Monatomic Tunic Top Knitting Pattern

Monatomic Tunic in Juniper Moon Farm Zooey

What is Being Made

The Monatomic Tunic is a knitted a-line top designed by Pamela Wynne from the Electric Collection. This garment features a simple, elegant silhouette with practical details including buttons down the back and a decorative lace collar. The tunic offers a shirttail hem construction and is available in eight sizes ranging from XS to 4X, with finished bust measurements from 30 inches (76 cm) to 58½ inches (148.5 cm) and lengths from 26 inches (65.5 cm) to 29½ inches (74.5 cm) at the center back.

Construction Techniques

The Monatomic Tunic employs a distinctive three-piece construction method for the shirttail hem. The garment begins by working the left back piece, right back piece, and front piece separately, with each section featuring graduated increases that create the characteristic shirttail shaping. Once all three hem pieces are completed, they are joined together to allow seamless working of the body in the round. This technique eliminates side seams in the main body section and creates a cohesive, professionally finished garment.

The lace collar adds textural interest and visual detail to the neckline, while the button band down the back provides both functional closure and decorative emphasis. The a-line shaping is achieved through strategic increases worked during the hem construction phase.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The primary stitch pattern used throughout the Monatomic Tunic is stockinette stitch (St st), which creates a smooth, classic fabric base. The gauge for this garment is 23 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) when worked in stockinette stitch on the larger needles.

Additional stitch techniques employed include:

• Make One Left (m1L) – used to create increases that shape the garment
• Lace stitches – incorporated into the collar detail for decorative effect
• Purl stitches – worked on alternate rows to create the stockinette fabric
• Cast-on techniques – multiple cast-on operations are used throughout the hem construction to build the graduated shirttail shape

Materials and Tools

The Monatomic Tunic is knitted using Juniper Moon Farm Zooey yarn in color #15 Rigging. Yarn requirements range from 4 balls for the smallest sizes (XS, S, M) to 7 balls for the largest size (4X), allowing crafters to select the appropriate yardage for their chosen size.

The pattern requires two sets of circular needles: US 4 (3.5mm) circular needles for the main fabric and US 3 (3.25mm) circular and double-pointed needles for ribbing and edgings. The smaller needles are one size smaller than the main needles, creating a tighter gauge for finished edges.

Additional notions include a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and construction points, and 13 buttons measuring 10 mm (⅜ inch) for the back button band closure.

Skill Level Considerations

This pattern involves intermediate knitting techniques including working in the round with circular needles, managing multiple stitches on waste yarn, understanding gauge and sizing, and executing increases and lace techniques. The three-piece hem construction requires attention to detail and careful stitch management, making this project suitable for knitters with some experience beyond basic stockinette projects.