DIY: Knit Top
If you read one of my last blog posts, Quarantine: How to pass the time, you know that one of my many quarantine hobbies so far was knitting. By no means would I consider myself to be an expert knitter since I only know one stitch, but I’m consistent enough to make some basic shapes like rectangles so that’s what I chose to do. The inspiration behind the top was a simple square neck tank top with adjustable straps. I wanted to make the top as easy to wear as possible while allowing enough stretch to make the shape of the top look fitted.
Step 1:
The trickiest part of making the top was finding the right width. I didn’t want the top to be too short or too long, so it took a couple of tries just to get the width of the top exactly right. I knitted the length of the rectangle to be long enough to cover the circumference of my bust but short enough to still be a crop top. Luckily, the yarn I chose had just enough stretch so I didn’t have to be exactly perfect on the length.
Step 2:
For the straps, I simply knitted mini rectangles that were long enough to be tied in a bow when grouped together. In total, I knitted four long rectangles to create the straps. This was definitely the easiest part since the knitting went by a lot faster.
Step 3:
The last step required a bit of yarn sewing. I taped an end of a strand of yarn to help me weave the ends of each strap into the body of the top. For the back of the top, I ended up only sewing the edges together half way to leave an open-back look.
Step 4:
The most fun part: The photoshoot! This shoot was inspired by the sustainable it-girl brand, Reformation. I absolutely love the brand’s clean chic look and so I wanted to incorporate the feel into my photos as well. Jeans are Free People and the shoes are thrifted from Crossroads in West Hollywood. I miss thrifting so much! I’ve explored a few different websites and stores online for thrifting, but to me, it’s something that I’d prefer to do in person.
Thank you for reading! Interested in knitting? The hardest part is casting on, so if you can accomplish that part, then you’ll be golden for the rest of it! I’ve included some popular YouTube videos to learn the basics of knitting to get you started. Let me know if you have questions! (Tip: For beginners starting out, thick yarn and knitting needles will be easier and help you get through your first knitting project faster! )
This will show you how to set up the yarn on your needles to start knitting.
This is the same basic stitch that I used to knit the full top.
Happy knitting! Please feel free to leave a comment, share, or like! I’d love to know what you think and I aspire to continue to create content that brings people together.
xx
Ella Kol
