Tank top/vest

Ladies, I need a bit of help.

I was knitting a cardigan for the Mouse and I realised I didn't have enough yarn! so I asked her if she wanted it short sleeved and she said no sleeves, so I'm amending the pattern to be a tank top. I've had a look at a few patterns in order to suss it out, but I'm a bit unsure about the back of the neck.

I'm going to pick up the stitches and do a neck band (once I've sewn the two pieces together), which is 5 rows, so do I need to shape the back off the neck down for 5 rows, or do patterns normally have the top of the back straight accross with a 'raised' neck band?

@babyroo, @laceybat, @justme123, @mama2boyz - I know you've all done vests, can you shed any light for me?

Also, I've just been having a look on rav and noticed something. The trim around the hem is 5 rows of seed stitch, and if I had done sleeves, they would also have had 5 row borders. On a lot of the projects on rav, the trim round the neck and armholes are not as wide as the one around the waist, should I just do 3 rows of seed stitch do you think?

Hmm - the ones I've done have been knit in the round - top down. This is a short sleeved one of ds's showing the neck and sleeves (excuse the bobbling).



When I've made them as vests the top has been the same just cut off along one of the stripes at the bottom of the armhole - so more like a cap sleeve than a true vest. Sorry if that's not much help.

Oh and I think I've normally done more than 5 rows of seed stitch at the bottom - 5 sounds about right for the neck / sleeves.

I've no idea but @tracedw might be able to help - she's my knitting mentor

Thanks shaunie.

Haydee, it's really thick cotton, worsted weight, so 5 rows on seed stitch is about an inch.

Another question - sorry!

How sensible would it be to carry on knitting when I get to the top and knit over the sholders and back down the front?

I've never made a tank top but I find it really hard to visualise stuff. Have you got a pic you could put on? From what I can figure I would not worry about it being higher at the back so just knit it as you were going to and then pick up and knit. I would knit 5rows seed stitch because I think you would get the effect of the stitch pattern more.

There is no reason that you can't knit over the top. I assume the back is knit bottom up? Is the pattern for the front written top down? Could get confusing if not or are you totally ad libbing? Some people do prefer the top of the shoulder to have some structure ie seam or 3 needle bind off as it helps strengthen it a little.

ETA: It does depend on you personal preferences of course.

Thanks Donna, I'm totally ad libbing. In the end I thought it would be easier to do the v-neck bottom up, so I'm doing two seperate pieces.

I did a slight dip at the back of the neck, and I've decided that I'll wing the width of the neck and arm trims!

I know @0_Lisa_0 has made tank tops x

The one I did used separate pieces to make the front v so I would probably do that again and make sure you leave enough room to put a band around the neck. I think you just have to make enough space across the front, I have neee had to shape the back of the neck as far as I can remember if that helps?