The Staple Tank is a made-to-measure raglan tank top that lets you use any gauge—which means any yarn! Designed with 1–2 in. (2.5–5 cm) of positive ease based on your upper bust measurement, it offers optional bust and waist shaping for a body-skimming fit.

Worked seamlessly from the top down in stockinette stitch, this top is elevated with a matching folded hem and collar, with an applied i-cord finish around the open armholes.

Pattern Format:
The Staple Tank is an interactive, made-to-measure pattern that calculates the number of stitches, rows, and yardage for a pattern. The benefit of this type of pattern is that it makes your pattern size-inclusive to virtually any body size (theoretically, it should even work for an infant!) and it allows you to use any yarn and any gauge! This is done by allowing the user to type in their body’s measurements and gauge onto the pattern. Then, in the background, the pattern will calculate all the math within the pattern to fit the person perfectly.

It is recommended that the pattern is accessed through Adobe Reader.

Construction:
To start the Staple Tank, you’ll knit and fold the collar—no provisional cast-on needed. Then, you’ll set up the front and back body sections while binding off for the armholes.

With the back stitches on hold, the front is shaped using a custom increase plan based on your own measurements.Once those increases are complete, you’ll put the front on hold and work a similar increase plan for the back—just slightly longer (about 1 in. (2.5 cm) to create a more comfortable fit through the shoulders and neckline.

When both upper sections are complete, they’re joined together as you cast on stitches at each underarm. From there, you can add optional bust and/or waist shaping before knitting to your desired length. To finish, fold the hem and secure it with a simple whip stitch.

Sizing and Fit:
This pattern is written to be customizable to your exact upper bust measurement, with optional shaping for the bust and waist to suit your body and style preferences.

The tank is designed to skim the body with 1–2” (2.5–5 cm) of positive ease and features a slightly longer back for a more comfortable fit around the shoulders and neckline.

Making it as a gift and don’t have exact measurements? No worries! Size charts are included on the pattern to help you choose standard measurements and shaping options.

Yarn:
You can use any weight and any size yarn for this pattern!
However, I recommend fingering, DK, or worsted weight yarn for optimal results.

Amount of yarn needed:
The amount of yarn you need depends on what kind of yarn you use and your measurements.
Average yardages needed per weight of yarn for an adult-sized tank are listed below for your reference with more specific estimates provided within the pattern:

• Fingering: 555 - 1008 yards
• DK: 478 - 839 yards

Recommended Yarn:
If you’re interested in making a Staple Tank using the same yarn used in the photographed samples, use Alegria from Manos del Uruguay or Cotlin from KnitPicks

Materials:

• 2 Unique Stitch Markers
• Tapestry Needle
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape

Gauge:
You can use any gauge! However, it is very important that you gauge swatch and determine your gauge before working this pattern in order to determine how many sts and rows you need to work throughout this pattern to get the exact right fit.

Needles:
You can use any size of circular needles for this pattern. I recommend using a needle size that creates a nice fabric with the yarn you’ve chosen to work with.

In terms of types of needles, you will need:
You’ll need two circular needle sizes:

• Needle A: Your main working needle, used to achieve gauge
• Needle B: A needle 0.5 mm smaller than Needle A

Both should be on 16 in.+ (40 cm+) cords, though the exact length depends on your body and preferences.

Types of needles you can use:

• 16 in (40 cm) circular needles
• double pointed needles (DPNs) OR 36 in (90 cm) + circular needles to use with the magic loop method

Techniques needed (step-by-step instructions AND video references are included for each technique):

• Knitting flat and in the round, long tail cast on, increasing, folding a collar and whip stitching a hem.
• If you choose to do bust shaping, you will use the German short row technique.
• If you choose to do waist shaping, you will need to also decrease.

Check out my Instagram @newwaveknitting and the hashtag #stapletank for more pictures of and information on the Staple Tank!

For more information, see: https://www.newwaveknitting.com/staple-tank