Bee-Yourself Knitted Top - Pattern & pdf File

You will find the written pattern below. If you prefer to download the FREE pdf file, you can find it at these two places:

~ Click Here For The Direct pdf File ~

~ Click Here To Get It On Ravelry ~

Supplies

~ Worsted weight yarn, 4-ply, colors: black and yellow

~ Size 8 (5 mm) knitting needles

~ Stitch holder

~ Yarn needle

~ 2 small buttons for the back closure

~ As many buttons shaped as bees and flowers as you like (optional)

~ Sewing needle and thread; only needed if the holes of the buttons you choose are too small to be sewn on with the knitting yarn and the yarn needle

Abbreviations

~ st - stitch

~ sts - stitches

~ k - knit

~ p - purl

~ k2tog - knit two stitches together

~ p2tog - purl two stitches together

~ kfb - knit front and back

~ pfkb - purl front and knit back

~ yo - yarn over

~ stockinette sts - knit one row, purl one row

~ garter sts - knit all rows

Instructions

*Please note: We are working the top from the bottom up*

Front

~ With black, cast on 26 sts

~ Work 5 rows in garter sts

~ Rows 1-8 - switch to yellow, work in stockinette sts, start first row with p

~ Rows 9-12 - switch to black, work in stockinette sts

~ Rows 13-20 - switch to yellow, work in stockinette sts

~ Row 21 - switch to black, cast off 3 sts, p to end of row = 23 sts (first armhole formed)

~ Row 22 - cast off 3 sts, k to end of row = 20 sts (second armhole formed)

~ Row 23 - p across to end of row

~ Row 24 - k across to end of row

~ Rows 25-33 - switch to yellow, work in stockinette sts

~ Row 34 - k 3 sts, cast off 14 sts, k 2 sts (front neckline formed)

~ Rows 35-39 - work first 3 sts on needle in stockinette sts, cast off. Join yarn at beginning of second 3 sts on needle, work in stockinette sts (front shoulders formed)

~ Cast off

Back

~ With black, cast on 26 sts

~ Work 5 rows in garter sts

~ Rows 1-8 - switch to yellow, work in stockinette sts, start first row with p

~ Rows 9-12 - switch to black, work in stockinette sts

~ Rows 13-20 - switch to yellow, work in stockinette sts

* Please note: We are now dividing the back into two halves, in order to make two button bands *

Left Back Half:

~ Row 21 - switch to black, cast off 3 sts (left back                                 armhole formed),

                 - p 9 sts,

                 - place remaining 13 sts on stitch holder

                 - cast on 4 sts (beginning of right button band)                   = 14 sts                 

~ Row 22 - k across to end of row

~ Row 23 - p 10 sts, k 4 sts

~ Row 24 - k across to end of row

~ Row 25 - switch to yellow, p 10 sts, k 4 sts

~ Row 26 - k 1 st, k2tog, k to end of row

~ Row 27 - p 10 sts, k 2 sts, yo, k 1 st (first buttonhole formed)

~ Row 28 - k across to end of row

~ Row 29 - p 10 sts, k 4 sts

~ Row 30 - k across to end of row

~ Row 31 - p 10 sts, k 4 sts

~ Row 32 - k across to end of row

~ Row 33 - p 10 sts, k 4 sts

~ Row 34 - k 1 st, k2tog, k to end of row

~ Row 35 - p 10 sts, k 2 sts, yo, k 1 st (second buttonhole formed)

~ Row 36 - k across to end of row

~ Row 37 - p 10 sts, k 4 sts

~ Row 38 - k across to end of row

~ Row 39 - p 10 sts, k 4 sts

~ Cast off

Right Back Half:

~ Row 21 - place remaining 13 sts back on knitting needle,

                 - with right side (k side) facing you join black                         yarn,

                 - cast off 3 sts (right back armhole formed),

                 - k across to end of row = 10 sts

                 

~ Row 22 - k 4 sts, p 6 sts

~ Row 23 - k across to end of row

~ Rows 24-39 - repeat rows 22 and 23 (switch to yellow at beginning of row 25)

~ Cast off

* At this point, before sewing the two sweater halves together, it's best to sew all of your bee and flower buttons on if you choose to include them. It will be a lot easier to do this while both halves are separated. Gather your buttons, arrange them in any formation you like, and sew them to the front, back, or both of the two sweater halves. You might also want to go one step further, and sew the buttons to the button band on the right back half, directly across from the button holes on the left back half *

~ With wrong side (p side) facing you, sew front to back, starting with the armholes and ending with the bottom hem

Sleeves

~ With right side (k side) facing you, join yellow yarn at the shoulder and pick up 21 sts, going down the armhole, over the side seam, and up the other armhole to the opposite shoulder

~ Row 1 - p across to end of row

~ Row 2 - kfb in each st = 42 sts

~ Row 3 - p 1 st, pfkb 1 st, repeat to end of row = 63 sts

~ Row 4 - k 2 sts, kfb 1 st, repeat to end of row = 84 sts

~ Rows 5-7 - work in stockinette sts

~ Row 8 - k2tog, repeat to end of row = 42 sts

~ Row 9 - switch to black, p2tog, repeat to end of row = 21 sts

~ Rows 10-20 - work in stockinette sts (switch to yellow at beginning of row 13)

~ Rows 21-25 - switch to black, work in garter sts

~ Cast off

~ With wrong side (p side) facing you, sew sleeve seams and shoulder seams closed

Neck

~ With right side (k side) facing you, join black yarn in first st of left back half and pick up 27 sts, going across the left back half neckline, left shoulder, front neckline, right shoulder, right back half neckline, and ending in the last st of the right back half

~ Work 2 rows in garter sts

~ Cast off

~ Weave in all ends

(Design and pattern by Jo Em of Dolls of Suburbia)