Debbie Bliss Wave Stitch Top Knitting Pattern

Debbie Bliss Wave Stitch Top

What is Being Made

The Debbie Bliss Wave Stitch Top is a knitted sweater designed as a seamed, worked-flat garment suitable for intermediate knitters. This top features a distinctive wave stitch pattern and is available in six sizes ranging from 32-34 inches to 52-54 inches chest measurement, with finished chest measurements from 39¾ inches to 62½ inches. The garment includes a back, front, and sleeves, with length to shoulder measurements varying from 23¾ inches to 28 inches depending on size.

Techniques Used

The Wave Stitch Top employs several key knitting techniques characteristic of intermediate-level projects. The garment is worked flat, meaning pieces are knitted in separate flat sections rather than in the round, allowing for easier pattern management and shaping. Seaming is used to join the completed pieces together, requiring careful finishing work. The design incorporates lace techniques through the wave stitch pattern, which creates an open, textured fabric with visual interest. Color work is featured, with yarn carried loosely up the side of the work as different colors are introduced and used throughout the pattern. The pattern also includes standard shaping techniques such as increases using the make-one method, where a new stitch is created by picking up and working into the back of the loop lying between stitches.

Stitches Used

The Wave Stitch Top utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined to create its signature pattern. Knit and purl stitches form the foundation of the wave stitch pattern, with the interplay between these basic stitches creating the characteristic texture. Yarn forward stitches are employed to create the open, lace-like qualities of the wave pattern. Decrease stitches including slip, slip, knit (ssk) and pass slip stitch over (psso) are used to shape the garment and create the pattern definition. Make-one increases (m1) are utilized for shaping the body and sleeves. The pattern repeat measures 16 stitches and creates a distinctive visual motif that repeats across the width of the garment.

Materials and Specifications

The Wave Stitch Top is knitted using Debbie Bliss Dulcie yarn, a 50-gram ball weight yarn. The color palette consists of two colors: White 01 (Color A) forms the main body of the garment, requiring 13 to 22 balls depending on size, while Citrus 12 (Color B) provides accent stripes, requiring 3 to 6 balls depending on size. The project requires two pairs of knitting needles: 6mm (US 10) needles and 7mm (US 10.5) needles. The main pattern is worked using the larger 7mm needles, which produce a gauge of 14 stitches and 22 rows over a 10-centimeter square. The 16-stitch pattern repeat measures 11.5 centimeters in width when worked on 7mm needles, providing a clear reference for pattern scaling across different sizes.