60)” finished bust measurement; garment is meant to be worn with 0-2” of positive ease.

Yarn

Knit Picks Lindy Chain (70% Linen, 30% Pima Cotton; 180 yards/50g): Honey 26458, 3 (4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7) balls.

Needles

US 9 (5.5mm) 24” or longer circular needles, or size to obtain gauge.

Notions

• Yarn Needle
• Stitch Markers
• Scrap Yarn or Stitch Holder
• Spare needle (for 3-Needle Bind Off)
• Size G Crochet Hook

Gauge

• 18 sts and 24 rows = 4” in St st, unblocked.
• 20 sts and 29 rows = 4” in St st, machine washed, dried and blocked.

Notes

This tank is knit from the bottom up in a single piece. The body of the tank is worked in Stockinette stitch with a narrow border of Garter stitch along the edges. Stitches are separated at the underarms, then the back left, back right, and front are worked separately. The shoulder seams come together with a three-needle bind off. To finish, a round of single crochet closes the neckline and reinforces the shape of the armholes. Lindy Chain creates a beautiful, drapey fabric but is prone to shrinkage. This pattern has been designed to be washed and dried in the washing machine and dryer. This means that your garment, as you work it up, will appear to be much bigger than the desired size. If you do not plan on washing and drying your garment, use a smaller needle that will give you a gauge similar to the final 'Washed and Dried' gauge measurement.

Stitches

Stockinette Stitch (St st, worked flat over any number of sts)

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Rep Rows 1-2 for pattern.

Garter Stitch (worked flat over any number of sts)

All Rows: Knit.

Directions

Body

CO 164 (184, 204, 224, 244, 264, 284, 304, 324) sts and prepare to work back and forth beginning with a RS row.

Set Up Rows 1-4: K to end of row, CO 2 with a backwards loop CO. 172 (192, 212, 232, 252, 272, 292, 312, 332) sts.

Set Up Rows 5-8: K to 1 st before end, M1, K1. 176 (196, 216, 236, 256, 276, 296, 316, 336) sts.

Row 1 (RS): K 1 row even.

Row 2 (WS): K8, P to 8 sts before end, K to end.

Row 3: K 1 row even.

Row 4: K7, P to 7 sts before end, K to end.

Row 5: K48 (53, 58, 63, 68, 73, 78, 83, 88) sts, PM, K80 (90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160), PM, K to end.

Row 6: K6, P to 6 sts before end, K to end.

Continue in established pattern, working the first and last 6 sts in Garter stitch and the rest of the garment in St st for 10 more rows, end with a WS row.

Decrease Row (RS): *K to 2 sts before M, K2tog, SM, SSK; rep from * once more. K to end. 4 sts dec.

Continue in pattern, working a Decrease Row every 16th row until 156 (176, 196, 216, 236, 256, 276, 296, 316) sts. (5 decrease rows.)

Continue in pattern with no further shaping for 22 (22, 22, 30, 30, 30, 38, 38, 38) more rows.

Divide for Armholes

K39 (41, 46, 50, 54, 59, 63, 68, 72) (Left Back), BO 4 (10, 10, 12, 14, 14, 16, 16, 18), K70 (74, 84, 92, 100, 110, 118, 128, 136) (Front), BO 4 (10, 10, 12, 14, 14, 16, 16, 18), K39 (41, 46, 50, 54, 59, 63, 68, 72) (Right Back).

Work Right Back

Continue in pattern, working only Right Back sts. Decrease for the armhole as follows:

BO 3 sts at the edge of the armhole for the next 0 (0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2) RS rows. 39 (41, 46, 50, 54, 56, 60, 62, 66) sts.

BO 2 sts at the edge of the armhole for the next 2 (2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) RS rows. 35 (37, 40, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54) sts.

Dec 1 st at the edge of the armhole for the next 3 (3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5) RS rows. 32 (34, 36, 40, 42, 43, 45, 47, 49) sts.

Continue in pattern with no shaping for 12 (16, 16, 20, 22, 22, 24, 24, 26) more rows.

Decrease for back neckline as follows:

BO 14 (16, 18, 20, 20, 21, 20, 22, 22) sts at the back edge (for the neckline), and work to end. 18 (18, 18, 20, 22, 22, 25, 25, 27) sts.

BO 2 sts at the back edge for the next 2 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3) WS rows. 14 (14, 14, 16, 16, 16, 19, 19, 21) sts.

Dec 1 st at the back edge for the next 3 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) WS rows. 11 (11, 11, 13, 13, 13, 15, 15, 17) sts.

Continue in St st, working even for another 4 (4, 4, 4, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) rows.

Place remaining 11 (11, 11, 13, 13, 13, 15, 15, 17) sts onto scrap yarn or stitch holder. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail.

Work Left Back

Work as Right Back, reversing shaping.

Front

Working with only the 70 (74, 84, 92, 100, 110, 118, 128, 136) front sts, begin with a WS row. P 1 row.

Working in St st, BO 3 sts at the beginning of the next 0 (0, 0, 0, 0, 2, 2, 4, 4) rows. 70 (74, 84, 92, 100, 104, 112, 116, 124) sts.

BO 2 sts at the beginning of the next 4 (4, 6, 6, 8, 8, 10, 10, 12) rows. 62 (66, 72, 80, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100) sts.

Dec 1 st at the beginning of the next 6 (6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10, 10) rows. 56 (60, 64, 72, 76, 78, 82, 86, 90) sts.

Work even for 6 (6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 10, 12) more rows, ending with a WS row.

Divide for Straps

K18 (18, 18, 20, 22, 22, 25, 25, 27) (Left Front Strap), BO 20 (24, 28, 32, 32, 34, 32, 36, 36) (Neck), K18 (18, 18, 20, 22, 22, 25, 25, 27) (Right Front Strap).

Work Right Front Strap

Working in St st, BO 2 sts at the neck edge for the next 2 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3) RS rows. 14 (14, 14, 16, 16, 16, 19, 19, 21) sts.

Dec 1 st at the neck edge for the next 3 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) RS rows. 11 (11, 11, 13, 13, 13, 15, 15, 17) sts.

Continue in St st, working even for another 12 (16, 16, 20, 20, 18, 14, 14, 14) rows. Using a three-needle bind off, BO the reserved Right Back Strap sts with the Right Front Strap sts. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail.

Finishing

Wash and dry garment to shrink and set sts. If needed, steam block garment to the correct measurements.

With US G 6 crochet hook, single crochet around armholes. Break yarn.

Overlap back edges 3.5”, and single crochet neckline edges together. Continue single crocheting all the way around the neck edge. Break yarn.

Weave in all ends.

Knit Abbreviations

• BO - bind off
• CN - cable needle
• CC - contrast color
• CDD - centered double decrease
• CO - cast on
• cont - continue
• dec - decrease(s)
• DPN(s) - double-pointed needle(s)
• EOR - every other row
• inc - increase
• K - knit
• K2tog - knit two sts together
• KFB - knit into the front and back of stitch
• K-wise - knitwise
• LH - left hand
• M - marker
• M1 - make one stitch
• M1L - make one left-leaning stitch
• M1R - make one right-leaning stitch
• MC - main color
• P - purl
• P2tog - purl 2 sts together
• PM - place marker
• PFB - purl into the front and back of the stitch
• PSSO - pass slipped stitch over
• PU - pick up
• P-wise - purlwise
• rep - repeat
• rev St st - reverse stockinette stitch
• RH - right hand
• rnd(s) - round(s)
• RS - right side
• Sk - skip
• Sk2p - slip 1, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over
• k2tog - knit 2 sts together
• SKP - slip, knit, pass slipped over
• Sl - slip
• SM - slip marker
• SSK - slip, slip, knit these 2 sts together
• SSP - slip, slip, purl these 2 sts together tbl
• SSSK - slip, slip, slip, knit these 3 sts together
• St st - stockinette stitch
• sts - stitch(es)
• TBL - through back loop
• TFL - through front loop
• tog - together
• W&T - wrap & turn (see specific instructions in pattern)
• WE - work even
• WS - wrong side
• WYIB - with yarn in back
• WYIF - with yarn in front
• YO - yarn over