BESSIE is a simple lightweight summer tee with an extra wide neck and delicate, subtle detailing. The design features top-down, circular yoke construction, an optional custom fit bicep, and instructions for adjusting the neckline to get your dream on- or off-the-shoulder fit. The pattern includes 10 sizes and two original video tutorials for the unique finishing details.

PATTERN DETAILS

Instead of posting all the details here, I have created a PDF with all the essential information that you can download here.

YARN SPOTLIGHT: Seismic yarn & dyeworks cellular

For this simple summer top, I wanted a plant fiber yarn with a fun, bold palette of colors. Seismic Cellular, an organic cotton and linen blend with a tight ply and a soft hand, fit the design perfectly!

Check out all the colors and get your yarn here!

Please note, alternative yarn suggestions at a variety of price points are available on the Ravelry and Payhip listings.

Custom fit options

Bessie has two custom fit options written into the pattern: a formula for working a custom fit bicep and instructions for modifying the neck circumference. To give a sense of what these adjustments do, in the test knitting round-up below, I have included the neck circumference of each tester’s finished Bessie, how they worked the neck in their own words, and the number of sts they added/subtracted if they worked the custom fit bicep.

TEST KNITTING ROUND-UP

SIZE 1 — Annabel

Between crop/full length
Ease at bust/chest: +5”/12.5cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Custom fit bicep: added 6 sts
Neck circumference: 34”/85cm
How neck was worked: “1 to 1, didn’t change needles, bound off about as normal”

👉 See Annabel’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Annabel on Instagram @whimlizard

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SIZE 1 — Chinda

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +2”/5cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Neck circumference: 28”/70cm
How neck was worked: “I picked up 1 for every 1 CO with the body needles (US5). I initially tried picking up 3 for every 4, but that resulted in a way-too-tight neckline.”

👉 See Chinda’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Chinda on Instagram @chindaw

SIZE 1 — Lauren

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +3”/7.5cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Neck circumference: 18”/45cm
How neck was worked: “I still used US 5 needles and picked up 3/4 stitches to cinch the neckline”

👉 See Lauren’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Lauren on Instagram @stitching_hew

SIZE 2 — Adrianne

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +4”/10cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Neck circumference: 18”/45cm
How neck was worked: “1 to 1 pickup and it worked wonders in me doubting the width of the neckline to it fitting perfectly.”

👉 See Adrianne’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Adrianne on Instagram @heartatpeace

SIZE 2 — Halima

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +5”/12.5cm
Ease at bicep: 0
Neck circumference: 34”/85cm
How neck was worked: “1 to 1, bound off loosely (went up to a 5 mm needle - I always do this for my bindoffs or they are too tight!).”

👉 See Halima’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Halima on Instagram @halima_things

SIZE 2 — Heather

Crop length
Ease at the bust/chest: +4”/10cm
Ease at the bicep: 0
Neck circumference: 30”/75cm
How neck was worked: “I picked up 1 to 1 and bound off more loosely than normal.”

👉 See Heather’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Heather on Instagram @Purl2togHeather

SIZE 2 — Jen

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: n/a
Ease at bicep: n/a
Neck circumference: n/a
How neck was worked: “I did not change needle size, for picking up stitches on neckline I did: K2, pick up and K1, repeat throughout.”

👉 See Jen’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Jen on Instagram @hopwala

SIZE 2 — Susie

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +3”/7.5cm
Ease at bicep: +7”/17.5cm
Neck circumference: 36”/90cm
How neck was worked: “1) same needles; 2) 1 to 1; 3) bound off normally”

👉 See Susie’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Susie on Instagram @tidknit

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SIZE 3 — Aleah

Full length
Ease at bust/chest: +6”/15cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Neck circumference: 24”/60cm
How neck was worked: “Same size needles, picked up at a 2:1 ratio, bound off with a larger mm crochet hook.”

👉 See Aleah’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Aleah on Instagram @blackmedknits

SIZE 3 — Bryce

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +2”/5cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Custom fit bicep: added 6 sts
Neck circumference: 42”/84cm
How neck was worked: “i am a tight knitter so i ended up not working the neckline at all because i already had a perfect fit and i liked the look of the yarn held double.”

👉 See Bryce’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Bryce on Instagram @broccoliwitchcrafts

SIZE 3 — Eliana

Full length
Ease at bust/chest: +4”/10cm
Ease at bicep: +3.2”/8cm
Neck circumference: 38”/96cm
How neck was worked: “I picked up sts 1 to 1.”

👉 See Eliana’s on project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Eliana on Instagram @lanissima.tejidos

SIZE 3 — Jillian

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +6”/15cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Custom fit bicep: added 4 sts
Neck circumference: 36”/90cm
How neck was worked: “I wanted a higher neck, so I picked up 1:1 on the neckline with a US 5 but made sure to bind off tighter than I normally would.”

👉 See Jillian’s on project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Jillian on Instagram @jmariecherrytree

SIZE 3 — Min-Young

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +4.8”/12cm
Ease at bicep: +2.8”/7cm
Neck circumference: 38”/95cm
How neck was worked: “I used main needle US6 and pick up sts 1:1 ratio. I bound off more loosely because two strands of yarn is very hard to control.”

👉 See Min-Young’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Min-Young on Instagram @mignonknit

SIZE 3 — Shruti

Full length
Ease at bust/chest: +8”/20cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Neck circumference: 33”/82.5cm
How neck was worked: “I worked the whole sweater with 4.5mm needles , I picked 4 stitched for every 5 stitches.”

👉 See Shruti’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Shruti on Instagram @thetealcat

SIZE 4 — Aro

Ease at bust/chest: n/a
Ease at bicep: n/a
Neck circumference: n/a

👉 See Aro’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Aro on Instagram @aro.knits.n.purls

SIZE 4 — Hayley

Full length
Ease at bust/chest: +3”/7.5cm
Ease at bicep: +4”/10cm
Custom fit bicep: added 11 sts
Neck circumference: 25”/62.5cm
How neck was worked: “1) I used the same needle size; 2) I picked up 1 to 1; 3) I tried to bind off loosely”

👉 See Hayley’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Hayley on Instagram @intheknitofthyme

SIZE 4 — Mary

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +7”/17.5cm
Ease at bicep: +3”/7.5cm
Neck circumference: 38”/95cm
How neck was worked: “Picked up as per instructions, 1x1, and the cast off quite loosely using the same 3.75mm needle.”

👉 See Mary’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Mary on Instagram @Maryfunkb

SIZE 5 — Darian

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +10”/25cm
Ease at bicep: +4”/10cm
Neck circumference: +40”/100cm
How neck was worked: “I picked up 1 for 1, first tried every other stitch but neckline got too small.”

👉 See Darian’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Darian on Instagram @Alittlelocket

SIZE 5 — Kimberly

Ease at bust/chest: n/a
Ease at bicep: n/a
Neck circumference: n/a

👉 See Kimberly’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Kimberly on Instagram @simeze1

SIZE 6 — Carolien

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +1”/2.5cm
Ease at bicep: 0
Custom fit bicep: added 4 sts
Neck circumference: +32”/80cm
How neck was worked: “I used the normal needle, picked up all stitches so 1 to 1 and bound off eventually with a 5.5mm needle.”

👉 See Carolien’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Carolien on Instagram @Kralalien

SIZE 6 — Pam

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +1”/2.5cm
Ease at bicep: 0
Neck circumference: n/a
How neck was worked: “Picked 3/4”

👉 See Pam’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Pam on Instagram @pammygee2379

SIZE 6 — Stephanie

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +8”/20cm
Ease at bicep: 0

👉 See Stephanie’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Stephanie on Instagram @lemonseltzer

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SIZE 7 — Hazel

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +10”/25cm
Ease at bicep: +3”/7.5cm
Neck circumference: 36”/90cm
How neck was worked: “1:1 with 3.5 mm needle - not a deliberate choice, but a late night poor eyesight can’t read the needle properly issue”

👉 See Hazel’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Hazel on Instagram @Hazysummer72

SIZE 7 — Jacqui (designer)

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: 6”/15cm
Ease at bicep: +”1/2.5cm
Neck circumference: 44”/110cm

SIZE 8 — Brianna

Full length
Ease at bust: +4”/10cm
Ease at bicep: +3/7.5cm
Neck circumference: 34”/85cm
How neck was worked: “I picked up 1:1, felt tighter than I expected.”

👉 See Brianna’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Brianna on Instagram @Lovinglygrown

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SIZE 9 — Jody

Full length
Ease at bust: +10”/25cm
Ease at bicep: +2/5cm
Neck circumference: 46”/115cm
How neck was worked: “Did not change needle size, picked up 1:1, bound off a little loose but not excessively so”

👉 See Jody’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Jody on Instagram @thejodylinn

SIZE 9 — Sabrina

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +4”/10cm
Ease at bicep: +1”/2.5cm
Custom fit bicep: added 22 sts
Neck circumference: 34”/85cm
How neck was worked: “Picked up 1 to 1 but went up two needle sizes to cast off to open it up. It was too small casting off with the main needle.”

👉 See Sabrina’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Sabrina on Instagram @Sabrinachiro

SIZE 10 — Anna

Crop length
Ease at bust/chest: +1”/2.5cm
Ease at bicep: +3”/7.5cm
Custom fit bicep: added 14 sts
Neck circumference: 37”/92.5cm
How neck was worked: “picked up stitches 1 to 1”

👉 See Anna’s project page on Ravelry
👉 Follow Anna on Instagram @arctowardthesun

Bessie: A modern take on the peasant blouse