French Blue Top

This lacy knit top pattern is great for a breezy summer's day!

French Blue Top

Look pretty and polished in the French Blue Top. This darling lace knit top pattern features a beautiful leaf-like lace yoke and a simple stockinette stitch body. Garter stitch edging completes the charming look of this elegant top.

With sizing instructions from extra-small all the way up to quadruple extra-large, the French Blue Top is the perfect option for a variety of body types. While most knitted tops can be nice and warm, the short sleeves and carefully placed eyelets in this pattern make it great for summer and spring.

Intermediate

Knitting Needle Size8 or 5 mm, 9 or 5.5 mm, Circular Knitting Needles, Double-Pointed Knitting Needles (DPNs)

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Gauge15 sts and 21 rows = 4 ins [10 cm] with larger needles in stocking st.

Materials List

Bernat® Bamboo (60 g / 2.1 oz); 63 yards / 57 meters
Sizes 5 mm (U.S. 8) and 5.5 mm (U.S. 9) circular knitting needles 24 ins [60 cm] long. Set of four 5.5 mm (U.S. 9) double-pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge.

Pattern

SIZES

To fit bust measurement
Extra-Small/Small 28-34 ins [ 71-86.5 cm ]; Medium 36-38 ins [ 91.5-96.5 cm ]; Large 40-42 ins [ 101.5-106.5 cm ]; Extra-Large 44-46 ins [ 112-117 cm ]; 2/3 Extra-Large 48-54 ins [ 122-137 cm ]; 4/5 Extra-Large 56-62 ins [ 142-157.5 cm ]

Finished bust
X-Small/Small 36 ins [ 91.5 cm ]; Medium 40½ins [ 103 cm ]; Large 44¾ins [ 113.5 cm ]; X-Large 48 ins [ 122 cm ]; 2/3 X-Large 57½ ins [ 146 cm ]; 4/5 X-Large 65 ins [ 165 cm ]

INSTRUCTIONS

The instructions are written for smallest size. If changes are necessary for larger sizes the instructions will be written thus ( ). When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes. For ease in working, circle all numbers pertaining to your size.

Neckband
With smaller circular needle, cast on 55 (60-65-70-80-90) sts. Join in rnd. Place marker on first st.
1st rnd: Purl.
2nd rnd:Knit.
Rep last 2 rnds once more.

Change to larger circular needle and proceed as follows:
**1st rnd: *K2. yfwd. K1. yfwd. K2. Rep from * around.
2nd and alt rnds:Knit.
3rd rnd: *K3. yfwd. K1. yfwd. K3. Rep from * around.
5th rnd:*yfwd. K4. yfwd. K1. yfwd. K4. Rep from * around.
6th rnd: *KB1. K11. Rep from * around.
7th rnd:*KB1. yfwd. Sl1. K1. psso. K3. yfwd. K1. yfwd. K3. K2tog. yfwd. Rep from * around.
8th rnd: *KB1. K13. Rep from * around.
9th rnd: *KB1. yfwd. Sl2. K1. P2sso. K3. yfwd. K1. yfwd. K3. K3tog. yfwd. Rep from * around.
10th rnd: As 8th rnd.
11th and 12th rnds:As 9th and 8th rnds once more.
13th rnd: *KB1. yfwd. K1. yfwd. Sl1. K1. psso. K7. K2tog. yfwd. K1. yfwd. Rep from * around.
14th rnd: *KB1. K15. Rep from * around.
15th rnd: *KB1. yfwd. K3. yfwd. Sl1. K1. psso. K5. K2tog. yfwd. K3. yfwd. Rep from * around.
16th rnd: *KB1. K17. Rep from * around.
17th rnd: *KB1. (yfwd. Sl1. K1. psso. K3) twice. K2tog. yfwd. K3. K2tog. yfwd. Rep from * around.
18th rnd: As 16th rnd.
19th rnd: *KB1. (yfwd. Sl1. K1. psso. K1) 3 times. (K2tog. yfwd. K1) twice. K2tog. yfwd. Rep from * around.
20th rnd: As 16th rnd.
21st rnd:*KB1. yfwd. Sl1. K1. psso. (K1. yfwd) twice. Sl1. K1. psso. K1. yfwd. Sl1. K2tog. psso. yfwd. K1. K2tog. (yfwd. K1) twice. K2tog. yfwd. Rep from * around. 220 (240- 260-280-320-360) sts. 22nd rnd: *KB1. K19. Rep from * around.
23rd rnd: *KB1. yfwd. Sl1. K2tog. psso. yfwd. K3. yfwd. Sl1. K2tog. psso. yfwd. Rep from * around.
24th rnd: *KB1. K9. Rep from * around.
25th rnd: *KB1. yfwd. Sl1. K1. psso. K5. K2tog. yfwd. Rep from * around.
26th rnd: As 24th rnd.

Sizes 2/3XL and 4/5XL only:
Knit
7 rnds even.
Next rnd: *M1. K20. Rep from * around. (336-378) sts.

All sizes:
Knit 4 (8-12-14-12-12) rnds even.

Divide for Body and Sleeves
Next rnd: Slip first 46 (48-50-54-64-71) sts onto a length of yarn for Right Sleeve. Cast on 4 sts (left underarm). K64 (72-80-86-104-118) for Front. Slip next 46 (48-50-54-64-71) sts onto a length of yarn for Right Sleeve. Cast on 4 sts (left underarm). K64 (72-80-86-104-118). 136 (152-168-180-216-244) sts for Front and Back.

Knit in rnds even until work from dividing rnd measures 9 (9-9½-12- 14-15) ins [23 (23-24-30.5-35.5- 38) cm], dec 5 sts evenly across last rnd. 131 (147-163-175-211-239) sts.

Change to smaller circular needle and proceed as follows:
1st rnd: Purl.
2nd rnd: Knit.
Rep last 2 rnds twice more, then 1st rnd once. Cast off.

Sleeves
With RS of work facing, slip 46 (48-50-54-64-71) sts from spare yarn onto 3 double-pointed needles. Pick up and knit 4 sts across underarm body sts. Divide sts evenly and join in rnd. 50 (52-54-58-68- 75) sts.
1st rnd: Purl.
2nd rnd: Knit.
Rep last 2 rnds twice more, then 1st rnd once. Cast off.

FINISHING

Pin garment to measurements. Cover with a damp cloth, leaving cloth to dry.

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Bonita 3000

May 22, 2022

I can't get the French blue free top to print out

AnnaGH

Sep 15, 2021

90 stitches does not fit a 24" circular so I used 16" but that fits tight over my head. Is the stitch count correct for cast on?

Lisa

Sep 17, 2021

This pattern is old, it's been on here for more than 10 years and the yarn was discontinued almost that long ago. There are a lot of comments on the ravelry listing for the pattern about issues with the pattern but no one has mentioned the cast on being a problem, however I did notice that this websites states worsted weight yarn, when bamboo naturals was in fact a bulky weight yarn.

ksmilano 2540334

Mar 25, 2020

Does the KB men to knit in the back of the stitch or to knit below?

AnnaGH

Sep 15, 2021

Yes

AnnaGH

Sep 15, 2021

Knit back

conbran 9273380

May 05, 2019

Okay, ive restarted this 8 times and now know that row 5 does not fit the amount of sts. I'm using 70 sts and on row 5 I have 110 sts. HELP !

nanashopper 240223 5

Aug 26, 2017

I'm about to start the Finishing part of this sweater, and I'm a bit nervous about the dble sided needles and "pick up 4 sts at underarm". Can someone help? Can I use a 12" circular needle instead to finish the sleeves?

helenedi 9145744

Jun 30, 2017

j'ai tricot ce chandail, mais je l'ai modifi. J'ai fait le corps plus long, 15 po au lieu de 9 pour la grandeur mdium. J'ai aussi fait les manches longues, j'ai juste continuer droit en j'ai rapetiss jusqu' 39 mailles ensuite droit jusqu'au poignet. Trs confortable pour les soires fraiches.

rhinsepp 7573162

Jun 29, 2017

I have started to knit this top, but I am stuck on row 6,I have rnd 1 98 sts, rnd 3 126 sts and rnd 5 154 sts. Kb1,K11 that is 12 sts into 154 it does not even out. What am I doing wrong?

conbran 9273380

May 05, 2019

When I get to row 7 it doesn't deem to have correct amount of sts. Doesn't come out even. Is there a correvtion for this pattern?

Granhill4 1317032

Jun 02, 2017

I have worked and worked on this sweater but cannot get the holes to line up as shown in the photo. Is it possible that row 3 is incorrect?

rhinsepp 7573162

Jun 29, 2017

I did it 3 times because I had trouble. After you do round 1, I am size M, I started with 70 sts, 98 sts. For my size there is a 14 st increase.

rhinsepp 7573162

Jun 29, 2017

I did not explain it right. Each yfwd is a st, it is therefore 28 sts.

nanashopper 240223 5

May 18, 2017

I'm planning on making this top, so I'm practicing on some stash yarn. I'm having a real problem with the # of sts. Pattern reads 280 sts on needle after rnd 21. I ended with many more sts at that point! What am I doing wrong?

averilwhite 587356 6

Jun 05, 2017

Really? I end up 100 stitches short by that point! I've tried three times... I'm just running with it and seeing how it turns out.

Pichu

Mar 13, 2017

I don't understand the "Divide for Body and Sleeves" section. Seems there are two right sleeves and two left underarms mentioned in it. I'm not experienced enough at knitting to guess whether the actual stitch numbers and sequence of slipping onto holder and casting on new stitches makes sense or not, but the fact that the right and left are so confused does not fill me with confidence. (

Lisa

Apr 17, 2017

The instructions for the division of the piece are correct, the references to what they are for are not.

lynda

Jan 25, 2017

I love this sweater/top. I don't knit with circulars. can someone tell me how to knit this sweater/top with two needles? thanx!!!

JILL033

May 15, 2016

There is an error on round 2 of the pattern, it should read Round 2 round 4 knit. Not each alt round. As a beginner lace knitter I couldn't understand why my pattern was not coming out right, I was carefully following the instructions, but each time it didn't look right, the 'holes' were missing. I then kept reading the pattern over over again, I could practically recite the darn thing! then the light dawned, I only had to knit alt rounds once!!! Now it looks ok.

puffins43 9796683

Feb 04, 2016

Round 7 ends with a yfwd, do you do that and essentially add a stitch to begin round 8?

JILL033

May 15, 2016

No it just completes the repeat. The yfwd should be before your stitch marker that ends your round. I put a stitch marker for every other pattern repeat a different type of marker to mark the beginning of the round, then you see the yfwd before each stitch marker.

beccadeshaw 608831 4

Apr 17, 2015

I don't believe you read the question from Knittingnut correctly. Of course there is a neck band but AFTER the neck band the pattern shows rnd 1 then says rnd 2 and alt. are knit then it goes on with rnd 3 (assumption is that rnd 4 is knit). Next it numbers EVERY rnd so the row after 5 is a repeat of 2? And after 6 you repeat rnd 2? etc for the rnds labeled 7 through 26?

ChefJan

May 01, 2015

I was confused at first too until I read it over a few times. In essence the even rnds are knit just like rnds 2 and 4. The only change is the KB1 at the beginning of each "set." I found it very helpful to put a stitch marker at the end of each "set" so I could easily count the stitches and make sure I hadn't forgotten to do a yfwd. That also helps on the knit row. For example, rnd 6 has 12 stitches between each set. KB1 11. That matches the number of stitches you did in rnd 5 with the yfwds. Hope this helps. It's a bit difficult to put in words, but it made sense to me with the help of the markers.

Knittingnut

May 21, 2014

When changing to the larger circular needle right after the neck, it says the 2nd and alternate rounds are Knit, but then it goes on to give pattern instructions for rounds 6, 8, 10, etc. Please clarify.

Lisa

Jul 21, 2014

you are mis reading the pattern. the first set of instructions are only for the neck band after that is completed you move on to the next set of instructions.

kkeith 6687289

May 08, 2014

I would like to make this beautiful top, but can't find the yardage amount needed for a Med or large. Can you help out? Many thanks/

ahuggett592014 886 5150

May 09, 2014

We've included the yardage of the recommended yarn in the pattern; just multiply the number of skeins recommended in the sizing chart by the yardage for the yarn. For example, a Medium would require 536 yards of yarn. Editors of AllFreeKnitting

ahuggett572014 076 6998

May 07, 2014

We have edited the pattern to include the missing information. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Editors of AllFreeKnitting

trevorhughes 97351 55

May 07, 2014

I would like to make this top but unfortunately there are no quantities for the yarn for the different sizes. please could you let me know the quantities required.

bjdodd

Dec 20, 2014

Each ball or skein of bamboo is 63 yards or 57 meters so multiply the yards by the amount of balls or skien for your size needed = total amount of yards or meters.