Chic Tank – Crochet Pattern Review

This post contains affiliate links for LoveCrochet and Leisure Arts. If you make a purchase by clicking on them, I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

I recently joined Leisure Arts affiliate program – basically, I have a unique code that I put into their link, then I share their products with you, and if you make a purchase, I get a small commission. It really helps me be able to purchase yarn, books, patterns and all the all goodies that I use here on the blog.

The first book I purchased with the affiliate program in mind, was the Super Simple Summer Tops book. I have really been wanting to start designing garments, so I thought this would be a good book to start out with. The main thing that caught my eye, and I really like about this book, is that all of the tops in this book are made using the moss stitch as a base – in this case, the Chic Tank is all moss stitch, with a small mesh area at the stomach, which I left out because I didn’t want to have to wear a tank top underneath my finished crocheted tank top. You may be asking what is so special about them all using the same stitch pattern, well, the simple fact that you can use one stitch pattern, and come out with 100 different looks. This book is more about learning about the simple shaping, and assembly of each garment.

I did consider adding the mesh part up just above the armhole shaping, but I had forgotten by the time I got there, so I ended up using only the solid moss stitch pattern throughout the whole top. Now, you could add more of the mesh pattern throughout the piece as you work, or you could have it only on the front piece or only on the back piece, you could work the top in color blocks, or alternate colors every other row for a neat vertical striping affect… The possibilities are endless!

Materials I Used:

• 1110 Yards (or 3.5 skeins) of Premier Yarns Cotton Fair (Lightweight #3) in the Peachy colorway
• H8/5mm Crochet Hook
• G6/4.25mm Crochet Hook for Neck & Arm Edging Only
• Tapestry Needle for Weaving and Sewing
• Super Simple Summer Tops Book, Designs by Melissa Leapman Blowney for Leisure Arts

Material Notes:

Yarn Alternatives: Berroco’s Modern Cotton DK is what I might substitute the Cotton Fair yarn for. Original pattern states to use a Fine (#2) Weight Yarn, and they use Lion Brand’s Vanna’s Glamour Yarn. Keep in mind if you choose to use Glamour Yarn – the metallic in it is itchy, so you will need to wear a tank top/cami underneath.

Time Spent:

I worked my top up in several seatings for a total of about 18 and a half hours.

Measurements:

Pattern is written in sizes Small through 3X. I worked the Medium size. Patterns given measurements for this size are 19.75″ Wide (39.5″ in circumference) by 24″ in Length.

My finished measurements came to be 19 1/8″ Wide (38.25″ in circumference) by 24.25″ in Length.

For reference, I have a 39″ bust.

My Gauge:

Following written gauge pattern, 4 1/8″ by 4.5″, while original pattern gauge is 4″ square.

Pattern Notes:

Pattern notes in book do not specify, but Row 2 of body should be worked into the back bumps to create a clean, straight edge. There will not be any edgings worked along the bottom later.

In case it catches you off guard too… Armhole shaping states that “each single crochet and chain 1 space counts as one stitch”. At first, I thought it was as a pair and worked as such, come to find out that it is each individually, so I ripped back, and reworked.

One thing when working the first round of the edging, at the corner points where the sleeves meet the body, don’t work into this stitch – skip it to avoid bunching, this goes for the neck edging and the armhole edging.

When it came time to work the neck and armhole edgings, I ran into a ruffle problem, as you can see in the photo above. After completing the whole neck edging, I realized there was a bad ruffle, but only going across, and perfect going up and down the sleeves. This happens when there is too many stitches, or too close together. What I did to compensate for this, I worked in every other stitch along the portions that go across, and worked as written in every stitch going up and down the sleeves.

I also faced the same ruffling problem in the sleeves, except only on the back side. Because of what I experienced with the across part from the neck edging, I figured it might happen on the armhole edgings too, so I worked the bottom part in every other stitch, but I also worked in every other stitch along the back piece from the top shoulder seam down to the bottom corner. Then I worked in every stitch from the top shoulder seam along the front side.

One thing I wanted to point out after finishing the assembly, and I put on, the sides right about at my ribs don’t sit that well. Looking back at the image in the book, I can see this too, but I just assumed it was related to the mesh on the bottom. Now I see that it is more because the this spot of the top is too large. I am interested in working up another top, but I am not sure how I would tackle this spot… I am sure if I worked a piece better sized – ie work to 37″ circumference to stretch to 39″, that it would fit sit better. Secondly, a smaller hook size could be used in the center part of the top to bring it in, but I think finding the right spot to switch hooks could prove more difficult than just working a smaller, more fitted top. If I would up another top, I will update you then. I still plan on wearing this one out, and I can’t wait!

Here’s what the back looks like.

And that’s it! New summer tank top is ready to wear!

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