Taro Tee
or purchase through Ravelry or LoveCrafts.
The Taro Tee is a really simple and basic t-shirt style top, with no major design features. It's what I would call a "blank slate" sort of design that you can modify to your liking, if desired. You could knit it longer for a less cropped look, add an edging (see notes!) to the hem, sleeves, and neck, make the sleeves longer, or just knit the pattern as is! It's up to you. I find that simple and plain garments are the ones that get the most wear in my wardrobe.
Sizes
1 [2, 3, 4, 5]{6, 7, 8, 9}
Finished bust circumference: 91.5 [102, 112, 122, 132]{143, 154, 163, 173} cm / 36 [40¼, 44, 48, 52]{56¼, 60½, 64, 68}”.
To be worn with approx 10 - 20 cm / 4 - 8” positive ease. I don't recommend wearing this design with less than 5 cm / 2" of positive ease, but really that's for you to decide! It looks really cute worn oversized too.
Samples shown are in size 1 (Cork Tree) and 2 (Pale Aster) with approx 10 - 20 cm / 4 - 8” positive ease respectively on models who are 155 cm / 5'1" tall with approx 81 cm / 32" chests.
MATERIALS
Recommended Yarn
Purl Soho Cattail Silk (Light fingering weight; 100% silk; 565 m / 618 yds per 100 g / 3½ oz)
1* [2, 2, 2, 2]{3, 3, 3, 3} skein(s) shown in colour Pale Aster and Cork Tree (discontinued unfortunately)
OR
approx 565* [735, 825, 900, 1040]{1150, 1265, 1430, 1600} m / 615* [800, 900, 980, 1140]{1260, 1390, 1570, 1760} yds of a similar light fingering / fingering weight yarn
*size 1 requires the full skein of yarn. Please keep this in mind, especially if modifying the design!
Budget Yarn Substitution Ideas ($-$$$)
(Cellulose fibres and silk blends suggested, but not limited to)
Sandnesgarn Tynn Line
Knit Picks Lindy Chain
Knit Picks Simply Cotton Organic Fingering
Sheepjes Catona
Lion Brand LB Collection Merino Silk Cotton Yarn
Lana Grossa Meilenweit Solo Cotone Solid/Uni
Katia Lino 100%
Knitting For Olive Pure Silk
Berroco Remix
Quince & Co Sparrow
Needles
3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle, 80 cm / 32" (or 100 cm / 40" for sizes 4 and up)
3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle, 40 cm / 16" for sleeves and neckband (or use Magic Loop technique with longer circular needle)
or needle size needed to obtain correct gauge
Notions
Stitch marker, stitch holders or waste yarn, spare needle for 3-needle bind off, yarn needle
GAUGE
23 sts x 32 rows = 10 cm / 4” on 3.5 mm (US 4) needles in Stockinette stitch / Stocking stitch, blocked
Adjust needle size if needed to obtain correct gauge.
CONSTRUCTION
This tee is knit in the round from the bottom up to the armholes, then stitches are divided and the back and front are worked flat separately. Shoulders are shaped using wrap and turn short rows and are joined with a 3-needle bind off. Sleeves are picked up around armhole edges and worked in the round. Lastly, stitches are picked up around neck edge and are bound off immediately for a very minimalist neckline.
NOTES
The bottom hem and sleeve edges are “unfinished”, meaning there are no edging stitches such as rib or garter stitch that are normally used to help stockinette stitch lay flat. With blocking, most silk yarn like the Cattail Silk will lay flat. If substituting with another yarn of a different fibre content, be sure to block your swatch before beginning to make sure it holds a nice flat horizontal edge when completely dry. If not, perhaps try working a couple rows of garter stitch, a short border of 1x1 rib, or another edging of your choice at bottom hem and sleeve edges. Or maybe you want it to curl at the edges! That can look quite good too. I hope you'll experiment and make this design unique and special to you.
100% silk yarn may not be available to all knitters, but other fibres will work for this design too. Other yarn fibres I recommend are linen, cotton, or blends of either. Wool can be used too of course, however working a border for the edges is encouraged, as wool likes to curl. Whatever fibre you use, please swatch! Also, please see a list of substitute yarns (above) for some alternate ideas.
This garment is meant to be fairly cropped in length. The models (Kiyomi & Sachiko) are 155 cm / 5'1" tall, and the size 1 of this top sits just slightly below their natural waist. For a less cropped fit or for a taller person, length can be added to the body, but please be aware that you will need more yarn than the stated yarn amounts required. To estimate how much length to add, use a soft tape measure, and measure straight down from the top of your shoulder to where you would like the hem to start. Subtract the armhole depth found in the schematic (C) from this measurement, and the remaining number is the length you need to knit before dividing for the armholes.
Left and right shaping instructions (ie. “Shape Front Left Neck”) refer to the orientation of the garment when it is worn, not to the left or right side of the garment when it is facing you during construction.
During the test knit of this garment, some test knitters found that using a regular bind off for the neck produced a neckline that was too tight to get their heads through. Please use the “Stretchy” bind off method found under "Techniques".
