The Ivy Top is a light, summery knit worked from the top down in one piece. You start with shoulder shaping and short rows to create a gentle curve at the neckline. The front and back yoke are then worked separately, back and forth, before being joined to work the body seamlessly in the round.
It’s a relaxed, satisfying knit with clean lines and a lovely drape — ideal for warmer days or layering under cardigans.
The recommended yarn grows with washing and wear.
To get the correct fit:
Knit a swatch
Wash and dry it
Measure after blocking
Final gauge:
20 stitches × 28 rows = 10 cm in stockinette on 4 mm needles.
The Ivy Top is designed with approx. 6 cm of negative ease, giving it a smooth, gently fitted silhouette.
75–80 (80–85) 85–90 (90–95)
95–100 (100–110) 110–120
120–130 (130–140) 140–150 cm
74 (79) 84 (89) 94 (104) 114 (124) 134 (144) cm
19 (20) 21 (22) 23 (23) 24 (24) 24 (24) cm
47 (48) 49 (51) 54 (56) 58 (59) 61 (63) cm
Sized correctly, it sits close to the body without feeling tight — but if you prefer a looser fit, simply size up.
This top is knitted with two strands of lightweight yarn held together.
You can use:
Two strands of laceweight, or
Two strands of 4-ply / fingering, or
A light DK / summer blend yarn held double, depending on the fabric you want.
Choose fibres suited to warm-weather knits such as cotton blends, linen blends, silk blends, or soft wool with drape.
Whatever you choose, ensure it meets the final blocked gauge of 20 sts = 10 cm on 4 mm needles.
If you’d like support choosing the right yarn and fibre, just message us — or pop into The Wool Shop in Rangiora and we’ll guide you through the best options.
Here is the meterage needed when holding two strands together (total amounts):
250 (250) 250 (250) 300 (300) 350 (350) 400 (450) g total
≈ 1100 (1100) 1100 (1100) 1320 (1320) 1540 (1540) 1760 (1980) metres
If your chosen yarn has slightly different metreage per ball, we can help you calculate exactly how much you’ll need.
4 mm circular needles in 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 cm
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle
(Optional) DPNs or Magic Loop for smaller circumferences
★★★☆☆ — Intermediate
A clean, approachable summer top with intuitive shaping.
A printed knitting pattern only, ready to slip into your project bag.
(No digital PDF is included.)
We ship same day Mon-Fri for all orders recieved before 2:30pm. Our shippig guidlines for the different areas of NZ can be found here