Peony Tank Top Knitting Pattern

Peony Tank Top in Rowan Handknit Cotton

What is Being Made

The Peony Tank Top is a sleeveless knitted garment designed to fit chest measurements ranging from 71-76 cm to 152-157 cm, accommodating nine different size options. This advanced beginner project creates a fitted tank top with shaped armholes and tailored shoulder shaping, suitable for warm-weather wear.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques appropriate for the advanced beginner level. The garment features armhole shaping achieved through strategic cast-offs at the beginning of rows to create a fitted silhouette. Shoulder shaping is accomplished through graduated cast-offs combined with neck decreases, requiring careful attention to row-by-row instructions. The pattern also incorporates stitch marker placement to help track shaping points throughout construction. Knitters will work flat on straight needles rather than in the round, requiring attention to right-side and wrong-side rows as specified in the instructions.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch (st st) – The primary stitch throughout the body of the tank top, creating a smooth, classic fabric
• Ribbed Knit-Purl Pattern (K1, P1 rib) – Used for the lower edge ribbing, providing elasticity and definition
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) – Used for decreasing stitches at neck edges to create shaping
• Cable Stitch (C2B) – A cable needle technique where one stitch is slipped onto a cable needle, held at the back of work, then crossed over the next stitch for textural detail

Materials and Gauge

This project is worked in Rowan Handknit Cotton, a natural fiber yarn available in 50-gram balls. The pattern shown is photographed in the colorway Blushes 378. Yardage requirements vary by size, ranging from 7 to 10 balls depending on the chosen size.

Construction requires 4mm (US 6) straight needles to achieve the specified tension. The pattern is designed to a gauge of 19 stitches and 28 rows to 10 centimeters measured over stockinette stitch using the recommended needle size. Accurate gauge is essential for proper fit across the nine available sizes.

Additional Tools and Notions

• Cable needle for executing cable stitch techniques
• Stitch holders for managing stitches during shoulder and neck shaping
• Stitch markers to track armhole placement and shaping points

Pattern Structure

The Peony Tank Top follows a traditional two-piece construction method. The front and back pieces are worked separately from cast-on through armhole shaping, with the front piece featuring additional neck and shoulder decreases. The pattern provides detailed row-by-row instructions with size-specific stitch counts bracketed throughout, allowing knitters to track their progress across the nine available sizes. Armhole depth ranges from 20 to 30 centimeters depending on size, with corresponding adjustments to all shaping rows.