Designed & Knit by Fiber Fiend
Difficulty: Intermediate

This lace-ribbed tank is knit from the bottom up in two coordinating colors of luscious Panda Silk DK. The beautiful sheen and soft drape of this yarn make it wonderful to wear next to the skin or over a thin camisole on a beautiful summer day. The simple lace pattern is easy to memorize. A wide variety of sizes is provided from XS through 3X.

Size
XS [S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X] (Model shown in Size S)

Finished Measurements
Chest: 30.5 [34.2, 38.5, 42.9, 45.8, 50.2, 54.5] inches
Length: 19.5 [20, 20.25, 20.5, 20.75, 21, 21.25] inches

Materials
MC: Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Silk DK [52% bamboo, 43% merino, 5% combed silk; 120 yd per 50g ball]; color: #6008 Mint Cream; 3 [3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5] balls
CC: Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Silk DK; color: #1012 Misty Meadow (1012); 1 [1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2] ball(s)
1 - Crystal Palace Bamboo 26-inch US #5/3.75 mm circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge
1 set US #5/3.75 mm straight needles (or use the circular) for straps
Stitch Markers
Stitch holders or waste yarn
Tapestry needle

Gauge
22 sts/30 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

Abbreviations
Beg: Beginning; CC: Contrast color; DPNs: Double-pointed needles; K: Knit; K2tog: Knit two together; MC: Main color; Mkr: Marker; P: Purl; P2tog: Purl two together; Rep: Repeat; Rnd: Round; RS: Right Side; Sl: Slip; SSK: Slip, slip, knit: slip two stitches knitwise, then knit them together; SSP: Slip, slip, purl: slip two stitches purlwise, then purl them together; St: Stitch
WS: Wrong Side

Pattern

Body
Using MC, cast on 168 [186, 210, 234, 252, 276, 300] sts. Place marker and join, being careful not to twist.
Starting with a round 4, work in lace rib pattern until piece measures 9 [9.5, 9.75, 10, 10.25, 10.5, 10.25] inches. Cut MC.
Under-Bust Color Band
Join CC and work in Moss Stitch for 1.5 inches. Cut CC.
Armhole and Neckline Shaping
Join MC and work in stockinette stitch for 2.5 [2, 1.5, 1, 0.5, 0, 0] inches before beginning armhole shaping. Knit 84 [93, 105, 117, 126, 138, 150] sts, place mkr, work until 4 sts before end of rnd, bind off 8 sts, work until 4 sts before mkr, bind off 8 sts, work until end of rnd. You will now work the front and back of the sweater separately.

Back
You will now work back and forth, starting with a WS row. After the first inch of armhole shaping, you will switch to CC and begin neckline shaping. Decrease at armhole every row 2 [4, 4, 6, 8, 8, 8] times. Then decrease at armhole every RS row 3 [3, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9] times. Slip the first stitch of every row for a nice edge.

WS Dec Row: Sl 1, p1 p2tog, p to last 4 sts, ssp p2.
RS Dec Row: Sl 1, k1 ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog k2.

AT THE SAME TIME, after the first inch of armhole shaping, cut MC. Join CC and work in moss stitch for one inch, continuing armhole shaping. End with a RS row. On the next row, bind off center 44 [49, 49, 55, 60, 64, 74] sts in pattern, work to end of row. Work the left back separately, switching to straight needles if you prefer, continuing in moss stitch, including any remaining armhole shaping, until piece measures 19.5 [20, 20.25, 20.5, 20.75, 21, 21.25] inches from the hem to the end of the strap you’re working. End with a RS row. Place sts on stitch holder or waste yarn. Cut yarn.

Join CC at right back edge and work the right back separately, including any remaining armhole shaping, until piece measures 19.5 [20, 20.25, 20.5, 20.75, 21, 21.25] inches, from the hem to the end of the strap you’re working. End with a RS row. Place sts on stitch holder or waste yarn. Cut yarn.

Front
Join yarn and work as for back.

Finishing
Graft straps together. Weave in all ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Fiber Fiend lives in the SF Bay Area with her husband and 3 dogs. Half-time engineer, half-time knitwear designer and fiber/yarn entrepreneur, Fiber Fiend, chronicles her progress in dyeing, spinning, knitting, and the social politics of pack life at fiberfiend.com/blog   If you have any problems with or questions about the pattern, check out the Fiber Fiends Ravelry group or check the link to the pattern on Ravelry www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aria-2

Fiber Fiends Ravelry Group:
www.ravelry.com/groups/fiber-fiends