Army Top in Allino in BC Garn - 2224BC - Downloadable PDF

Army Top in Allino by Lene Holme Samsøe

What is Being Made

The Army Top is a contemporary knitted garment designed by Lene Holme Samsøe for BC Garn. This pullover-style top features a structured silhouette available in four sizes ranging from Small to Extra Large, with bust measurements from 88 cm to 112 cm and a total length of 71 to 72 cm depending on size. The design incorporates thoughtful details including lapels and mock pockets on the front, while the back maintains a cleaner, simpler construction without these embellishments.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques. The garment is constructed using a combination of garter stitch and stocking stitch (also called stockinette), which creates visual and textural contrast throughout the piece. The front and back pieces are worked separately using both straight needles and circular needles, allowing the knitter to manage the construction in manageable sections before assembly. Shaping is achieved through strategic increases and decreases, including the K2tog (knit two stitches together) decrease method, which helps create the garment's fitted proportions.

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch: Created by knitting in all rows, this stitch appears on the back piece where 4 rows are worked before transitioning to the main stitch pattern, providing a textured foundation and edge definition
• Stocking Stitch (Stockinette): The primary stitch throughout most of the garment, created by knitting on the right side and purling on the wrong side, producing a smooth, classic fabric
• K2tog (Knit Two Together): A right-leaning decrease used for shaping the garment
• Slip Stitch and Pass Slipped Stitch Over (psso): Techniques used in the decrease sequences for refined shaping

Materials

This pattern calls for ALLINO yarn from BC Garn in the colorway army green, a DK weight yarn. The yardage requirements vary by size: 350 grams for sizes Small and Medium, 400 grams for Large, and 450 grams for Extra Large. The pattern specifies circular needles in size 3mm (available in 60 cm or 80 cm lengths) for the initial cast-on and ribbing sections, and circular needles in size 3½mm (80 cm length) along with straight needles of the same size for the main body construction. The recommended tension is 24 stitches by 29 rows over a 10 by 10 centimeter swatch worked in stocking stitch using the 3½mm needles, which helps ensure proper fit and drape of the finished garment.