A sleeveless early-1950s top made for summer afternoons with a full skirt. Plain stockinette rises from a deep ribbed waistband, with cut-in armholes and a high ribbed mock-turtle collar knitted in the round. Just two pieces, so it makes a lovely first vintage knit.

Fit

Close-fitting, about 2½ in (6–7 cm) of ease at the bust; waist length

Skill level

Easy. Two almost identical plain pieces, with a collar knitted in the round.

Sizes

US 4 to 24 (UK 8 to 28, EU 36 to 56): 32 to 52 in (81 to 132 cm) bust

Knit it

Your choice when you make your pattern: flat, in pieces, as the original, or in the round to the underarms, with no side seams.

Yarns

Fingering / 4-ply, DK / light worsted, Worsted / Aran

Original yarn

Fingering (4-ply), at about 28 sts and 36 rows to 4 in (10 cm) over stockinette. For the closest match to the photo, use a yarn that knits to this gauge.

Gauge

Your own, from 18 to 34 stitches per 4 in (10 cm)

You get

Your complete pattern straight away, to read on screen, print or save, plus an email link back to it

Bulky (chunky) yarn isn't offered: the ribbed waist and high collar would be too thick.

What you'll get

• Every piece written out in full for your size and gauge
• Row counts with the length to check against, so you always know where you are
• Row-by-row planners for the tricky bits, where shaping happens on both edges at once
• Drawings of each piece with your measurements, and full making-up instructions

Every design is chosen by a knitter and checked against its original pattern. If you get stuck, email us and a real person will help.

No swatch? You can use the gauge on your yarn's label. For a perfect fit, knit a swatch and measure it over plain stockinette on your main needles. Here's how to measure your gauge.