Description
MY DESIGN IDEAS AND ADVICE
The Bradley Tank Top is a simple colourwork design that looks more complicated than it really is – perfect for both beginners and experienced knitters. It uses the slip stitch technique, which means you’re only ever knitting with one colour at a time, making the brick-like pattern surprisingly easy to create.
The first Purl &Jane design that I used this brick pattern on was the Charlie Cushion – though I had already used it several times in knitting pattern books I designed in the noughties. I love a colourwork pattern that delivers impact without complexity!
The Bradley Tank Top is worked in pieces and then sewn together. The pattern includes two length options: a short version (seen in black) and a long version (seen in teal).
I chose Jamieson’s yarn for this project because of its rich heritage. The fleece is grown, sheared and spun on the Shetland Islands – a craft that has been preserved through generations.
I like to give my patterns meaningful names. The slip stitch pattern reminds me of brickwork, so I researched the history of brickmaking in Yorkshire and discovered Bradley & Craven Ltd., a Victorian company from Wakefield that specialised in manufacturing brickmaking machinery. Hence, the Bradley Tank Top was born!
CONSTRUCTION
The back and front are knitted flat from the bottom up in seperate pieces and joined together. The neck and armhole edges are picked up and knitted.
TECHNIQUES USED
Cast on, knit, purl, decreasing at the armhole and neck shaping, slip stitch sometimes called mosaic colour work , cast off. Optional but recommended to create the feeling of joy when joining your pieces: mattress stitch and three needle cast off.
YARN
4(4:5:5:6:6) 25g balls of Jamieson’s Spindrift in shade A
and 2(2:2:3:3:4) 25g balls each in shade B and shade C for short version.
100% Shetland wool, 105m/114yds per 25g
OR 5(5:6:6:7:7) 25g balls of Jamieson’s Spindrift in shade A
and 2(2:3:3:4:4) 25g balls each in shade B and shade C for long version.
SUGGESTED KNITTING NEEDLES
3mm and 3.25mm.
GAUGE (tension)
27 stitches and 46 rows to 10cm/4ins square over brick pattern. I obtained this gauge with 3.25mm needles.
It is important to obtain the correct gauge so do work a swatch before you start the pattern and change your needle size to achieve the correct gauge if you need to.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
I recommend a positive ease of 1-5”/2.5-12.5cm at the chest.
Size | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
Chest circumference | ||||||
| 88 | 96.5 | 105 | 114 | 123.5 | 131.5 | cms |
| 34½ | 38 | 41¼ | 45 | 48½ | 51½ | ins |
Length (short version) (from top of shoulder to cast on edge) | ||||||
| 46 | 46 | 49 | 52 | 55 | 58 | cm |
| 18 | 18 | 19¼ | 20½ | 21½ | 22½ | ins |
Length (long version) (from top of shoulder to cast on edge | ||||||
| 55 | 57 | 60 | 63 | 66 | 69 | cm |
| 21½ | 22½ | 23½ | 24½ | 26 | 27¼ | ins |
NEED HELP?
I am here for you! Pop into the Skipton studio, send an email, or check out the Purl &Jane YouTube channel for tips, inspiration and guidance including handy resources like gauge (tension) guides and how to tutorials.
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