Tunic Top Knitting Pattern

Brushed Suri Tunic by Blue Sky Fibers

What is Being Made

The Brushed Suri Tunic is a lightweight, easy-to-knit pullover top designed by Bobbi IntVeld. This garment is crafted from Blue Sky Fibers' Brushed Suri yarn, creating a feather-light piece that feels deliciously soft against the skin. The tunic is offered in six sizes ranging from XS to XXL, making it accessible for a wide range of body types. The design features a straightforward construction with binding off as you go, which simplifies the finishing process for knitters.

Techniques Used

This tunic employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for advanced beginners. The pattern uses stockinette stitch as the primary fabric, which creates a smooth, classic knit appearance. The construction method involves binding off as you go, a technique that streamlines finishing by securing stitches during the knitting process rather than after completion. The garment incorporates armhole shaping through strategic bind-offs at the beginning of rows, and sleeve cap shaping with decreases worked near the edges. Make-one increases (M1) are used for sleeve shaping to add stitches gradually and evenly, while ssk (slip, slip, knit) and k2tog decreases create tapered sections.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch throughout the tunic, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side
• Bind Off (BO): Used to secure stitches, particularly for armhole and cap shaping
• Make One (M1): An increase technique used in sleeve shaping to add stitches while maintaining a neat appearance
• Knit Two Together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used for shaping
• Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease used for shaping
• Purl (P): Used in stockinette stitch construction and for creating texture
• Knit (K): The fundamental stitch used throughout

Materials and Tools

This project requires Blue Sky Brushed Suri yarn, a luxurious alpaca blend. The yardage needed depends on size selection, ranging from 5 to 7 hanks of yarn. Each hank of Blue Sky Brushed Suri contains 50 grams and provides 142 yards of fiber. Knitters will need Size 10 1/2 (6.5mm) needles, or the appropriate size needed to achieve the correct gauge for the pattern. Additional materials include stitch holders for temporarily securing stitches during construction and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and finishing seams. The photo shown features the yarn in the colorway Sweet Potato Pie #901.

Pattern Details and Construction

The Brushed Suri Tunic is classified as an Advanced Beginner level project, making it suitable for knitters with some foundational experience. The pattern provides comprehensive sizing options with instructions for XS, S, M, L, XL, and XXL sizes. The front and back pieces are worked separately in stockinette stitch, beginning with a purl row to establish the pattern. The front section measures 19 inches before armhole shaping begins. Armhole shaping is achieved by binding off 6 stitches at the beginning of consecutive rows on both the front and back pieces, creating a structured opening for the sleeves. The sleeves are constructed with increases worked every 6 rows using make-one techniques, creating a gradual widening from the cuff. Sleeve cap shaping involves binding off stitches at the beginning of rows followed by decreases worked near the edges to taper the sleeve head. The tunic is worked until the armhole reaches between 7 and 9 inches depending on size, at which point stitches are transferred to holders for finishing. This binding-off-as-you-go method reduces the amount of finishing work required after the main knitting is complete.