Daisy Top in Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply - RM006-00019-ENPFRP - Downloadable PDF

Daisy Top in Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply – A Knitting Pattern by Erika Knight

The Daisy Top is a beautifully simple knitted top designed by Erika Knight and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern is rated as beginner level, making it an excellent choice for those who are new to garment knitting or looking for a relaxed, straightforward project. The design is worked in the lightweight and breathable Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply yarn, making it ideally suited to warm-weather wear.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a knitted top designed to be worn close to the body with a comfortable, wearable ease. The garment is sized to fit a wide range of bust measurements, spanning from 71–76 cm (28–30 in) through to 152–157 cm (60–62 in), with nine sizes in total. The actual garment bust measurements range from 92 cm (36¼ in) to 172 cm (67¾ in), offering generous positive ease across the size range. This inclusive sizing makes the Daisy Top a versatile pattern suitable for many body types.

The top features a shaped back neck and shoulder section, which is worked using short-row shaping techniques to create a neat, professional finish at the neckline. The construction involves working each side of the neck separately after dividing stitches, a common technique in garment knitting that ensures symmetry and a clean neckline edge.

Techniques Used

Despite its beginner rating, the Daisy Top introduces a handful of useful and foundational garment-making techniques:

• Short-row shaping – Used to shape the back neck and shoulders, this technique involves working only part of a row before turning the work. The pattern uses a wrap and turn method, where a stitch is slipped from the left needle to the right, the yarn is taken to the opposite side of the work, and the stitch is slipped back. This prevents holes forming at the turning point and creates smooth, shaped edges.
• Working each side of the neck separately – After dividing stitches at the back neck, each shoulder section is worked independently, a standard approach in top-down and flat garment construction.
• Decreasing – The pattern uses K2tog (knit two together) on right-side rows and P2tog (purl two together) on wrong-side rows to shape the neckline and shoulders, reducing stitch counts neatly and creating a smooth, tapered finish.
• Holding stitches – Remaining stitches are placed on a holder while one side of the neck is worked, a simple but important technique in garment construction.
• Working from a stitch pattern (patt) – The instructions reference working in pattern throughout the shaping rows, indicating that the body of the top features a defined stitch pattern rather than plain stocking stitch alone.

Stitches Used

The Daisy Top uses a combination of fundamental knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit (K) – The primary stitch used on right-side rows throughout the garment.
• Purl (P) – Used on wrong-side rows, forming the reverse of the knit stitch and creating the smooth fabric characteristic of stocking stitch or the base of other stitch patterns.
• K2tog (Knit two together) – A simple right-leaning decrease used during shoulder and neck shaping.
• P2tog (Purl two together) – A decrease worked on wrong-side rows, used in conjunction with K2tog to shape the garment evenly.
• Wrap and turn – A short-row technique that wraps a stitch to avoid gaps when turning mid-row, used extensively in the back neck and shoulder shaping.

Materials – Yarn and Needles

The pattern is written specifically for Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply, a lightweight 4 ply weight yarn sold in 50g balls. This yarn is well known for its soft, smooth handle and its suitability for warm-season garments. The Daisy Top is photographed in two colour