Stitch Top Knitting Pattern

Stitch Top by Lisa Richardson

What is Being Made

The Stitch Top is a knitted garment designed as an advanced beginner level project. This top features a fitted silhouette with structured shaping at the armholes and front slope, making it a sophisticated layering piece suitable for various occasions. The garment is available in nine sizes, ranging from 28-30 inches to 60-62 inches chest measurement, with corresponding actual garment chest measurements from 33¼ inches to 64¾ inches.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Stitch Top employs several intermediate knitting techniques appropriate for advanced beginners:

• Ribbed pattern construction: The garment uses a repeating knit and purl pattern (K2, P2 ribbing) that creates vertical texture and helps the fabric maintain its shape
• Armhole shaping: Cast-off stitches at the beginning of rows establish the armhole depth, with subsequent decreases worked across multiple rows to create a fitted sleeve cap
• Front slope shaping: Decreases are worked at the front edge to create a sloped neckline, requiring careful stitch management and pattern continuity
• Simultaneous decreasing: The pattern requires working decreases at both the armhole and front slope edges in the same rows, demanding attention to stitch placement and pattern alignment
• Tension-dependent sizing: The garment relies on precise tension to achieve proper fit, with specific row and stitch counts calibrated to the designer's tension specifications

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern is a two-by-two ribbed pattern (K2P2), which alternates knit and purl stitches in a repeating sequence. This ribbing is established early in the pattern and maintained throughout most of the garment. The pattern also incorporates knit two together (K2tog) decreases for shaping the armholes and front slope, which are worked consistently in the same manner to maintain visual coherence across the garment pieces.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Stitch Top is designed to be knitted with Rowan Pure Alpaca yarn, a luxury fiber that provides warmth and softness. Each 50-gram ball of Pure Alpaca is used to create this garment, with the sample photographed in the colorway Khaki 126. The yarn is worked on 3¼mm (US 3) needles, which are sized to achieve the required tension of 32 stitches and 34 rows over 10 centimeters when measured over the ribbed pattern.

The finished top is completed with four grey corozo buttons (18mm, style TGB2869) from Textile Garden, which provide both functional and decorative closure details.

Pattern Structure and Finishing Details

The pattern is professionally drafted by designer Lisa Richardson and includes detailed instructions for the back, left front, and right front pieces. The garment features a structured fit with precise shaping at the armholes and neckline, making it an ideal project for knitters ready to advance beyond basic garment construction. The combination of the elastic ribbed stitch, fitted shaping, and quality alpaca yarn creates a refined, wearable top suitable for both casual and polished styling.