Top in Schachenmayr Catania Fine - S7381 - Downloadable PDF

Knitted Top in Schachenmayr Catania Fine – Pattern S7381

This free downloadable PDF pattern (S7381) from Schachenmayr presents a beautifully feminine knitted top worked seamlessly in the round from the top down. The design is available in three sizes — 34/36, 38/40, and 42/44 — making it a versatile project for a range of figures. The top is constructed as a single piece, beginning at the neckline and growing outward and downward, incorporating elegant lace and ribbing details throughout.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a lightweight, lacy summer top with delicate straps, a shaped neckline, and an openwork body. The construction method — top-down, worked in the round — eliminates the need for seaming and allows the knitter to try on the garment as they go. The finished piece features a graceful lace border at the hem, giving it a refined, feminine finish suitable for warm-weather wear.

Construction and Techniques

• Top-down, seamless construction: The top is cast on at the neckline and worked entirely in the round on a circular needle, with all pieces — straps, front, and back — joined from the very beginning.
• Raglan-style increases: Corner stitches (Eckmaschen) are marked and used as the focal points for regular increases. Stitches are added before and after each of the four sets of corner stitches every other round, shaping the yoke organically as the work progresses downward.
• Twisted lifted increases: New stitches are picked up from the horizontal bar between stitches and knitted through the back loop (verschränkt aus dem Querfaden), creating neat, nearly invisible increases that integrate smoothly into the ribbing pattern.
• Crochet finishing: A crochet hook (size 3) is used in conjunction with the knitting, indicating that the lace edging or hem border involves a crochet cast-off or finishing technique, as the final round of the lace point pattern is worked off (abgehäkelt) in the 13th round.

Stitch Patterns Used

• Rippenmuster (Rib Pattern): A 3×3 rib — alternating three knit stitches with three purl stitches — is used for the straps and the initial yoke section. This provides elasticity and structure at the top of the garment, helping it sit neatly on the shoulders.
• Ajourmuster (Lace / Openwork Pattern): The main body of the top is worked in a charted lace pattern with a stitch repeat divisible by 12. The pattern is worked in rounds, with all stitches shown as they appear on the right side of the work. The repeat sequence involves specific rounds worked once, followed by 14 repetitions of a pattern round, then transitional rounds, creating a rhythmic, flowing lace fabric. The gauge for this section is 25 stitches and 39 rows to 10 × 10 cm.
• Spitze (Lace Point / Picot Border): A decorative pointed lace border is worked at the hem using a charted pattern with a stitch count divisible by 12. Only the odd-numbered rounds are charted; even-numbered rounds are knitted plain. One repeat of the lace point measures approximately 6.5 cm wide and the full 13-round depth measures approximately 5.5 cm, adding a graceful scalloped or pointed finish to the lower edge.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Schachenmayr Catania Fine in shade Fb 01009 Leinen (a natural linen tone). The quantity required varies by size: 150 g for size 34/36, 200 g for size 38/40, and 250 g for size 42/44. Catania Fine is a 4-ply weight yarn, known for its smooth, mercerised cotton composition, which gives excellent stitch definition and a cool, breathable hand — ideal for a summer top.
• Needles: An 80 cm Milward circular knitting needle in size 2.5–3.5 mm is recommended. The long cable length accommodates the full circumference