Solene Top MODE Collection in Rowan Summerlite 4ply and Kidsilk Haze PDF

Solène Top – MODE Collection by Quail Studio in Rowan Summerlite 4ply and Kidsilk Haze

The Solène Top is a beautifully refined women's knitted top from the MODE Collection, designed by Quail Studio and published as a downloadable PDF pattern. Worked in a sophisticated combination of two Rowan yarns held together throughout, this intermediate-level project produces a lightweight, elegant top with delicate textural details, a shaped front, and distinctive armhole frills that give it a distinctly feminine character.

What Is Being Made

The Solène Top is a fitted women's knitted top designed to be worn close to the body. It features a structured ribbed hem, a stocking stitch body, a shaped back neck and shoulder construction, and decorative frills at the armholes. A front band with 4 buttons completes the design, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for warmer seasons. The pattern is sized across a wide range, fitting actual chest measurements from 86 cm (33¾ in) up to 167.5 cm (66 in), covering nine sizes in total to suit a broad range of body types.

Yarns and Materials

The pattern calls for two specific Rowan yarns used together as a single strand throughout the entire project:

• Rowan Summerlite 4ply (50g balls) – used as Yarn A in shade Pure White 417. This is a smooth, lightweight 4ply yarn, ideal for warm-weather knitting, providing the structural base of the fabric.
• Rowan Kidsilk Haze (25g balls) – used as Yarn B in shade White 612. Kidsilk Haze is a luxurious lace-weight yarn made from kid mohair and silk, which adds a soft halo, subtle sheen, and an airy, cloud-like quality to the finished fabric when held alongside the Summerlite 4ply.

Holding a 4ply yarn together with a lace-weight mohair-silk blend is a well-established technique in Rowan design. The combination produces a fabric that is both defined and softly luminous, with the mohair haze blurring the stitch definition just enough to create a delicate, elevated finish. The all-white palette of both yarns keeps the tonal result clean and crisp.

Ball quantities vary by size, with Yarn A requiring 6 to 8 balls and Yarn B requiring 5 to 7 balls depending on the size being knitted.

Needles and Tools

The Solène Top requires the following needles:

• 1 pair of 3mm (no 11) (US 2/3) straight needles – used for the main body sections.
• Two 3mm (no 11) (US 2/3) circular needles, each no more than 40 cm long – used specifically for working the decorative armhole frills.
• One 3mm (no 11) (US 2/3) circular needle, at least 120 cm long – used for working the front band, which runs the full length of the garment opening and requires a long cable to accommodate the stitch count comfortably.

Additionally, 4 buttons are required to fasten the front band.

Tension

The stated tension for this pattern is 30 stitches and 36 rows to 10 cm, measured over stocking stitch using 3mm (US 2/3) needles with one strand each of Yarn A and Yarn B held together. Achieving correct tension is particularly important in this design given the close fit and the wide range of sizes offered. Knitters are advised to swatch carefully before beginning.

Techniques Used

The Solène Top employs a range of knitting techniques appropriate for an intermediate skill level:

• Rib stitch – The hem is worked in a K2, P2 rib pattern, providing elasticity and a neat, structured lower edge. The rib section measures 10 cm before transitioning to the main body fabric.
• Stocking stitch – The body of the top, including