Free T-Shirt Knitting Pattern: Tender Hearted Tee

Try my free Tender Hearted T-Shirt knitting pattern to create the perfect knit summer top for women with simple instructions for making a lightweight raglan tee.

The Tender Hearted Knit T-Shirt

There is nothing quite like the elegant simplicity of a seamless, top-down, yoked pullover, and this modern, lightweight ladies tee brings that exact magic to your wardrobe.

Knit using fingering super fine yarn combined with a luxurious mohair-silk strand, this pretty t-shirt knitting pattern creates a soft, textured fabric that is perfect for transitioning from spring to summer.

The loose, flowy fit is wonderfully flattering for all women, offering a comfortable style that looks incredibly cute tucked into a favorite pair of jeans or worn loose.

Available in sizes XS to 4XL, this simple, perfect knit top is designed to celebrate every body type with a gentle, down-to-earth charm that makes it an instant handmade wardrobe staple.

How To Knit a Summer T- Shirt For Women

If you are looking for a project with simple construction, this top down summer t-shirt knitting pattern for women is a lovely place to start.

To bring this ladies tee to life, you will work in the round using US size US 5/3.75 mm circ needles in lengths 16”, 24” + 40” cables, along with double pointed needles for the smaller sections.

While this circular yoke style skips the typical raglan seams, it remains an incredibly simple knit that lets the stitches flow naturally from the neckline down.

All you need to create this perfect knit top is 3 st markers to keep your place and 3 yarn colors to blend together for a beautiful finish.

Free Knitting Pattern: Tender Hearted Tee

Pattern Information:

Materials:

1. Two skeins (876 yards/200 g) of “The Autumn Acorn” fingering weight yarn, in 60% super wash Merino, 20% Alpaca + 20% Nylon.
2. One skein (459 yards/50 g) of “The Autumn Acorn” lace weight yarn, in 70% kid mohair + 30% silk for contrast color 1
3. Two (80 yards/20g) mini-skeins of fingering weight yarn for contrast color 2

MC – cream (merino blend)
CC1– pink variegated (mohair/silk)
CC2 – copper pink (mini-skeins)

Yarn Yardage:

For sizes XS (S, M, L)[ XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL]:
MC (fingering): 594 (660, 726, 798.5)[878.5, 966.5, 1063, 1169.5] yds
CC1 (lace mohair): 207 (230, 253, 278.5)[306.5, 337, 370.5, 407.5] yds
CC2 (fingering): 162 (180, 198, 218)[240, 264, 290.5, 319.5] yds

Chest Sizes:

XS 28-30” (actual) with 2 – 4” positive ease (32” garment)
S 32-34” (actual) with 2 – 4” positive ease (36” garment)
M 36-38” (actual) with 2 – 4” positive ease (40” garment)
L 40-42” (actual) with 2 – 4” positive ease (44” garment)
XL 44-46” (actual) with 2 – 4” positive ease (48” garment)
2XL 48-50” (actual) with 2 – 4” positive ease (52” garment)
3XL 52-54” (actual) with 2 – 4” positive ease (56” garment)
4XL 56-58” (actual) with 2 – 4” positive ease (60” garment)

Needles:

US size US 5/3.75 mm circ needles in lengths 16”, 24” + 40” cables, and double pointed needles.

Notions:

3 st markers (2 of one color/style and 1 of a different color/style).

Gauge:

Using US size 5/3.75 mm circ needles, 24 sts + 28 rows = 4” in stock st (blocked).

Abbreviations:

Approx – approximately
BO – bind off
BOR – beginning of round
CC – contrasting color
Circ – circ
CO – cast on
Ea – each
Inc – increase
K – knit
Kfb – knit in front + back of st
K1tbl – knit one stitch through the back loop
K2tog – knit two sts together as one
K2togtbl – knit two sts together as one through the back loop
Lt – left
LSM- left side marker
M – marker
MC – main color
N/A – non-applicable (does not apply to your size)
P – purl
PM – place marker
Pwise – purlwise
Rep – repeat
Rem – remaining
RM – remove marker
Rnd – round
RSM- right side marker
Rt – right
Sl – slip
SM – slip marker
St(s) – stitch(es)
Stock St – stockinette stitch
WYIF – with yarn in front
YO – yarn over

Sizes And Finished Measurements After Blocking:

Here is the exact data formatted as a clean Markdown table, which you can copy and paste directly into your WordPress editor.

Copyright Notice:

Feel free to sell your finished shawls made from this pattern, however, please do not copy, alter, or sell the pattern itself. For each of your listings, you must include the following: “Pattern provided by Judy Jewell of The Autumn Acorn at http://www.theautumnacorn.etsy.com“.

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You can also purchase a PDF version of theTender Hearted Tee Knitting Pattern.

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You can also purchase this pattern from The Autumn Acorn, Etsy or Ravelry stores.

Let’s Begin The Free T-Shirt Knitting Pattern

Neck:

Using 1 strand of MC + 1 strand of CC1, CO 96 (102, 108, 112)[120, 126, 132, 138] sts using Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy CO method (slip knots), join to knit in the rnd. Place st marker to indicate BOR.

Ribbing:

Rounds 1-3: *P1, k1tbl; rep from * around 3 rounds total.
Round 4: *YO, k2togtbl, p1, k1tbl; rep from * around to last 1 (2, 3, 2)[0, 1, 2, 3]. Sizes XS and 2X end with p1.
Sizes S, M, L, and 3X end with p1, k1tbl.
Sizes 4X, 5X end with YO, k2togtbl, k1tbl.
Rounds 5-8: *P1, k1tbl; rep from * around 4 times total. (Cut CC1).
Rounds 9-10: Using MC only, K around for 2 rounds total.

Yoke: (Continuing with MC)

Increase Rnd One: *K1, kfb; rep from * around. 144 (153, 162, 168)[180, 189, 198, 207] sts.
K around 11 (12, 13, 13)[14, 14, 15, 16] rounds total.

Increase Rnd Two: *K2, kfb; rep from * around. 192 (204, 216, 224)[240, 252, 264, 276] sts.

Using 2 strands of CC1 (if you’re using fingering wt yarn instead of mohair, use 1 strand). (Cut MC).
Rnd 1-3: K around.
Rnd 4: *K2tog, YO, k2; rep from * around.
Rnd 5-6: K around.
Rnd 7: K1, K2tog, YO, *K2, K2tog, YO; rep from *; end k1.
Rnds 8-9: K around.
Rnd 10: *K2tog, YO, k2; rep from * around.
Rnds 11-12: K around.

Using CC2. (Cut CC1)
Rounds 13-14: K around.

Increase Rnd Three:
*K3, kfb; rep from * around. 240 (255, 270, 280)[300, 315, 330, 345] sts.
K around, increasing 1 st anywhere this rnd for sizes S (2X, 4X). 256 (316, 346) sts.
Rnd 1: *YO, k2, pass the YO over the k2; rep from * to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: K around.
Rounds 3-10: Rep Rnds 1 + 2 (4 times). (8 rnds).
Round 11: K around.

Increase Rnd Four:
Size XS only: *K6, kfb, k7, kfb; rep from * around.
Size S only: *(K4, kfb) 2X, (k5, kfb) 9X; rep from * around.
Sizes M – 4X only: *K4, kfb; rep from * around to last n/a (n/a, 0, 0)[0 1, 0, 6], k to end of rnd.
272 (300, 324, 336)[360, 379, 396, 414] sts.

(If it helps, you can carry each color along the rows rather than cutting the yarn each time).

Using MC
Rounds 1-3: P around.

Using CC2
Round 4: P around.
Rounds 5-9: K around.

Using MC, K around 3X total.
Sizes XS and S increases are complete. For the remainder of the yoke, work only the sections below that say “All Sizes”.

All Sizes: Use 1 strand of MC + 1 strand of CC1 for next section.

Increase Rnd Five:
Size M only: *k40, kfb, k39, kfb; rep from * around.
Size XL only: *(k10, kfb) 3 times, (k11, kfb) 1 time; rep from * around.
Size 2X only: *(k7, kfb) 2 times, (k6, kfb) 11 times; rep from * around, ending with k6, kfb.
Sizes L (3X, 4X) only: *K 13 (5, 5), kfb; rep from * around.
n/a (n/a, 332, 360)[392, 432, 462, 483] sts.

Sizes M – 2X increases are complete. For the remainder of the yoke, work only the sections below that say “All Sizes”.

All Sizes:
Rounds 1-5: *P1, k1tbl; rep from * around 5X total.

Increase Rnd Six: (Using MC only)
Size 3X only: *k76, kfb; rep from * around.
Size 4X only: *k27, kfb; rep from * to last 7 sts, k7.
468 (500) sts.

All Sizes: K ea rnd until piece measures 10 (10.5, 11, 11.5)[12, 12.5, 13, 13.5]” from CO.
272 (300, 332, 360)[392, 432, 468, 500] sts

Separate for Sleeves: (Continuing with MC only)

(Set-Up Rnd): K 42 (48, 54, 59)[64, 69, 74, 79] sts, place next 52 (54, 58, 62)[68, 78, 86, 92] sts onto waste yarn for first sleeve, backwards loop cast on 12 (12, 12, 14)[16, 18, 20, 22] sts for underarm, k 84 (96, 108, 118)[128, 138, 148, 158] sts, put next 52 (54, 58, 62)[68, 78, 86, 92] sts onto waste yarn for second sleeve, backwards loop cast on 12 (12, 12, 14)[16, 18, 20, 22] sts, k 42
(48, 54, 59)[64, 69, 74, 79] sts.
192 (216, 240, 264)[288, 312, 336, 360] sts for body.

Body: (Continuing with MC only)

K in the rnd until piece measures approx 10.5 (10.75, 11, 11.5)[11, 12, 12, 12.5]” from underarm.

German Short-Row Set-Up: (Continuing with MC only)

K 48 (54, 60, 66)[72, 78, 84, 90] place right side marker (RSM). K 96 (108, 120, 132)[144, 156, 168, 180], place left side marker (LSM). Knit to BOR.
Row 1: Slipping markers each time you pass them, k to 2 sts past the RSM, turn.
Row 2: Sl next st pwise wyif, pull yarn to back creating a double st, p next st tightly, p to 2 sts past the LSM (slipping all markers as you get to them) turn.
Row 3: Sl next st pwise wyif, pull yarn to back creating a double st, k next st tightly, k to 3 sts past the RSM (slipping all markers and knitting the double st as one st), turn.
Row 4: Sl next st pwise wyif, pull yarn to back creating a double st, p next st tightly, p to 3 sts past the LSM, (slipping all markers and purling the double st as one st) turn.
Row 5: Sl next st pwise wyif, pull yarn to back creating a double st, k next st tightly, k to 4 sts past the RSM (slipping all markers and knitting the double st as one st), turn.
Row 6: Sl next st pwise wyif, pull yarn to back creating a double st, p next st tightly, p 4 sts past the LSM, (slipping all markers and purling the double st as one st) turn.
Row 7: Sl next st pwise wyif, pull yarn to back creating a double st, k next st tightly, k to 5 sts past the RSM (slipping all markers and knitting the double st as one st), turn.
Row 8: Sl next st pwise wyif, pull yarn to back creating a double st, p next st tightly, p 5 sts past the LSM, (slipping all markers and purling the double st as one st) turn.
Row 9: Sl next st pwise wyif, pull yarn to back creating a double st, k next st tightly, k to BOR.
Row 10: Knit all stitches, resolving any double stitches as you come to them and removing RSM and LSM.

Hem:

Using 1 strand of MC (if you’d like to match your neck band, hold MC with 2 strands of C1)
Rounds 1-4: *P1, k1tbl; rep from * around 4X total.
Round 5: *YO, k2togtbl, p1, k1tbl; rep from * around.
Rounds 6-9: *P1, k1tbl; rep from * around 4X total.
Using one strand of MC and one strand of CC1, BO all sts loosely in k st.

Sleeves:

Transfer sleeve sts onto US size 5/3.75 mm, 16” length circular needles or dpns. Attach MC and pick up 6 (6, 6, 7)[8, 9, 10, 11] sts from underarm area, pm to indicate BOR, pick up next 6 (6, 6, 7)[8, 9, 10, 11] sts from underarm area. 64 (66, 70, 76)[84, 96, 106, 114] sts.
K around 28 (30, 32, 34)[36, 38, 40, 42] rounds total.

Using CC2, K 4 rounds total. (cut CC2)

Cuff: Using one strand of MC only (if you’d like to match your neck band, hold MC with 2 strands of C1)

Rounds 1-4: *P1, k1tbl; rep from * around.
Round 5: *YO, k2togtbl, p1, k1tbl; rep from * around.
Rounds 6-9: *P1, k1tbl; rep from * around.
Using one strand of MC and one strand of CC1, BO all sts loosely in k st.

Repeat for second sleeve.

Finishing:

Weave in all loose ends.
Soak, then block to finished measurements.