Hydrangea Tee Top Knitting Pattern

Hydrangea Tee in Rowan Softyak DK

What is Being Made

The Hydrangea Tee is a knitted pullover top designed to fit chest measurements ranging from 71-76 cm up to 152-157 cm, offering 10 different size options for a wide range of wearers. This advanced beginner knitting project creates a classic short-sleeved tee with a ribbed neckband and structured shoulder shaping.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques appropriate for advancing knitters. Mattress stitch is used to join the right shoulder seam, creating an invisible and professional finish. Picking up and knitting is utilized when constructing the neckband, where stitches are picked up directly from the garment edge. The pattern incorporates strategic decreasing at the shoulders through cast-off shaping, and incremental increases along the sleeve edges to create the proper sleeve cap shaping. Pressing is included as a finishing technique to block and shape the completed garment.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch (st st): The primary fabric stitch used for the body and sleeves, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing a smooth, classic knit fabric
• Ribbed Stitch (K1, P1): Used for the back ribbing section (worked for 4 cm) and the neckband ribbing, creating vertical columns of texture that provide elasticity and a finished appearance

Materials and Notions

The Hydrangea Tee is designed to be knitted using Rowan Softyak DK yarn, a double knitting weight fiber. The pattern requires 7 to 10 balls of 50-gram yarn depending on the size being knitted. 4mm (US 6) needles are used throughout the entire project for casting on, working the body, sleeves, and neckband. Additional notions include stitch holders for temporarily holding stitches during construction and stitch markers to help track pattern repeats and shaping points.

Tension and Gauge

The pattern is worked to a tension of 22 stitches and 30 rows over 10 centimeters, measured over stockinette stitch using 4mm needles. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for the garment to fit properly across the intended chest measurements.

Construction Details

The back panel is cast on with between 124 and 212 stitches depending on size, beginning with 4 centimeters of ribbed stitch for a finished edge. The sleeves are cast on with 64 to 74 stitches and feature a 2-centimeter ribbed cuff before transitioning to stockinette stitch. Sleeve increases are worked at regular intervals to reach a final sleeve cap width of 84 to 128 stitches, with sleeves measuring approximately 11 to 13 centimeters in length. Shoulder shaping is achieved through casting off progressively larger groups of stitches across multiple rows, with the front neck receiving special attention through a stitch holder to preserve stitches for the neckband. The neckband is picked up and worked in ribbing to complete the garment.