Sometimes I just fall in love with a yarn. I knit a little swatch and immediately want to cast on. This is what happened with Tussah Tweed. I’ve always loved this style of silk. It’s more rustic and slubby. It doesn’t have the shine of the more polished mulberry silk but it feels wonderful to wear, doesn’t stretch out of shape and is ethically produced.

I loved the yarn so much that I took it on holidays to Spain last summer with me. It was my bonus project for when my active cardigan was finished. I had done a swatch, so I knew what gauge it was knitting up to, so I just cast on.

The yarn felt like it wanted to be knit into a casual, elegant top. This is why I began with the folded hem. It gives a lovely clean edge to the work that doesn’t cling. This is a big advantage for a warm weather garment, you want it to flow without sticking to you.

There was of course an extra advantage to starting from the bottom.

I was on holidays so this allowed me to knit the body as a simple tube, giving me days of relaxing knitting time. The yarn felt so wonderful to knit, even in the warmer weather.

The yarn really is the star of this top, which meant that I wanted to allow the other details to be clean and simple. The back shoulders decrease enough to give it shape but still allow for straps underneath to be covered.

The front neckline is created to allow the fabric to drape. There are no front decreases, instead the extra stitches are allowed to gather at the front of the neck, with a little extra short rows for help.

The final detail, to keep it simple is an edging that is very minimal. Stitches are picked up and worked only as an Icelandic Bind-Off. This gives a very simple, but clean edge to both the neck and the armholes.

Pattern Details

SIZES

To Fit Actual Bust Circumference Up To: 30 (33.25, 36, 39, 42, 45.25, 48, 51, 54, 57.25, 60)” / 76 (84.5, 91.5, 99, 106.5, 115, 122, 129.5, 137, 145.5, 152.5) cm

1 – 3” / 2.5 – 7.5 cm of positive ease recommended.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Bust Circumference: 31 (34.25, 37, 40, 43, 46.25, 49, 52, 55, 58.25, 60)” / 78.5 (87, 94, 101.5, 109, 117.5, 124.5, 132, 140, 148, 155) cm

Size 37” / 94 cm modelled with 2”/ 4 cm positive ease.

Length from Back of Neck 21.25 (21.5, 22, 22.5, 22.75, 23.25, 23.75, 24, 24.75, 25.75, 26)” / 54 (54.5, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60.5, 61, 63, 65.5, 66) cm

YARN
BC GARN ‘Tussah Tweed’ (100% Tussah Silk, 273 yds / 250 m per 1.76 oz / 50 g); colour: 026; 2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5) skeins

Approximate Yardage: 543 (601, 661, 712, 765, 832, 894, 943, 1014, 1090, 1147) yds / 498 (550, 605, 652, 700, 762, 819, 864, 929, 998, 1051) m

NEEDLES & NOTIONS

Two US size 4 / 3.5 mm circular needles, 32-40” / 80-100 cm long

Always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed, as every knitter’s gauge is unique.

Tapestry needle, waste yarn or Barber Cord, lockable/removable stitch markers.

GAUGE

22 sts and 30 rnds = 4″ / 10 cm in St St blocked

Rowan Top Yarn Kits

You can pick up your own Rowan Top kit right here and choose from Red White, Forest Green, Mandarine, Blue Royal, Lemon, and Rose Cream. All kits ship within our custom print organic project bag.

Tussah Tweed is an exclusive 100% silk tweed yarn. Made from wild silkworms where the silk moths themselves are allowed to flee their cocoons before being processed into silk which means that Tussah Tweed is 100% cruelty-free and unlike most fibres, Tussah Tweed 100% silk yarn gets softer the more it is washed and worn.

You can find the pattern on our website here or on Ravelry.