Berroco Top Knitting Pattern

Berroco Jena Knit Top

What Is Being Made

The Jena is a women's knit top designed by Åsa Buchta, offered in eight sizes ranging from 34" to 70" bust circumference. This intermediate-level knitting project features a yoke construction with finished bust measurements from 34" to 70" and a center back length ranging from 20" to 23". The garment is shown in a size 38" with approximately 2–4" of positive ease for comfortable wearing.

Knitting Techniques

The Jena employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques. The garment is constructed using top-down yoke construction, a method that begins at the neckline and increases outward to create the body. The pattern requires working in the round using circular needles, which allows for seamless construction. The yoke features a patterned increase section that requires careful stitch marker placement to track multiple increases across the round. Knitters will transition between different needle sizes as the circumference expands—starting with 16" circular needles and moving to 32" circular needles when stitches become too numerous to fit comfortably. The pattern includes both charted instructions and written directions, allowing knitters to choose their preferred method for following the yoke pattern.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch throughout the Jena is stockinette stitch (St st), which creates a smooth, classic fabric. The yoke incorporates a patterned design that can be followed using either a stitch chart or written instructions. The pattern requires knitters to work increases strategically throughout the yoke section, necessitating the use of multiple stitch markers to track placement points. Waste yarn is recommended as an alternative to stitch markers for managing the large number of markers required during the increase section.

Materials and Gauge

The Jena is designed to be knitted with Berroco Tillie yarn, a worsted-weight option in color #10915 Fay. Yarn requirements range from 2 to 4 hanks depending on the chosen size. The pattern calls for circular needles in sizes 3 (3.25 mm) and 5 (3.75 mm), including both 32" and 16" lengths, plus double-pointed needles or preferred small-circumference needles in size 3 (3.25 mm) for working the upper yoke. The gauge is 24 stitches and 36 rounds over 4 inches in stockinette stitch on the larger needles, measured after blocking. Checking gauge before beginning is essential for achieving accurate finished measurements. Additional notions include stitch markers and waste yarn for holding stitches.