Here I am, continuing to knit more geographically and seasonally appropriate pieces, even as we get into late summer. I’m sure I’ll get back into knitting sweaters soon, but these summer pieces are bringing me a lot more joy, especially as I wear them out in public.
This Thea tank was my first adventure into brioche knitting and I was so glad it wasn’t actually as difficult as I expected. At least, it wasn’t bad once I got the hang of it. I knit a size large and would do a size large again if I wanted to remake this top.
I used Explorer Knits Rockies DK Yarn in Docile (part of her Into the Wild Collection, and regrettably ran out right as I was nearing the finish line. For those of you who don’t knit, we call it “playing yarn chicken.” I lost. I used a total of 3 skeins of the Rockies DK and cast off the neckline and knit the I-cord ties using Big Little Yarn Co. Superwash Merino DK in Haru.
It probably took me between 25-30 hours to finish this top but I can’t be sure. I know I finished the back portion in approximately a day of straight knitting and Netflix and I did end up having to frog the whole project at least once. I ended up frogging a few parts and having to re-knit large sections, which I’m glad I did in the end. However, learning to frog brioche knitting and correctly pick up the stitches was a bit of work. (Spoiler alert: there are still a few errors in the back that I’m hoping no one notices.)
I consider myself to be a somewhere between a beginner and intermediate knitter and had no problem completing this top. Like I said, it was my first go at brioche knitting, but the instructions were clear and anything is possible with the help of YouTube.
Blocking the top also helped even out my stitches a lot, which is not usually I do with my knits.
I styled this top with my favorite pair of denim shorts, a vintage belt, and white boots for a more summer-to-fall transition look but I think this top would also look cute with a pair of solid black denim and platform sandals.
Get the knitting pattern HERE.
