The URI Tank
No. 10 - can I convince you to try knitting?
I reintroduced myself to knitting a few years back when I decided I needed something to stop my hands from reaching for my phone to scroll while watching TV. I had dabbled in college but it wasn’t love at first cast on. I even started my career at Ralph Lauren working on sweaters with high end Italian mills and it still didn’t really interest me.
Knitting can be, and is, a bit daunting. In the same way you should use the right fabric with the right thread with the right needle with the right interfacing with the right tension with the right pattern for sewing, knitting can go off the rails quick if you don’t have that calculation correct (right yarn weight, right needles, right tension, right cast on, etc.). There’s also the every looming fear of dropping a stitch or miss counting and having to frog the work you just spend hourssss doing. (I recently learned that frogging comes from the audible translation of “rip it”, like rip it out, and how it sounds like “ribbit” which is just too cute)
From what I’ve seen around the maker community you are either in camp sewing or camp knitting and the cross over of this venn diagram is small. Both forms of making take up space (and finances) so it makes sense why you’d choose one over the other. However, if you are like me (and I think you are) the learning, forking up, finally getting it right the 8th time and pure joy of saying “Thanks, I Made It” makes it so so worth it.
With that I present the Uri Tank, my attempt to convince you to try knitting.
The Uri Tank is a racer-esque style top that fits closer in the neck and then grows in the underarm to have a more relaxed fit in the body. It came from this, now very old and worn out, jersey tank I bought from Zara in 2012 that is the most perfect summer silhouette. So for me this tank is what I’d call a summer delight.
It’s breathable in cotton, it sits close to the skin but not too close, it travels well and it’s a relatively quick knit that you can finish and show off before summer ends. It’s great for someone who has a handle on knitting fundamentals (have you made your mom a scarf yet? Ok you’re in!) and a hand feel for the basic stockinette/stocking stitch.
As for finishings, the pattern is written as a 2 stitch I-cord bind off where you pick up and knit in the neck and armholes. If I-cord isn’t your thing you can literally do any type of finishing you like. Case in point; I’m currently ripping out the I-cord I did on my first sample and adding a 1x1 rib with picot bind off.
The limits do not exist.
US 4 / 3.5 mm circular needles
Sport / Fine weight yarn
1 Size Range : XS - 3X
Max Bust : 56” (142 cm)
Max Waist : 56” (142 cm)
Knit top down
Wolle’s Cotton Boucle (I can’t say enough good things about this yarn)
As you all know Daughter Judy donates 5% of each sale to non profits aiding garment workers around the globe to get better access to health care, safer working conditions and supporting change
So far this year you all have raised $1679 of which will be donated to Clean Clothes Campaign who are leaders in this space and have been working with our garment makers since 1989.
Read their annual reports here.
Next weeks Loose Leaf is all about what some industry folks are wearing this summer, how to hack the Post Pant into the High Sport kick flare pant and a summer mood board.
Yes 👍🏻 Being in that small crossover area (yep, I like both, I’ve been doing both for ages, and I’ll happily fork over money for both hobbies and have the double stash to prove it…) - I’m delighted. Off to explore my stash aka stash shopping 🛍️🧶
I bought cotton boucle yarn for Kurt but thinking my plans might pivot 😍 Well done on yet another amazing summer basic!!