Hello my fellow makers! I’m Ashley Lillis, a knitwear designer who loves to help knitters and crocheters create simple, classic clothing they love to wear. My grandmother owned a women’s clothing store when I was young, so my love for fashion started at an early age. I’m a self-taught knitter and crocheter and took my love for fashion to my hooks and needles and began designing after my daughter was born over 12 years ago. A creative at heart, I was constantly in search of making my own garments inspired by clothing I would see online or in stores. I designed the Rosemary Summer Tee after traveling to Rosemary Beach, Florida, which influenced me to make something easy and breezy with yarn that creates a beautiful drape. Follow me on Instagram to see what I’m making daily and be sure to check out my website for my other knitwear designs.
Supply List
Approximately 4 (4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6) skeins of Lion Brand Truboo (241 yds/220.5 m per 3.5oz/100g skein) or another DK/Light yarn. Yarn is held double. Color shown is Hot Pink.
6.5mm (US10.5) knitting needles in the following lengths:
16 in/40 cm (for neckband & sleeve ribbing)
32 in/80 cm (for body ribbing)
8mm (US11) for stockinette in the following lengths:
16 in/40 cm (for yoke & sleeves)
24 in/60 cm (for yoke)
32 in/80 cm (for body)
Or knitting needles needed to obtain correct gauge.
4 stitch markers (1 different color to denote beginning of round)
Waste yarn to hold sleeves
Tapestry needle to weave in ends
Gauge
12 STS + 15 Rows = 4 in/10 cm on 8mm needles in stockinette stitch
Key
1x1 Rib: K1, P1
BO: bind off
BOR: beginning of round
CO: cast on
DPNs: double pointed needles
K: knit
M: marker
LLI: left lifted increase. Insert left needle 2 rows below stitch on right needle from back to front and place on the left needle. Knit it through the front loop.
P: purl
PM: place marker
PUK: pick up and knit
RLI: right lifted increase. Insert right needle 1 row below the stitch on the left needle from front to back. Knit the stitch through the back loop being careful to keep the original stitch on the left needle.
SM: slip marker
ST(S): stitch(es)
Pattern Notes
Sizes written in 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) with a finished bust size of 37.5 (40, 42.5, 45.5, 48, 50.5, 53.5, 56) in/95 (101.5, 108.5, 115, 122, 128.5, 135.5, 142) cm. The tee is intended to have about 6-8 in/15-20.5 cm of positive ease so pick a size that will provide the intended ease or adjust to your desired ease. For example, if you have a 36 in/91.5 cm bust, a size 3 would be ideal for about 6.5 in/16.5 cm of ease. Feel free to adjust body length and armhole depth as desired.
The Rosemary Summer Tee is an oversized, top-down raglan sweater tee with a simple construction but timeless look. Its top-down construction allows you to customize the armhole depth and arm and body length as you go. The bamboo yarn held double knit with larger needles give it a fun, airy texture.
The body and sleeve ribbing are knit with smaller 6.5mm (US10.5) needles and the yolk, body, and sleeves are knit with larger, 8mm (US11) needles (or needles needed to obtain gauge). Note that there is no neckline short row shaping.
Instructions are written so that when you switch needles, you’ll knit with the new needles size in your right hand, working stitches off the other size in your left hand. Feel free to use the bind off method of your choice (basic bind off, Italian bind off, stretchy bind off) after the sleeve and body ribbing. While I prefer to seam gaps at the end to close the gaps on either side of the armhole cast on stitches, please feel free to use another method of your choice.
Yoke
Using 6.5mm (US10.5) 16 in/40 cm circular needles, and yarn held double, CO 76 (76, 76, 76, 84, 84, 84, 84) STS using the long-tail cast-on method. Join in the round being careful not to twist the STS. PM to denote BOR.
Round 1: *K1, P1, repeat from * to end (1x1 rib).
Rounds 2-7: Repeat Round 1.
Round 8: Switch to 8mm (US 11) 16 in/40 cm circular needles by working the 1x1 rib one more round off the 6.5mm needles and onto the 8mm needles. You’ll K1, P1 with 8mm needles in your right hand, as you work STS off the left 6.5mm needle.
Raglan Set up Round: Place markers to set up for raglan shaping as follows: Slip BOR M, K 10 (10, 10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 12) STS for right sleeve, PM, K 28 (28, 28, 28, 30, 30, 30, 30) for front, PM, K 10 (10, 10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 12) STS for left sleeve, PM and K 28 (28, 28, 28, 30, 30, 30, 30) for the back. Note that the round starts/ends between the back and the right sleeve.
Begin Raglan Increases
Switch to longer needles when the number of STS no longer fit comfortably on the needles.
Round 1: Slip BOR M, *RLI, K to M, LLI, SM; repeat from * 3 more times. [8 STS increased for a total of 84, (84, 84, 84, 92, 92, 92, 92) STS]
Round 2: K to end, slipping all markers.
Continue Rounds 1 and 2, 11 (13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24) more times for a total of 172 (188, 204, 220, 236, 252, 268, 284) STS, with 34 (38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62) STS for each sleeve, and 52 (56, 60, 64, 68, 72, 76, 80) STS for both the back and front.
Divide for Body
Place right sleeve STS onto waste yarn, CO 4 (4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4) STS for underarm using the backwards loop or knitted cast on method, K front STS, place left sleeve STS onto waste yarn, CO 4 (4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4) STS for underarm, K back STS, making sure to keep a M to denote BOR.
You should have 112 (120, 128, 136, 144, 152, 160, 168) total body STS.
Body
K every round until sweater measures 9 (9, 9.5, 9.5, 10, 10, 10.5, 10.5) in /23 (23, 24, 24, 25.5, 25.5, 26.5, 26.5) cm from the underarm or until desired length (the ribbing will add approximately 2 in/5 cm).
Switch to 6.5mm (US 10.5) 32 in/80 cm needles and knit one more round. Then work in 1x1 rib for 7 rows.
BO loosely in 1x1 rib ST.
Sleeves
Using the 8mm (US 11) 16 in/40 cm circular needles or DPNs, transfer sleeve STS from waste yarn to needle, join yarn at right end of underarm CO, PUK 4 (4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4) STS from CO underarm edge, placing M in center of CO STS, K across sleeve STS to BOR. You should have 38 (42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66) STS for the sleeves.
Round 1: K to end.
Repeat Round 1, 3 more times or until desired length from the underarm (the ribbing will add approximately 1.5 in/4 cm).
Switch to 6.5mm (US 10.5) 32 in/80 cm needles and knit one more round. Then work in 1x1 rib for 7 rows.
BO loosely in 1x1 rib ST.
Finishing
Weave in all loose ends with a tapestry needle and seam up any armhole gaps as desired.
Video Tutorials
How to Cast On
How to Join in the Round
Left Lifted Increase (LLI) + Right Lifted Increase (RLI)
How to Switch Needles
How to Divide for the Body
How to Knit Sleeves
How to Seam Armhole Gaps
Nice work! Now you can sport your Rosemary Summer tee on its own or under a jacket in the evenings. It will be a summer wardrobe staple—I’ve made this in multiple colors already and can’t get enough! Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see what I’m currently designing and check out my other knitwear designs on my website.
