Hi everyone! I’m Chenoa from jellyKNITTING, and I am so honored to be featured on The Hook Nook Blog again! Last time, I shared my crochet Hilo Swell Tank. This time around, I'm sharing a gorgeous knit top that's as appropriate for a day at the office as it is for a weekend away!
My goal in designing is to create garments that fit well, are comfortable, and would make people take a second look. This one hits the nail on the head. Named for the circular motion of a vine looking for something to hook onto and grow, the Circumnutation Top has small garter details and a big, bold accent cable.
I LOVE a simple knit top with bold details, and this top is it. It may look intimidating, but the Circumnutation Top is easier to knit than it looks (trust me!), and a great introduction to cable knitting. I made mine with Caron Simply Soft yarn, and it is super soft and cozy. If you want one for the summer, consider making it in a similar weight cotton instead.
Sizing:
Stitch counts, row counts, and other relevant information is noted as follows:
(XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL)
If you see an “x” in place of numbers, that portion of the directions do not apply to the size with an “x.”
The medium size works up to be ~21.5” from shoulder to hem, and ~21.5” wide.
Supply list:
(2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4) balls of Caron Simply Soft solid yarn. If you use a non-solid color, you may need an extra ball!
6 mm knitting needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
Gauge: 16 stitches by 20 rows in stockinette (4” x 4”) - Note that gauge is very important to the fit of the garment.
Cable needle (double pointed needle, or even a pencil can work!)
A few stitch markers
Sewing needle (for finishing)
Key:
CO - cast on
BO - bind off
K - knit
P - purl
KFB - knit into the front and back of the next stitch
ST(s) - stitch(es)
PM - place marker
SM - slip marker
K2tog - knit 2 together
C#F - cable half the total number of sts forward
CXB - cable half the total number of sts backward
RS - right side (the part of the work that will face outward)
WS - wrong side (the part that will face your body)
Notes on Cabling:
C#F: In this case, you will be working a cable over the total number of stitches indicated (#), with half going “forward” over the other half. To cable forward, place half of the indicated (#) of sts from the left needle on a cable needle. Keep the cable needle in front of your work. Knit an equal number of stitches from the left needle onto the right needle. Then, knit the sts you held forward from the cable needle onto the right needle. For example: C16F would mean that you:
Put the next 8 stitches on your cable needle to the front
Knit the next 8 stitches from your left needle
Knit the 8 stitches from your cable needle
CXB: In this case, you will again be working a cable over the total number of stitches indicated (#), this time with half going “backward” behind the other half. To cable backward, place half of the indicated (#) of sts from the left needle on a cable needle. Keep the cable needle in back of your work. Knit an equal number of stitches from the left needle onto the right needle. Then, knit the sts you held back from the cable needle onto the right needle. For example: C16B would mean that you:
Put the next 8 stitches on your cable needle to the back
Knit the next 8 stitches from your left needle
Knit the 8 stitches from your cable needle
There are many resources to learn how to do cables - I recommend this one.
Notes on Markers:
Unless indicated, always slip markers.
The placement of markers will indicate the edges of your cable panel. This way, you don’t always have to count how many stitches you need to knit to get to the cable portion!
Back:
CO (74, 78, 82, 86, 90, 94, 98, 102) sts
Rows 1-8: K all sts in all rows
Row 9: P all sts (WS)
Row 10: K all sts (RS)
Rows 11-54: P all sts odd rows and K all sts on even rows
Row 55: K 1, P until 1 st remains, K 1
Row 56: K all sts
Row 57: K 2, P until 2 sts remain, K 2
Row 58: K all sts
Row 59: K 3, P until 3 sts remain, K 3
Row 60: K all sts
Row 61: K 4, P until 4 sts remain, K 4
Rows 62-(80, 90, 90, 100, 100, 110, 110, 120) : K all sts on even rows and [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows
Row (81, 91, 91, 101, 101, 111, 111, 121): K 7, P until 7 sts remain, K 7
Row (82, 92, 92, 102, 102, 112, 112, 122): K all sts
Row (83, 93, 93, 103, 103, 113, 113, 123): K 10, P until 10 sts remain, K 10
Row (84, 94, 94, 104, 104, 114, 114, 124): K all sts
Row (85, 95, 95, 105, 105, 115, 115, 125): K 15, P until 15 sts remain, K 15
Row (86, 96, 96, 106, 106, 116, 116, 126): K all sts
Row (87, 97, 97, 107, 107, 117, 117, 127): K 22, P until 22 sts remain, K 22
Rows (88, 98, 98, 108, 108, 118, 118, 128) - (93, 103, 103, 113, 113, 123, 123, 133): K all sts in all rows
BO, leaving a tail ~2 ft long
Front:
CO (74, 78, 82, 86, 90, 94, 98, 102) sts
Row 1: K (29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43), PM, K 16 sts, PM, K to end of row (WS)
Row 2: K to marker, SM, K 6, place next 6 sts on the cable needle in front of your work, [KFB 4 sts] from the left needle, [KFB, K 4, KFB] from the cable needle, SM, K to end of row.(RS)
Row 3: K (24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38), P 5, SM, P to marker, SM, P5, K to end of row
Row 4: K all sts (remember, SM marker unless otherwise noted!)
Row 5: K (21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35), P 8, SM, P to marker, SM, P8, K to end of row
Row 6: K all sts
Row 7: K (17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31), P 12, SM, P to marker, SM, P 12, K to end of row
Row 8: K all sts
Row 9: P all sts
Row 10: K all sts
Row 11: P all sts
Row 12: K to marker, SM, place next 6 sts on the cable needle behind your work, [K 8] from left needle, [KFB, K 4, KFB] from cable needle, K 8, SM, K to end. You should now have 24 sts between your markers.
Rows 13-21: P all sts odd rows and K all sts on even rows
Row 22: K to marker, SM, K 8, C16F (8 sts are being set aside in front of the other 8 sts for a total of 16 sts in the cable), SM, K to end of row
Rows 23-31: P all sts odd rows and K all sts on even rows
Row 32: K to marker, SM, C16B (8 sts are being set aside behind the other 8 sts for a total of 16 sts in the cable), K 8, SM, K to end of row
Rows 33-41: P all sts odd rows and K all sts on even rows
Row 42: K to marker, SM, K 8, C16F, SM, K to end of row
Rows 43-51: P all sts odd rows and K all sts on even rows
Row 52: K to marker, SM, C16B, K 8, SM, K to end of row
Row 53: P all sts
Row 54: K all sts
Row 55: K 1, P until 1 st remains, K 1
Row 56: K all sts
Row 57: K 2, P until 2 sts remain, K 2
Row 58: K all sts
Row 59: K 3, P until 3 sts remain, K 3
Row 60: K all sts
Row 61: K 4, P until 3 sts remain, K 4
Row 62: K to marker, SM, K 8, C16F, SM, K to end of row
Rows 63-71: [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows and K all sts on even rows
Row 72: K to marker, SM, C16B, K 8, SM, K to end of row
Rows 73-81: [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows and K all sts on even rows
XXS: Stop and go to front finishing option 1. All other sizes, continue.
Row 82: K to marker, SM, K 8, C16F, SM, K to end of row
Rows 83-91: [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows and K all sts on even rows
XS and S: Stop and go to front finishing option 2. M, L, XL, XXL, and XXXL, continue.
Row 92: K to marker, SM, C16B, K 8, SM, K to end of row
Rows 93-101: [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows and K all sts on even rows
M and L: Stop and go to front finishing option 1. XL, XXL, and XXXL, continue.
Row 102: K to marker, SM, K 8, C16F, SM, K to end of row
Rows 103-111: [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows and K all sts on even rows
XL and XXL: Stop and go to front finishing option 2. XXXL, continue.
Row 112: K to marker, SM, C16B, K 8, SM, K to end of row
Rows 113-121: [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows and K all sts on even rows
XXXL: Stop and go to front finishing option 1.
Front finishing option 1:
Row (82, x, x, 102, 102, x, x, 122): K to marker, SM, K 8, place next 8 sts on cable needle in front of your work, [K 8] from left needle, [K2tog, K 4, K2tog] from cable needle, SM, K to end of row
Rows (83, x, x, 103, 103, x, x, 123) - (86, x, x, 106, 106, x, x, 126): [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows and K all sts on even rows
Row (87, x, x, 107, 107, x, x, 127): K 7, P (14, x, x, 17, 19, x, x, 21), K 3, P (5, x, x, 8, 8, x, x, 12), SM, P to marker, SM, P (5, x, x, 8, 8, x, x, 12), K 3, P (14, x, x, 17, 19, x, x, 21), K 7
Row (88, x, x, 108, 108, x, x, 128): K all sts
Row (89, x, x, 109, 109, x, x, 129): K 10, P (8, x, x, 11, 13, x, x, 15), K 9, P (2, x, x, 5, 5, x, x, 9), SM, P to marker, SM, P (2, x, x, 5, 5, x, x, 9), K 9, P (8, x, x, 11, 13, x, x, 15), K 10
Row (90, x, x, 110, 110, x, x, 130): K all sts
Row (91, x, x, 111, 111, x, x, 131): K (13, x, x, 15, 15, x, x, 15), P (3, x, x, 3, 5, x, x, 7), K (13, x, x, 15, 15, x, x, 15), P (0, x, x, 2, 2, x, x, 6), SM, P to marker, SM, P (0, x, x, 2, 2, x, x, 6), K (13, x, x, 15, 15, x, x, 15), P (3, x, x, 3, 5, x, x, 7), K (13, x, x, 15, 15, x, x, 15)
Row (92, x, x, 112, 112, x, x, 132): K to marker, SM, place next 8 sts on cable needle behind work, [K2tog, K 4, K2tog] from left needle, [K2tog 4x] from cable needle, K 6 SM, K to end of row
Row (93, x, x, 113, 113, x, x, 133): K all sts
BO, leaving a tail ~2 ft long
Front finishing option 2:
Row (x, 92, 92, x, x, 112, 112, x): K to marker, SM, place next 8 sts on cable needle behind your work, [K2tog, K 4, K2tog] from left needle, [K 8] from cable needle, K 8, SM, K to end of row
Rows (x, 93, 93, x, x, 113, 113, x) - (x, 96, 96, x, x, 116, 116, x): [K 5, P to last 5 sts, K 5] all odd rows and K all sts on even rows
Row (x, 97, 97, x, x, 117, 117, x): K 7, P (x, 14, 16, x, x, 21, 21, x), K 3, P (x, 7, 7, x, x, 8, 10, x), SM, P to marker, SM, P (x, 7, 7, x, x, 8, 10, x), K 3, P (x, 14, 16, x, x, 21, 21, x), K 7
Row (x, 98, 98, x, x, 118, 118, x): K all sts
Row (x, 99, 99, x, x, 119, 119, x): K 10, P (x, 8, 10, x, x, 15, 15, x), K 9, P (x, 4, 4, x, x,5, 7, x), SM, P to marker, SM, P (x, 4, 4, x, x,5, 7, x), K 9, P (x, 8, 10, x, x, 15, 15, x), K 10
Row (x, 100, 100, x, x, 120, 120, x): K all sts
Row (x, 101, 101, x, x, 121, 121, x): K (x, 13, 13, x, x, 15, 15, x), P (x, 3, 5, x, x, 7, 7, x), K (x, 13, 13, x, x, 15, 15, x), P (x, 2, 2, x, x, 2, 4, x), SM, P to marker, SM, P (x, 2, 2, x, x, 2, 4, x), K (x, 13, 13, x, x, 15, 15, x), P (x, 3, 5, x, x, 7, 7, x), K (x, 13, 13, x, x, 15, 15, x)
Row (x, 102, 102, x, x, 122, 122, x): K to marker, SM, K 6, place next 8 sts on cable needle in front of work, [K2tog 4x] from left needle, [K2tog, K 4, K2tog] from cable needle, SM, K to end of row
Row (x, 103, 103, x, x, 123, 123, x): K all sts
BO, leaving a tail ~2 ft long
Seaming the collar:
Lay your pieces out on the floor. Determine which is the RS and WS for each piece to ensure you seam it properly.
Using your sewing needle, graft together an equal number of stitches together at the top of each shoulder, using your prefered seaming stitch (such as whip stitch). You can adjust these number of stitches you seam here to have wider or narrower neckline on your top - try it on as you go!
Tie off, sew in the ends you just used to seam the shoulders.
Seaming the sides:
Before starting, try on the tank. Use stitch markers to mark approximately where you want the arm hole to be in all 4 places (right and left of front and back of the tank). It is recommended to determine on average how many rows down from the shoulder seam you like the arm hole, and then mark that stitch in all 4 places.
You will be working the sides of the tank from the bottom up, one side at a time. Repeat these directions twice to seam both sides.
Starting from the bottom, decide if you would like a split hem or not. If you would like a split hem, you will start seaming above the garter stitch on the bottom. If you do not want a split hem, you will start seaming right from the bottom.
Use your preferred seaming method (I like the invisible seam) to seam the pieces up to your stitch markers.
Once you have reached your stitch markers, tie off and sew in ends.
I cannot wait to see what you all create! I hope you knit yourself up a little something, be it for office-wear or a night on the town. Please tag me on Instagram or Facebook with your progress pictures and finished products. I would love if you could also tag your photos with #CircumnutationTop and #jellyKNITTING. You can also always send me a message directly!
If you would like a fully-formatted PDF of this pattern, it will be available on my Ravelry and Etsy on March 20, 2019.
