Banda Top in Berroco Seaspun - Downloadable PDF

Banda Top in Berroco Seaspun — Knitting Pattern by Alison Green

The Banda Top is a beautifully structured knitted pullover top designed by Alison Green and published by Berroco. Worked in Berroco Seaspun yarn, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a fitted-to-relaxed top with a decorative lace yoke and clean, seamless construction. It is available as a downloadable PDF and is an excellent project for knitters ready to move beyond basic garment shaping.

What Is Being Made

The Banda Top is a pullover-style knitted top designed with a shaped yoke and a flattering silhouette. It is offered in a wide range of sizes, with a finished bust measurement spanning (35, 39½, 44¼) [48¾, 53¼, 58] {62½, 67, 71½} inches, accommodating a broad spectrum of body sizes. The pattern recommends 2–4 inches of positive ease, meaning the finished garment is intended to be slightly larger than the wearer's actual bust measurement for a comfortable, relaxed fit. The sample shown in the pattern photography is worked in size 48¾ inches. Finished lengths range from approximately 19½ to 23 inches depending on size, making this a cropped-to-hip-length top suitable for a variety of styling preferences.

Construction Method

The Banda Top is worked in one piece from the neck down, a popular seamless construction method that eliminates the need for seaming and allows knitters to try on the garment as they go. The yoke is shaped using short rows, a technique that adds depth and curvature to the back neck and shoulder area without increasing stitch counts globally. This results in a more tailored fit across the shoulders and a yoke that sits naturally on the body. Working top-down in the round is a hallmark of modern seamless garment knitting and is particularly well-suited to intermediate knitters who are comfortable with circular needle techniques and basic shaping.

Techniques Used

• Top-down seamless construction — the entire garment is worked in one piece from the neck downward, eliminating finishing seams
• Short row yoke shaping — used to create a curved, well-fitting yoke that follows the natural slope of the shoulders
• Working in the round — the body and yoke are knitted circularly on both 16-inch and 32-inch circular needles
• Lace patterning — a repeating 12-stitch lace motif is featured prominently in the yoke, worked either from written instructions or a provided chart
• Stitch marker use — five stitch markers are required, including one in a contrasting color to mark the beginning of the round
• Holding stitches on waste yarn — used during construction to separate sleeve and body stitches, a standard technique in top-down seamless garments

Stitches Used

The Banda Top features a combination of foundational and decorative knitting stitches. The body is worked primarily in Stockinette stitch (knit every round when working in the round), which forms the smooth, classic fabric of the garment. The yoke features a detailed lace pattern stitch worked over a multiple of 12 stitches across 11 rounds. Specific stitches within the lace pattern include:

• Yarn over (yo) — creates decorative eyelets and adds stitches as part of the lace motif
• Central Double Decrease (CDD) — a three-stitch decrease that removes two stitches while keeping the center stitch on top, creating a neat, symmetrical decrease line central to the lace design
• SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit) — a left-leaning decrease used within the lace pattern for directional shaping
• K2tog (Knit Two Together) — a right-leaning decrease paired with SSK to create mirrored lace decreases
• Knit — plain knit stitches form the structure between lace elements and make up the even-numbered rounds of the lace repeat

The lace pattern stitch is worked from either