Astrid Top in MODE at Rowan Cotton DK

Astrid Top in MODE at Rowan Cotton DK

What is Being Made

The Astrid Top is a knitted garment designed by Quail Studio, available in both striped and solid colorway options. This top is suitable for a wide range of sizes, with finished chest measurements ranging from 91cm (35¾ inches) to 171cm (67¼ inches), accommodating chest fits from 71-76cm (28-30 inches) up to 152-157cm (60-62 inches). The pattern offers versatility in construction, allowing knitters to choose between a two-color striped version or a single solid color version, with the photographed sample shown in Sapphire 015.

Techniques and Construction Methods

The Astrid Top employs fundamental knitting techniques suitable for advanced beginner level knitters. The garment is constructed using stockinette stitch as the primary fabric, creating a smooth, classic knit surface. The pattern incorporates shaping techniques for the shoulders and back neck, requiring knitters to work increases and decreases to achieve proper fit and garment structure. For the striped version, color work is introduced through a stripe sequence that alternates between two yarn colors, with each color section worked for 2cm in stockinette stitch before switching to the next color. The pattern uses stitch holders to manage stitches during the neck shaping process, allowing the knitter to work each side of the neck separately while keeping remaining stitches secured.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch (st st): The primary stitch throughout the garment, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing the classic smooth knit fabric with horizontal bumps on the reverse
• Stitch Holders: Used to temporarily secure stitches during neck shaping, allowing the knitter to work one side of the neckline before returning to work the other side

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: MODE at Rowan Cotton DK weight yarn is used throughout the pattern. For the striped version, two colors are required: Pearl 010 (color A) and Latte 012 (color B), with yardage requirements varying by size from 3 balls of Pearl and 3 balls of Latte for the smallest size (71-76cm chest) up to 7 balls of Pearl and 6 balls of Latte for the largest size (152-157cm chest). Each ball contains 50 grams of yarn. The solid version requires 6 to 13 balls depending on size, with the photographed sample worked in Sapphire 015.

Needles: Two pairs of needles are required. A pair of 3.5mm needles (UK size 10/9, US size 4) is used for ribbing or initial cast-on work, while a pair of 4mm needles (UK size 8, US size 6) is used for the main fabric in stockinette stitch.

Tension: The pattern is worked to a tension of 22 stitches and 28 rows over 10 centimeters when measured over stockinette stitch using the 4mm (US 6) needles. Achieving correct tension is essential for obtaining the proper finished measurements of the garment.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as advanced beginner difficulty, making it accessible to knitters with some foundational experience who are ready to tackle garment construction with shaping. The combination of basic stockinette stitch with simple color work in the striped version and straightforward shoulder and neck shaping techniques provides an ideal progression for developing knitters.