Good Day Tee

Good Day Tee by Annie Lupton

What Is Being Made

The Good Day Tee is a sleeveless knit top featuring a dropped shoulder construction. This modular knit design combines a minimalist aesthetic with practical wearability, making it an ideal garment for warm weather layering or standalone wear during spring and summer seasons.

Design Structure and Construction Method

This garment employs a distinctive modular knitting approach that breaks the construction into manageable sections. The design begins with front and back center panels worked in a solid color, establishing the core structure of the tee. Once these panels reach their finished length, stitches are strategically picked up along the edges. The side panels are then worked outward from these picked-up stitches, incorporating simple shaping to create the proper fit and silhouette. Striped rows of color are introduced in the side panels, adding visual interest and design complexity to the finished piece. The front and back pieces are seamed together, with armholes left intentionally open for a comfortable, relaxed fit characteristic of the dropped shoulder style.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The Good Day Tee is constructed almost entirely in garter stitch, one of the most fundamental and beginner-friendly knit stitches. Garter stitch is created by knitting every row, resulting in a textured, reversible fabric with pronounced horizontal ridges. This stitch choice makes the garment accessible to knitters new to garment construction while still producing a sophisticated, modern appearance.

Additional techniques employed include:

• Picking up stitches along edges to transition from center panels to side panels
• Shaping through strategic increases or decreases to achieve proper fit
• Striped colorwork created by changing yarn colors while maintaining the garter stitch pattern
• Seaming to join the front and back pieces

The angled front edge adds a contemporary design detail that distinguishes this tee from basic rectangular silhouettes, while remaining simple enough for beginner knitters to execute successfully.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Good Day Tee is designed to be worked in 4-ply yarn weight, offering excellent stitch definition and drape. The recommended fiber is an Isager cotton and linen blend, a natural fiber combination that provides breathability, structure, and a fresh aesthetic perfect for warm-weather garments. The cotton and linen blend creates a lightweight fabric with a subtle sheen and excellent durability for frequent wear and washing.

Needles required include a 3.25mm (Size 3) circular needle measuring 24 inches (61 cm) for working the various sections. The pattern provides finished dimensions across eight sizes, with bust measurements ranging from the smallest to largest options, and corresponding needle lengths of 32 to 60 inches (81.5 to 152.5 cm) to accommodate different garment widths.

Skill Level and Suitability

Rated as a beginner project, the Good Day Tee removes barriers to garment construction through its straightforward stitch choice and minimal finishing requirements. The reliance on garter stitch eliminates the need to manage complex stitch patterns or color changes, while the modular construction method breaks the project into logical, manageable sections. This approach allows newer knitters to build confidence and understanding of garment shaping and construction principles without overwhelming complexity.