San Francisco Hi-Lo Top - Knitting Pattern for Women in Tahki Yarns Cotton Classic

San Francisco Hi-Lo Top - Knitting Pattern for Women

What is Being Made

The San Francisco Hi-Lo Top is a women's pullover sweater designed by Rosemary Drysdale, featuring a distinctive asymmetrical silhouette with a shorter front and longer back. This knitted garment is available in six sizes ranging from Small to 3X, with bust measurements from 32½ inches (82.5 cm) to 52½ inches (133.5 cm). The front length measures 22 to 24 inches (56 to 61 cm) while the back extends to 26 to 28 inches (66 to 71 cm), creating the signature hi-lo effect that gives the pattern its name.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginners:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The sweater is knitted from the bottom edge upward, allowing for easier fitting adjustments and a more intuitive building process
• Worked Flat: Pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, creating separate front and back panels that are later seamed together
• Seamed Assembly: Individual pieces are joined using seaming techniques, providing structure and clean finishing
• Striped Colorwork: The design incorporates stripes using two contrasting colors—black (A) and sand (B)—creating visual interest and dimension

Stitches and Stitch Details

Garter Stitch forms the foundation of this pattern. Garter stitch is created by knitting every row on both right-side and wrong-side rows, producing a reversible fabric with horizontal ridges. This stitch is ideal for beginners because it requires only knowledge of the basic knit stitch and creates a stable, textured fabric that lies flat without curling. The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches and 22 rows equaling 4 inches (10 cm) in Garter stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

The pattern also includes a Three-Needle Bind-Off technique for finishing, which joins two pieces of knitting together while simultaneously binding off, creating a strong, neat seam typically used for shoulder joins.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The San Francisco Hi-Lo Top is designed to be knitted with Tahki Yarns Cotton Classic, a 100% mercerized cotton yarn. Cotton Classic is available in 1.75-ounce (50-gram) skeins, each containing 108 yards (100 meters) of yarn. The pattern calls for DK weight yarn, which is a lightweight to medium-weight category ideal for creating drape and breathability in summer garments.

Yardage requirements vary by size: Small and Medium sizes require 3 skeins of color #3002 black (A) and 5 skeins of color #3205 sand (B); Large and Medium-Large sizes need 4 skeins of black and 6 skeins of sand; Large-Large and XL sizes require 4 skeins of black and 7 skeins of sand; and 3X size needs 5 skeins of black and 7 skeins of sand.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires the following needles and notions:

• One pair of size 10½ (6.5mm) straight needles for the main body pieces, or the size needed to obtain the specified gauge
• One size 9 (5.5mm) circular needle, 16 inches (40 cm) long, for knitting the neckband
• An extra size 10½ (6.5mm) needle for executing the Three-Needle Bind-Off
• Stitch holders and markers for tracking pattern sections and managing stitches
• A yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming pieces together
• Optional safety pin for securing stitches if needed

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as beginner-friendly, making it an excellent choice for knitters new to garment construction. The use of simple Garter stitch throughout eliminates the complexity of color changes or intricate stitch patterns, while the straightforward bottom-up, flat construction method provides clear progression. Beginners will gain valuable experience with fundamental techniques including casting on, basic stitching, gauge checking, seaming, and finishing without encountering advanced shaping or colorwork challenges.