Women's Boatneck Top in Caron Simply Soft - Downloadable PDF

Women's Boatneck Top in Caron Simply Soft – Knitting Pattern by Lorna Miser

This free, downloadable PDF knitting pattern by designer Lorna Miser provides instructions for a classic women's boatneck top worked in a cheerful two-color stripe. The design is rated intermediate in difficulty and is available in six sizes — Misses' Small through 3X — with finished bust measurements ranging from 40 inches up to 62¼ inches and lengths from 21 to 26 inches, making it a versatile wardrobe staple for a wide range of figures.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a pullover top with a wide boatneck opening and short set-in sleeves. The relaxed silhouette is achieved through simple rectangular construction: the back and front pieces are worked identically, sleeves are shaped by casting on additional stitches at each side rather than seaming in separate sleeve pieces, and the characteristic boatneck is formed by leaving the center 10 inches of the shoulder seam open. The result is a comfortable, casual top suitable for everyday wear.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: Caron Simply Soft (100% acrylic, 6 oz / 170 g, 315 yd / 288 m per skein), an aran-weight yarn. Two colors are used: #9729 Red (MC) and #9701 White (CC). Depending on size, the pattern calls for 2–3 skeins of Red and 2–3 skeins of White.
• Needles: One pair US 8 (5 mm) needles for the main body and one pair US 6 (4 mm) needles for the ribbed cast-on border.
• Additional materials: A stitch holder and a yarn needle for finishing.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches / 10 cm in Stockinette stitch on the larger US 8 needles. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to achieving the correct finished measurements across all six sizes.

Techniques Used

• Knitting is the primary craft throughout the entire pattern.
• Casting on mid-row to shape the integrated short sleeves — stitches are cast on at the beginning of two consecutive rows to extend the body outward and form the sleeve area without a separate sleeve piece.
• Seaming — side seams, underarm seams, and partial shoulder seams are sewn together during finishing using a yarn needle.
• Gauge swatch knitting is strongly recommended before starting the project.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) — used for the main body fabric and forms the base of the stripe pattern.
• Garter stitch (knit every row) — used in two specific ways: first, as a 6-row border worked at the cast-on edge using the smaller needles, and second, as a 5-stitch edge treatment along each side of the sleeve extension to keep the edges flat and tidy. A final 6-row garter stitch section is also worked at the top of each piece before binding off.
• Binding off loosely — specified to ensure the neckline and top edges remain flexible and comfortable.

Stripe Pattern

The two-color horizontal stripe pattern is a simple, satisfying repeat that alternates between the two yarn colors every four rows. Rows 1–4 are worked in Stockinette stitch with White (CC), and Rows 5–8 are worked in Stockinette stitch with Red (MC). This 8-row repeat is continued throughout the body and sleeve sections, with the pattern noting that pieces should always end after Row 4 or Row 8 to keep the stripes aligned. Carrying yarn up the side of the work — a common intermediate technique — minimizes yarn ends and keeps the color changes neat.

Construction Overview

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