First you dip-dye the fabric; then you rip it into strips, roll it into balls, and start knitting. The top is just stockinette stitch on supersize needles with the minimum of shaping, so it’s really quick to do.
ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE
Not counting dyeing and drying time, it took about an hour to rip the strips and 3 hours to knit the 1st size top: 4 hours total.
ABOUT THIS YARN
This is a “yarn” you make yourself, so you can vary the color and the thickness as you wish. Just make sure that you use 100% cotton fabric for your “yarn,” as it will tear easily, creating lovely frayed edges, and will also wash and take dye well. The top in the photo at right was made from hand-dyed, loosely woven muslin.
SIZES
To fit: bust 34 to 36[38 to 40:42 to 44] in. (86 to 91[97 to 101.5:107 to 112] cm). Actual measurements: bust 36½[40½:44½] in. (93[103:113] cm); length 19½[21:22] in. (49.5[53.5:56] cm). Figures in square brackets refer to larger sizes; where there is one figure, it refers to all sizes.
YOU WILL NEED
• 4½[5⅛:5⅞] yds. (4[4.7:5.4] m) of approximately 44-in.(112-cm)- wide soft unbleached muslin
• dye in color of your choice
• sharp scissors
• pair of size US 35 (20 mm) knitting needles
GAUGE
6 sts and 6 rows to 4 in. (10 cm) over st-st on size US 35 (20 mm) needles. Change needle size, if necessary, to obtain this gauge.
ABBREVIATIONS
beg = beginning; cont = continue; dec = decrease; k = knit; p = purl; RS = right side; skpo = slip 1, k1, pass slipped st over; st(s) = stitch(es); st-st = stockinette st; tog = together; WS = wrong side.
NOTES
• Fabric amounts needed may vary according to the weight and width of the fabric and the amount lost by fraying when ripping the strips.
• Dye the fabric before tearing it into strips.
• The stitches are so big that allowance has been made in the actual measurements for taking 1 stitch from each edge into the seams.
Be truly creative and make your own fabric “yarn” to knit this simple top.
Wash the fabric to remove any sizing from it. To create a mottled effect, scrunch, fold, wrap, knot, or tie the fabric before dyeing it according to the instructions for the dye product you have chosen. Dry the fabric. Tear the fabric into lengthwise strips by snipping the cut or torn edge about ¾ in. (2 cm) in from the selvage, and ripping down the length until about 1 in. (3 cm) from the bottom. Now, starting from that edge, snip the fabric another ¾ in. (2 cm) along from the first tear, and rip again, stopping about 1 in. (2.5 cm) from the other end. Keep ripping strips in this way, turning the fabric upside down for each strip. Ripping along the length of the fabric gives you long strips; and because you do not rip right to the end, the strips are joined and can be wound into a ball. Although you’re aiming for the strips to be about ¾ in. (2 cm) wide, it’s not possible to snip and tear every strip exactly the same, and the fabric will fray at the edges, so your yarn may vary from ⅝ to 1 in. (1.5 to 2.5 cm). This won’t matter, as long as you end up with around 130[150:175] yds. (120[140:160] m) of fabric “yarn.”
VEST
BACK
Cast on 30(33:36) sts.
Beg k row, st-st 18 rows.
Shape armholes. Bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 24(27:30) sts.
Dec row (RS) K2, k2tog, k to last
4 sts, skpo, k2. 22(25:28) sts.
Cont in st-st, dec in this way at each end of next 2 RS rows.
18(21:24) sts**.
St-st 5(7:9) rows. Leave sts on a stitch holder.
FRONT
Work as given for back to **.
St-st 0(2:4) rows.
Shape neck. Next row (WS) P5(6:7), turn and complete right side on these sts.
Dec row (RS) K1, k2tog, k to end. 4(5:6) sts.
Cont in st-st, dec in this way at beg of next RS row. 3(4:5) sts. P 1 row. Leave sts on a holder.
With WS facing, slip center 8(9:10) sts onto a holder, p to end.
5(6:7) sts.
Dec row (RS) K to last 3 sts, skpo, k1. 4(5:6) sts.
Cont in st-st, dec in this way at end of next RS row. 3(4:5) sts. P 1 row. Leave sts on a holder.
NECK EDGING
With RS of back and front together and back facing, taking 1 st from each side each time, bind off 3(4:5) sts of back tog with sts of left front shoulder. With RS facing and leaving 3(4:5) sts of back for right shoulder, slip center 12(13:14) sts of back onto right needle, pick up and k 5 sts down left front neck, k center 8(9:10) sts, pick up and k 5 sts up right front neck. 30(32:34) sts. Turn and bind off knitwise.
TO FINISH
Join right shoulder in the same way as left shoulder, then join ends of neck edging. Taking 1 stitch in from each edge, and using mattress stitch (see page 154), join side seams. Weave in yarn ends.
TIPS
• Choose a 100% cotton muslin fabric. It will rip more easily than a polyester mix (see About This Yarn, opposite).
• For a white top, simply buy bleached muslin.
• For a multi-colored top, buy several blending shades of dye. Start by dyeing with the lightest color first; then dry and retie the fabric between each different color.
