These knitting patterns for boxy, sleeveless, light summer tops are perfect for knitters who are ready to tackle their first garment. Boxy tops like these don’t include any sleeves (well, you may pick up stitches, but it’s usually just to finish off the sleeve edging) and are simply worked (sometimes it’s just two knit squares that are seamed at the sides and shoulders).
Here are ten summer tops that are perfect for easy knitting:
- Lorraine’s Lace by Katrina Walser
- Cloverleaf Top by Felecia O’Connell
- Cascades Tea by Emily Kintigh
- Gizeh Top by Tetiana Otruta
- Dragonfly Tank Top by Nadya Stallings
- Peekaback Tank by Adrienne Larsen
- June Tank by Ann Albe
- Rosalyn Tunic by Tabetha A. Hedrick
- Cinna Top by Ksenia Naidyon
- Tegan Tee by Sue Gleave
You’ll find more information for each knitting pattern down below. Most of these are simple enough that an adventurous beginner who knows their basics (casting on, knitting, purling, and perhaps an increase and decrease or two) should be able to tackle, but there are a few that are more suitable for intermediate to advanced knitters.
All of the patterns are from Knit Picks and uses some of their plant-based yarns that are perfect for summer knits. I’ve included links to their recommended yarn choices with each pattern below so you can get your pattern, buy some yarn, and start knitting!
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Lorraine’s Lace
Lorraine’s Lace by Katrina Walser is a cotton top (worked in Knit Picks Dishie, which can surprisingly be used for more than dishcloths!) with a beautiful lace detail on the back. It’s knit in the round from the bottom up before dividing to work the front and back individually. It does have very short sleeves – which are picked up and worked in reverse Stockinette. This would be a great opportunity to practice reading lace knitting charts.
Get the pattern: Lorraine’s Lace
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks Dishie
Cloverleaf Top
The Cloverleaf Top, designed by Felecia O’Connell, features an all-over lace design but don’t let it intimidate you – there’s no shaping and it’s actually a simple, small stitch repeat that even new lace knitters can tackle. It’s knit in two pieces (front and back) but both pieces are identical, beginning with the ribbing, working the simple lace pattern for the body, and ending with an I-cord bind off before the sides and shoulders are seamed together (this would be a great piece to practice seaming garments).
Get the pattern: Cloverleaf Top
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks CotLin
Cascades Tee
The Cascades Tee by Emily Kintigh is a beautiful, lacy top that resembles mountains with the lace design that begins at the neckline, goes over the shoulders, and along the back of the top. It also includes a simple eyelet border along the hems and sleeves (so not entirely sleeveless – you will need to pick up stitches for the eyelet border). The top is worked flat, beginning with the bottom front hem and ending with the back hem. The sides are seamed and then the neckline stitches are picked up and worked in the round. While it sounds confusing – it’s actually a pretty neat way to knit a summer top!
Get the pattern: Cascades Tee
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks CotLin
Gizeh Top
The Gizeh Top, designed by Tetiana Otruta, features a simple geometric lace detail (that looks like pyramids – hence the name of the top). It’s a seamless, top-down knit using a contiguous method developed by Susie Myers. Knit in Knit Picks Lindy Chain, it will soften and develop beautiful drape the more it’s worn. The pattern comes in six sizes and only requires some basic skills. The lace pattern includes both written and charted instructions.
Get the pattern: Gizeh Top
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks Lindy Chain
Dragonfly Tank Top
The Dragonfly Tank Top, designed by Nadya Stallings for Knit Picks, uses their DK weight CotLin yarn (a cotton/linen blend that’s perfect for summer tops). The top features a large lace dragonfly on the back along with a unique asymmetrical hemline and a lace neckline across the front. Lots of pretty details on this top!
Get the pattern: Dragonfly Tank Top
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks CotLin
Peekaback Tank
The Peekaback Tank from designer Adrienne Larsen is a super-fun knit with a great lace back detail. The main body of the tank is worked in Stockinette stitch and knit from the bottom up in one piece (it’s knit flat, back-and-forth in rows) with some simple Garter stitch edgings. The beautiful lace panel is worked separately before it’s sewn to the main body (and the lace is charted only – no written instructions). This cute tank also includes some waist shaping for a flattering silhouette.
Get the pattern: Peekaback Tank
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks Lindy Chain
June Tank
The June Tank, designed by Ann Albe for Knit Picks, is a cute top perfect for summer weather. It features a classic lace design – Cat’s Eye Lace, and uses it to enhance this simple top with a border of lace at the bottom as well as across the top. It’s a loose (4 inches of positive ease), sleeveless, boat neck top that’s worked in the round from the bottom up. It also includes a little bit of waist shaping to enhance the final silhouette. It uses Knit Picks CotLin yarn – which is great for summer knitting.
Get the pattern: June Tank
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks CotLin
Rosalyn Tunic
The Rosalyn Tunic from Tabetha A. Hedrick is a textured sleeveless top that uses simple all-over cable panels. The front and back are both knit flat (which is perfect for cable knits – wrong-side rows are so easy to work – just ‘knit the knits and purl the purls). Once they are finished, the two pieces are seamed together. It includes some shaping and a simple boat neck worked in reverse Stockinette.
Get the pattern: Rosalyn Tunic
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks CotLin
Cinna Top
The Cinna Top, designed by Ksenia Naidyon for Knit Picks, is worked flat but it’s knit sideways from sleeve to sleeve. It uses Lindy Chain – a fingering weight linen and cotton blend (perfect for summer knits!). The ribbing at the hem and neckline keeps those edges from rolling while the body of the top is worked in Stockinette. Some increases and decreases are used for shoulder shaping and the top also features a simple boatneck. The length is adjustable and includes an optional tie that helps you achieve the fit you want.
Get the pattern: Cinna Top
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks Lindy Chain
Tegan Tee
The Tegan Tee, designed by Sue Gleave, uses a gorgeous Milanese lace motif that takes a simple top and elevates it. And, since it’s worked in Knit Picks Lindy Chain, will just get softer and more beautiful with wear. It’s worked in the round from the bottom up with some flattering A-line waist shaping (the decreases are worked at the edge of the lace panels along the side). The lace stitch pattern includes both written instructions and charts.
Get the pattern: Tegan Tee
Recommended yarn: Knit Picks Lindy Chain
There are your ideas for summer boxy, sleeveless tops – now you just need to select your favorite, get some yarn, and start knitting!
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