So I am planning another fair isle tank top based on the not cabbages and roses one I finished in September. It was such a fun knit and I’m REALLY pleased with it. The only changes I would make is to make the shoulders a bit narrower - they’re a bit mannish on the other one, and have a few less stitches in the ribbing around the bottom. Also, last time one of the patterns was a 16 stitch repeat which cause me problems as it didn’t line up with any of the other rows. It looked fine in the end it just didn’t align with my stitch markers so it ward difficult to track mistakes.

Based on my other project I will need the following number of balls:

off white = pebble - 4
light green - granny smith -2
mid green - woodnymph -2
dark green - conifer -2
pink - dog rose - 1
red - poppy - 2

CO 288 stitches with crochet cast on, going straight into colour work on 2.75mm needle.

This time I want the ribbing to be a bit tighter, so I will K4 inc 1 on 2,25mm needle, (last time I did K3, inc 1). BO with tubular cast off and then kitchener stitch with a 1.75m needle. 2 rounds of slipped stitches only, i.e. one of knits and one of purls.

For the armholes, I created steeks of 7 stitches including a purl at each end.

I put 10 stitches on waste yarn on each side, and decreased one stitch either side of the steeks 7 times. Then I decreased every other round 8 times, and every 3rd round 3 times and every 4th row twice until I had 91 (106) stitches left on the front and back.

For the neck, I also wanted to use a steek, but all patterns seem to focus on a V neck. I found this https://www.pinterest.ch/pin/522136150529883782/
image on pinterest, which showed a cast off and then decrease every round. I did this (cast off 20 stitches) until I had 17 stitches on each shoulder left. I am worried that the shape will be too angular; I hope to be able to finesse the shape by the way I pick up stitches. If not, I will go back and do the first set of decreases every other row for the first few rows (perhaps CO 15?) and then change to every row.

36 19 36 = 3 stitches off

Bind off the shoulders in thirds. I started with the back as this was the start of my round. Place markers 19 stitches in from each edge (this will be made up of 17 shoulder stitches plus 2 which will be decreased on the neck edge later). (RS) Bind off 6 stitches, leaving 13 on the needle up to the marker. Knit to the marker in pattern, and then cast off the neck stitches up to the next marker. Then knit in pattern the end of the row (I took the opportunity to bind off the steek stitches at the arm hole at this point). Turn and rejoin yarn.

Left back shoulder

(WS) Bind off 6 stitches, purl in pattern to 3 stitches before the marker, p2tog tbl, p1. Turn. (RS) knit in pattern to end. Turn. cast off 6 stitches, purl in pattern to 3 stitches before the marker, p2tog tbl, p1. (RS) Knit in pattern to end (WS) cast off remaining 5 stitches.

Right back shoulder

(WS) rejoin yarn. P1, p2tog, purl in pattern to end. Turn work. (RS) knit in pattern to end. (WS) cast off 6 stitches, purl in pattern to last 3 stitches, p2tog tbl, p1. (RS) knit in pattern to end. (WS) cast off 5 stitches.