Square neck top with buttons

Square Neck Summer Top with Buttons by Stefania

What is Being Made

This is a square neck summer top designed by independent designer Stefania. The garment features a distinctive square neckline and button closure details, making it a versatile warm-weather piece suitable for casual wear. The pattern is available in UK sizes 6-8, EU sizes 34-36, and USA sizes 4-6, with clear instructions for scaling up to larger sizes.

Knitting Techniques Used

This beginner-friendly knitting pattern employs several fundamental techniques that make it accessible to newer knitters while creating a polished finished garment. The construction method involves knitting front and back pieces simultaneously on the same needle using two separate balls of yarn, a technique that ensures both sides develop identically and helps maintain consistent tension throughout the garment.

The pattern incorporates ribbed edging to frame the piece and provide structure, while the main body showcases the classic drape and appearance of stocking stitch, which creates a smooth, refined fabric surface. The top features button bands and buttonholes positioned strategically on the front pieces, with careful attention to mirror-image construction (specular knitting) to ensure the left and right sides are perfectly symmetrical.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• 1x1 Ribbing: Used for 3-row borders at both the lower edge and upper edge of the back piece, providing elasticity and a finished appearance
• Stocking Stitch: The primary stitch pattern forming the main body of the garment, created by alternating knit and purl rows to produce a smooth, V-textured fabric
• Buttonholes and Button Bands: Integrated into the front pieces for functional closure and design detail

Materials: Yarn and Needles

This pattern requires sport weight yarn, a lightweight yarn category ideal for summer garments that drape beautifully while maintaining structure. The total yarn length needed is 320 meters, making this an efficient project that doesn't require excessive yardage.

Two needle sizes are specified to create proper fabric tension and structure. Size 4.5 mm needles are used for the ribbed edging sections, which are worked first and last, while size 3.5 mm needles are employed for other sections of the pattern. The gauge is established at 22 stitches and 32 rows per 10 x 10 centimeter square, which is essential information for achieving the correct finished measurements and fit.

Pattern Specifications and Sizing

The back piece begins with 76 cast-on stitches on the 4.5 mm needles. The construction follows a logical progression: 3 rows of 1x1 ribbing establish the lower edge, followed by 89 rows of stocking stitch that form the main body, and concluding with another 3 rows of 1x1 ribbing before binding off at row 96. For larger sizes, the pattern provides clear scaling instructions: add 10 stitches for UK size 10, 20 stitches for UK size 12, and continue this increment for progressively larger sizes.

The front pieces are constructed using an advanced-beginner technique where both the left front piece and right front piece are knitted simultaneously using two separate balls of yarn on the same needle. This method requires careful attention to maintaining the specular (mirror-image) relationship between the two pieces while keeping the buttonhole edge and button edge positioned in the center of the needle for proper alignment.