Billhook Tank

Billhook Tank by Holli Yeoh

What is Being Made

The Billhook Tank is a fitted sleeveless top designed for minimal ease wear. This knitted garment features an elegantly shaped hemline and is constructed to provide a clean, tailored silhouette. The tank is available in nine sizes, ranging from 30" to 62" bust measurements, with corresponding length adjustments from 22¼" to 24¼". The design is intended to be worn with between 1" negative ease to 1" positive ease, allowing for a customized fit depending on personal preference and the specific yarn chosen.

Construction and Techniques

The Billhook Tank is worked in the round from the bottom up, a construction method that creates a seamless garment with continuous circular knitting. This approach eliminates side seams and allows for precise shaping throughout the piece. The waist shaping is accomplished through strategic decreases that are visually enhanced by a lace pattern running up both sides of the tank. This integration of functional shaping with decorative lace creates definition at the waist while adding visual interest to the garment.

The shoulder construction employs an English-tailored shoulder technique, a sophisticated finishing method that wraps the front shoulders around to the back. This tailored approach creates a clean, professional fit at the neckline and shoulder area, distinguishing this tank from simpler tank designs.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern incorporates lace stitches as a central design element. The lace pattern serves a dual purpose: it creates the waist shaping through strategic yarn overs and decreases while simultaneously adding an elegant, openwork detail to the sides of the garment. This combination of structural and decorative elements is characteristic of intermediate-level knitting design.

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Billhook Tank is designed for DK weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that provides excellent stitch definition for lace patterns. Yardage requirements range from 560 yards for the smallest size (30" bust) to 1040 yards for the largest size (62" bust), with graduated yardage for each of the nine size options.

The pattern showcases the design in two specific yarn options. The grey sample was knitted using Harrisville Designs Silk Wool Blend, a luxury yarn combining 50% silk and 50% wool fibers. This blend offers the lustrous sheen of silk with the elasticity and warmth of wool, available at 175 yards per 1.75 ounce skein. An alternative option is Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima, a premium cotton yarn that provides a different aesthetic and drape while maintaining compatibility with the DK weight specification.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, reflecting the combination of circular knitting, waist shaping, lace pattern work, and tailored shoulder construction. Knitters should be comfortable with in-the-round knitting techniques, reading lace charts, and executing decreases before beginning this project.