Top Vanda

Top Vanda by Bunte Fussel

What is Being Made

Top Vanda is a knitted top designed by independent designer Bunte Fussel. This garment is constructed as a pullover-style shirt available in three size options: 36/38, 40/42, and 44/46. The top is worked from the top down, beginning with circular knitting before transitioning to flat knitting for shaping the front and back sections.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Top Vanda employs a top-down construction technique, which is a popular approach in modern knitting design. The garment begins with circular knitting in the round using a circular needle, creating the yoke and upper body sections. After the initial circular knitting phase, the front and back pieces are worked separately using flat knitting in rows, allowing for custom shaping and fit adjustments specific to each section of the garment.

This construction method offers several advantages: it eliminates the need for seaming, allows for easy fit adjustments during the knitting process, and enables precise shaping of the neckline and armholes.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches and techniques appropriate for an intermediate skill level:

• Stockinette Stitch (Glatt Rechts): The primary stitch used for the main body fabric, created by working knit stitches on right-side rows and purl stitches on wrong-side rows in flat knitting, or knit stitches only in circular knitting. This creates a smooth, classic fabric surface.
• Ribbed Cuff Pattern (Bündchenmuster): A 2x2 rib pattern alternating two knit stitches with two purl stitches in continuous sequence. This elastic stitch pattern is typically used for cuffs, waistbands, and neckline edges to provide stretch and recovery.
• Yarn Overs (Umschlag): Decorative increases that create small eyelet holes, often used for lace details or textural interest.
• Decreases: Two decrease techniques are employed: knitting two stitches together (2 M rechts zusammenstricken) and slip-stitch decreases (slip one stitch, knit one stitch, pass the slipped stitch over), both used for shaping.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: The pattern calls for sock yarn (Sockenwolle) with a composition of 75% merino wool and 25% polyamide, providing durability and elasticity. Yardage requirements vary by size: 420 yards for size 36/38, 200 yards for size 40/42, 250 yards for size 44/46, and 300 yards for the largest size. The yarn weight is classified as 4-ply, a medium-weight yarn suitable for garment construction.

Needles: The pattern requires a 3.0 mm circular needle for the main construction and double-pointed needles (Nadelspiel) for smaller circumference sections such as cuffs or necklines.

Gauge: The pattern specifies a gauge of 26 stitches by 32 rows over 10 by 10 centimeters when worked in stockinette stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Difficulty Level

Top Vanda is classified as an intermediate knitting project, making it suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle garment construction. The top-down method, combined with basic stitch techniques and straightforward shaping, provides an accessible introduction to fitted garment knitting without overwhelming complexity.