Tahki Yarns Dahlia Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Dahlia Knitted Top

What Is Being Made

The Dahlia is an intermediate-level knitted top designed by Melissa LaBarre. This garment is a fitted pullover available in six sizes ranging from XSmall to 2X, with finished bust measurements from 30¼ inches (75.5 cm) to 48 inches (120 cm) and lengths from 25½ to 28 inches (64 to 70 cm). The design features a tailored silhouette created through strategic decreasing at the sides and armholes, making it a versatile wardrobe piece suitable for various occasions.

Techniques Used

The Dahlia employs seamed construction worked flat, meaning the garment pieces are knitted individually in rows rather than in the round, then assembled together. The pattern uses a two-ball technique for certain sections, where each side of the garment is worked with its own ball of yarn simultaneously to create symmetrical shaping. This advanced technique ensures precise decreasing on both sides of the piece during armhole and neckline shaping.

The top begins with a cast-on worked in the round using a circular needle, then transitions to flat knitting for the body sections. Strategic decreasing occurs every right-side row to create the fitted waist and armhole shaping that defines the garment's silhouette. The construction includes binding off stitches at the armholes and careful neckline shaping to create a professional finish.

Stitches Used

The Dahlia is constructed almost entirely in Stockinette Stitch, the fundamental knit stitch pattern. When worked in the round, Stockinette Stitch is created by knitting every round. When worked flat in rows, it alternates between knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows. This classic stitch creates a smooth, refined fabric with a distinctive V-pattern texture on the right side and bumpy texture on the reverse.

Shaping is accomplished through k2tog (knit two together) and ssk (slip, slip, knit) decreases, which are paired decreases that lean in opposite directions. These decreases are worked at the edges and are repeated every right-side row to create the fitted waist and armhole shaping. The pattern also includes basic bind-off techniques to finish edges and create the neckline opening.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Dahlia pattern calls for Tahki Yarns TANDEM, a blend yarn composed of 28% cotton, 28% viscose, 28% nylon, and 16% acrylic. This fiber composition creates a yarn with excellent drape and breathability, making it ideal for a fitted top. The yardage is 107 yards per 50-gram ball (97 meters per 50 grams). Depending on size, the project requires 6 to 9 balls of yarn in color #009 Iris Garden, providing sufficient yardage to complete the garment across all size ranges.

The pattern specifies size 8 (5 mm) needles for construction. A 29-inch (72.5 cm) circular needle is used for the initial cast-on and early rounds, while four size 8 double-pointed needles are required for smaller circumference sections. The recommended gauge is 18 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in Stockinette Stitch, which is essential to check before beginning to ensure the finished garment matches the intended measurements.

Additional supplies include waste yarn for holding stitches, stitch markers to denote pattern sections and beginning-of-round positions, and a yarn needle for seaming pieces together and weaving in ends. These basic notions are standard for most knitting projects and complete the material requirements for the Dahlia top.