Lace Up Handmade Knitted Tank Top

About a decade ago, I took my girls to a small yarn shop in our town for a beginner class.

And they learned to knit.

Actually, we all did.


While the girls were in their class, the owner gave me a quick lesson, so I could help them out if they forgot everything once they got home.

Which of course, they did. But once they got rolling it was hard to stop them.

It was a summer full of knitted treasures.

Then fall rolled around and school started and the knitting just kind of stopped.

Until this fall, when my youngest decided to whip up a few pumpkins.

The muscle memory kicked in, along with the joy of creating something other than music, and she was on a roll.

Under our Christmas tree was a scarf for my husband and gorgeous lap blanket for me. Sentimental and handmade. 

Is there anything better?

Well, a few days ago, after perusing Pinterest, she came to me and stated very nonchalantly that she was going to make a knitted shirt. 

She wasn't sure exactly how she was going to make it or what style it was going to be, but she was going to figure it out. 

Then she disappeared into her room. 

Now she can't read a pattern and her knitting skills are rudimentary at best, however, after about an hour she came out and showed me this:


She said she had decided to just start knitting a rectangle and she'd figure the rest out as she went. 

Since this is the way I do most of my crafting, I totally understood her process. 

How To Knit A Lace Up Tank Top

Overall what she did was grab a skein of green variegated yarn from my craft closet. The very same yarn I've used to make Easter banners, Thanksgiving and Christmas crafts. 

Seriously, it was nothing fancy.

She used a basic garter stitch and knit a straight line until the needle was very full. That determined her length.

Every now and then she would hold the stitches up to her body to check on the length.

A few Netflix binge sessions later, she had a rectangle. 


When it was released from the needles, she she wrapped it around herself, but it didn't go all the way. Remember, she didn't measure.

That's ok, it was nothing a little creativity couldn't fix.

She decided to leave the back open as part of the design. Her knitted tank top would have a tie closure.

However, to make it stay up, it would need straps.


So she quickly knit two simple ones, using an old tank top as a guide.

She used the same garter stitch as before and created two chains that were each two stitches wide.


Then she grabbed a needed and green thread to attach the straps onto the inside of the rectangular shape.


The last step in this process was to close the back of the tank top in a lace up style.

To do this she simply cut a very long strand of yarn and poked it in between stitches in a zig zag fashion moving from top to bottom.

This way the strings ended up at the base of the shirt. They were pulled tight to give the shirt a custom fit and tied in a bow for a bit of flair.


Super cute from the back and even cuter from the front. The weave was tight and soft, so it wasn't see through at all and didn't need to be lined.


Isn't it darling?

Tips To Consider: 

Now again, she didn't measure. She just got lucky.

However, if you want to make this, you probably should.

*I would take a measuring tape and wrap it around your chest. Then I would record the inches and make      your knitted rectangle about 3/4 that long, since the back will remain open.

That will give you assurance that your top will fit.

*I would also measure from under your arms to wherever you want the top to end...above or below the        belly button.

Having firm numbers in hand before you begin takes all the guesswork out of this.

*Also, you'll want to leave the strings very long, since the top needs some give to get it on and off.

*For a flirty design alteration, you could make the top go all the way around the chest, for full coverage, and then have it lace tie up the front. The bow could then be at the top and let open the tiniest bit.

*Lastly, we haven't washed the tank top yet, but when it's time, it'll be handwash, cold and lay flat to dry.

In the meantime, she has a sweet handmade original addition to her summer wardrobe.

And a brand new habit.

She's already working on a new knit style for her sister.


So stay tuned!

Are you a knitter?