An easy, modern knitting pattern you'll actually want to wear all summer.
There's something rather lovely about finishing a summer knitting project while it's still... well... summer.
Winter jumpers have a habit of spending months in a project bag before finally making their debut. A lightweight knitted tank top is different. You can cast on during a sunny weekend, knit a few rows in the garden, take it on holiday, and before long you're wearing something you've made with your own two hands.
Summer tank tops are great projects for beginner knitters..... no sleeves, very little shaping and loose airy stitches mean that a little unevenness in your rows doesn't really show. That's ticking a lot of beginner knitter boxes in my opinion.
Knitting an easy summer top is a great way to practise reading a pattern, perfect your stitch technique and perhaps learn a new lace knitting skill or two.
That's exactly why the Bon-Ares Summer Tank Top has become one of my favourite patterns.
It's simple enough to enjoy if you're knitting your first garment, but polished enough that you'll keep reaching for it year after year.
If you've been looking for an easy summer tank top knitting pattern, I'd love to show you why this one has become such a popular choice.
In This Guide
- Why summer is the perfect season to knit garments
- Why this is such a good first knitted top
- Choosing the best yarn
- What makes Bon-Ares beginner-friendly
- Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Helpful tutorials if you get stuck
- Frequently asked questions
- What to knit next
Bon-Ares at a Glance
| Skill Level | Beginner-friendly |
| Pattern Type | Sleeveless summer tank top |
| Sizes | Multiple adult sizes |
| Download | Instant PDF |
| Techniques | Knit, purl, ribbing and an easy drop stitch pattern |
| Perfect For | First garments, holiday knitting and building confidence |
👉 Ready to cast on? You can find the paid version of Bon-Ares Easy Summer Top Knitting Pattern here (handy as you can save it to your Ravelry Library for later):
https://kingandeye.shop/products/bon-ares-easy-summer-top-knitting-pattern
Why Knit a Summer Top?
It's funny really.
Ask someone to picture knitting, and they'll probably imagine thick wool, roaring fires and dark winter evenings.
Meanwhile, many knitters quietly look forward to summer because it's the perfect excuse to make lighter garments.
Easy summer knitting patterns like the Bon Ares top often have no or little shaping so they're perfect for working at the beach or when you want to switch off in front of the TV, you can just let your hands work and knit and knit without having to engage your brain.
A summer tank top grows surprisingly quickly.
It folds neatly into your project bag.
You can take it to the beach, knit a few rows in the garden or work on it during a long train journey without carrying a whole bag of yarn around with you.
Best of all?
You don't have to wait six months before you can wear it. Projects like this always make me smile when I can be casting off and wearing it the very same week.
Why I Designed Bon-Ares
I wanted a summer top that felt achievable.
Not something covered in complicated lace charts.
Not something that needed years of knitting experience.
Just a modern, wearable tank top that lets the yarn and texture do the talking.
One of the nicest compliments I hear from knitters is that Bon-Ares became their first ever garment.
That makes me ridiculously happy.
Because once you've knitted one garment, something shifts.
You stop thinking,
"I wish I could knit clothes."
…and start thinking,
"I wonder what I'll make next."
That's a wonderful place to be.
Is This Pattern Suitable for Beginners?
I genuinely think so.
If you already know how to knit and purl, you've already learned the hardest part.
Everything else is simply building on those skills.
There's plenty of satisfying, rhythmic knitting where you can simply settle in with a cup of tea or your favourite podcast. Even dropping stitches becomes part of the plan for once ;o).
It's knitted in two squares without any shaping to distract you. And because it's a sleeveless design, you don't have sleeves demanding your attention right at the end.
(If you've ever been stuck on sleeve island for what feels like months before, you'll know exactly why that feels like a little gift.)
The Elongated Drop Stitch Looks Much Harder Than It Is
This is probably the question I get asked most.
"That stitch looks beautiful... but is it difficult?"
Not at all.
In fact, it's one of those techniques that tends to impress people far more than it intimidates the knitter once they've tried it.
The elongated drop stitch creates lovely open rows that make the finished fabric feel light and airy — perfect for warm weather.
If you've never worked it before, I've put together a full written tutorial explaining every step:
How to Knit a Drop Stitch (Elongated Knit Stitch)
https://kingandeye.shop/blogs/learn-to-knit/how-to-knit-drop-stitch-or-elongated-knit-stitch
If you're someone who prefers seeing a technique rather than reading about it, there's also a YouTube tutorial where I work through it nice and slowly (apologies about the sound though!):
Once you've knitted a few repeats, you'll probably find yourself wondering where else you can use it.
Choosing the Best Yarn for a Summer Tank Top
Yarn makes all the difference. The same pattern can feel completely different depending on the fibre you choose.
The main thing to watch out for is that cotton, linen or silk-based summer yarns may be a bit more slippery on your needles (and as the stitches are often smaller, they may be a bit more fiddly to pick up if they get dropped unintentionally!)
If you find that your stitches are moving a little too quickly for you and are slipping off the needle, then you may prefer to use a wooden or bamboo set of needles which have slightly more resistance than metal and will help you control your tension better.
Cotton
Cotton is probably the first fibre most people think of for summer knitting.
It's breathable, comfortable and shows off textured stitches beautifully.
If you like crisp stitch definition, cotton is a wonderful choice.
Linen
Linen has a reputation for feeling slightly firm while you're knitting.
Don't let that put you off.
It softens beautifully with washing and wear, developing that relaxed drape that makes handmade summer clothes feel effortlessly stylish.
Bamboo Blends
If you love fabrics that move beautifully, bamboo blends are worth a look.
They're soft, cool against the skin and give garments a lovely fluid shape.
Cotton Blends
Personally, I often reach for cotton blends.
A little bamboo or linen mixed into cotton can make the knitting more enjoyable while still keeping the finished top wonderfully breathable.
There are so many options out there, including different weights and twists, that it's easy to find a yarn that is soft enough to give you a wonderful drape or has less halo to give you fabulous stitch definition.
Here are some of my favourites:
I used Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK for the Bon Ares Tee pattern.
I like Stylecraft Naturals Cotton Aran weight for layering pieces such as the balloon sleeve cardigan
I love Scheepjes Catona cotton for summer knit and crochet projects. Although for the Prato Fiorito summer knit tank I tried Scheepjes Stonewashed Cotton for the first time. This is a cotton/acrylic mix which gives (as you would expect) a gorgeous stonewashed texture and adds a fabulous aged vintage vibe. It's definitely my new favourite summer yarn as it's so super soft!
If you'd like to explore more simple knitting patterns, then you can explore them in the shop (and don't forget you can save any purchased pattern in your Ravelry Library, so it's easy to find when you want to come back to it).
A Little Note About Gauge
Can we have a quick chat about gauge swatches?
I know.
Nobody wakes up excited to knit one.
It feels like delaying the fun part.
But if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that twenty minutes spent checking your gauge is infinitely better than finishing an entire top that's unexpectedly two sizes too small.
Future You will be extremely grateful.
If You're New to Garment Knitting...
Please don't wait until you feel "good enough."
Almost nobody feels ready for their first garment.
We all start somewhere.
Every confident garment knitter you admire has had that moment of looking at a pile of knitted pieces and wondering whether they'd somehow made an enormous mistake.
Then they stitched it together.
Tried it on.
And realised...
"Oh.
I actually made this."
It's one of the most satisfying moments in knitting.
And I'd love you to experience it too. I have a whole bunch of others if you feel like you would like to practice with some other easy beginner garment patterns. But if you'd like a free and simple sweater pattern, then you can get that as a thank you for signing up for my email updates on new tutorials and patterns.
Learning as You Go
One of the things that's important to me is making sure you're never left wondering what on earth a pattern means.
That's why I've been building the Learn to Knit library alongside my patterns.
If you come across a technique that feels unfamiliar, chances are there's already a step-by-step guide waiting for you.
Sometimes it's easier to read through a technique.
Sometimes it's much easier to watch someone else's hands.
That's exactly why many tutorials also have matching videos on YouTube.
You don't have to memorise everything before starting your first garment.
You just need to know where to find a little help when you need it. Don't forget to bookmark the page and subscribe to the YouTube channel, so you can return later when you need a helping hand.
A Few Beginner Mistakes (That Almost Everyone Makes)
If this is your first knitted garment, there are a few little things worth knowing before you cast on.
None of them are disasters.
Most of us have done every single one.
Usually more than once.
"I'll Just Skip the Gauge Swatch..."
We've already had a little chat about gauge, but it deserves another mention.
A tank top is much more forgiving than a fitted jumper, but you still want it to fit comfortably.
A quick swatch tells you whether your knitting matches the pattern and gives you a chance to see how your chosen yarn behaves after washing.
It's twenty minutes that can save hours later on. And who wants to run out of yarn because their stitches are too large?
Choosing a Yarn Just Because You Love the Colour
We've all been there.
You spot a gorgeous skein, and suddenly you're halfway to the checkout before you've looked at the fibre content.
For summer clothes, comfort matters just as much as colour.
A beautifully soft cotton or linen blend is much more likely to become something you wear again and again than a yarn that's too warm and woolly for sunny days.
Forgetting to Try It On
One of the biggest joys of knitting or crocheting clothes is that you don't have to wait until the very end to see how they're fitting.
If your needles and cable allow it, slip the stitches onto waste yarn now and then and hold it up against yourself.
It's much easier to make a small adjustment halfway through than after you've woven in all the ends.
Comparing Your First Garment to Your Tenth
This one isn't really about knitting.
It's about expectations.
The internet has a habit of showing beautifully styled finished projects without showing the slightly uneven tension, the unpicked rows or the moments of quiet confusion that came before them.
Your first garment isn't supposed to be perfect.
It's supposed to teach you something.
And if it also becomes one of your favourite summer tops?
That's a lovely bonus.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the questions I hear most often about Bon-Ares, so I thought I'd answer them here.
"I've never knitted a garment before. Am I being over-ambitious?"
Not at all.
In fact, I'd argue that a simple summer top is one of the nicest places to start.
There's enough in the new stitch technique to teach you something new, but not so much that it feels overwhelming. You're not wrestling with sleeves, heavy fabric or endless rows, and because it's a relatively quick knit, you get that wonderful confidence boost of actually finishing a garment.
Everyone remembers their first handmade top.
Mine certainly wasn't perfect.
I loved it anyway.
If you'd like to practice, then you can get the Best Beginners Sweater pattern for free by signing up for my email list. It will also give you access to tutorial updates and pattern discounts.
"What if my tension isn't perfect?"
Welcome to the club.
Very few knitters produce perfectly even stitches all the time.
The lovely thing about knitted fabric is that it relaxes. Washing and blocking work little miracles, evening out stitches and helping the garment settle into its final shape.
That's another reason I always recommend blocking your finished knitting before you decide whether you're pleased with it.
You'd be amazed at the difference it makes.
"Can I swap the yarn?"
Absolutely.
As long as you're able to match the gauge, there are plenty of beautiful yarns that will work well for this pattern.
Cotton, linen and lightweight blends all create slightly different looks, which is one of the reasons I never get tired of seeing your finished projects.
The same pattern can look completely different depending on the yarn you've chosen.
That's one of the joys of handmade clothes.
"I'm worried about the drop stitch."
This makes me smile because it's probably the question I answer most often.
The stitch looks much more dramatic than it actually is.
Once you've worked a few repeats, it settles into a lovely rhythm and quickly becomes one of those techniques that you wonder why you ever worried about.
If you'd like a little reassurance before you begin, I've put together both a written tutorial and a YouTube video that take you through it step by step.
Sometimes seeing it happen once is all it takes.
"Will I actually wear it?"
I think that's the question we should ask before every project.
Because knitting takes time.
If something is going to spend its life folded in a drawer, that's rather a shame.
Bon-Ares was designed to be one of those easy pieces you reach for without thinking.
The top that works with jeans, or a sexy little date night number.
The one you pack for a weekend away, because it's just as flexible with linen trousers and sandals as it is over a bikini.
The one that becomes a part of your summer wardrobe again and again.
Those are always my favourite projects to design.
"What if I make a mistake?"
You probably will.
I still do.
Every knitter does.
The difference is that experienced knitters know mistakes are simply part of the process.
Sometimes you'll tink back a few rows.
Sometimes you'll laugh, decide nobody will ever notice and carry on.
Both approaches are perfectly acceptable.
Please don't let the fear of making a mistake stop you from making something you'll be proud of.
Before You Cast On...
Can I let you in on a little secret?
When I first started designing patterns, I imagined experienced knitters would be the ones making them.
But over the years, something much lovelier happened.
Again and again, people wrote to tell me,
"This was my first garment."
Or,
"I didn't think I could knit clothes until I tried this."
Those messages never get old.
They're a reminder that confidence doesn't usually arrive before we begin.
It arrives somewhere around the middle of the project, when we realise we've learned more than we thought we had.
So if you've been waiting until you feel like a "proper knitter" before making your first summer top...
Please don't wait.
Cast on.
Take it one row at a time.
Ask for help when you need it.
Celebrate the little milestones along the way.
And when you're weaving in those final ends, I hope you'll have that wonderful moment every garment knitter knows.
The one where you hold it up, smile to yourself and think,
"I made this."
Because there really isn't much that beats that feeling.
What Do I Need To Knit My Summer Tank Top?
Size XS/S Approx 650m
Size M Approx 680m
Size L/XL/2XL 884m
Size 3XL/4XL/5XL 1020m
• 5mm knitting needles
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape
How Do I Knit The Bon Ares Summer Tank Top?
This easy summer tank top is knit in two square-shaped pieces which are then sewn together at the shoulders and at the sides.
The pattern is totally customisable. You can knit it shorter for a cropped look, go longer for a beach cover up, sew shorter side seams to create easy breezy armholes or knit a smaller size to make it more fitted. The options are endless!!
SIZE:
This is an oversized knit, so accurate sizing isn't too important, but measurements are given up to 5XL.
The finished sweater in size S/M is approximately 55cm (22inches) long and fits up to 38 inch chest. The largest size 5XL will fit chest sizes up to 60 inches.
Instructions are given for the smallest size (XS/S). Minor changes for larger sizes are given in brackets:
XS/S 28-34 inch chest
M 36-38 inch chest (in brackets)
L/XL/2XL 40-50 inch chest (second number in brackets)
3XL/4XL/5XL 52-62 inch chest (third number in brackets)
While gauge is not super important with this project as it is so loose fitting, I usually recommend making a swatch that measures at least 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4 inches using the stitch in the pattern the gauge is given for (see below).
Test your yarn and needles against the gauge sizing below or see your yarninformation label to check the typical gauge if you want to use an
alternative.
Garter Elongated Drop Stitch = 14 stitches x 18 rows (10x10 cm)
See the pattern description below to help you out - you should have 3 blocks of pattern in 10cm ie 3 blocks of (4 rows of garter stitch, 1 row of wrap stitches then 1 row of drop stitches)
If your swatch is smaller than this then swap to a larger set of needles, if you have a larger swatch then use a smaller needle until the required gauge is reached.
Knitting Abbreviations
CO – Cast On
K – Knit stitch
YO – Yarn Over
BO - Bind Off
Pattern Notes
• All measurements given are unblocked.
• Note that measurements are given as exact as possible. Your tension & technique might give variations in the result, but that’s what makes it unique!
How To Knit Garter Drop Stitch
Today we're working with dropped stitches, but don't worry we're going to drop them intentionally to create our gorgeouse texture.
Below you will find a brief summary of the stitch technique. If you're new to drop stitches then you should start here with the full tutorial.
If you're more of a visual learner you can see how I work the stitch on a YouTube video.
Knit Drop Stitch Technique: A Summary
- Knit the first 4 rows.
On row 5 knit the first stitch, YO2 (holding your yarn in your right hand wrap it
counter clockwise around the right needle two times). - Continue Knit,YO2 until you reach the last stitch. Knit the last stitch.
- R6 – Knit the first stitch. Using either your finger or your needle slip the
wrapped stitches (the YO2 from the previous row) off your needle, these
should be easy to differentiate form your knit stitches as you can see they are
looser and are not connected to the row below. - See the tutorial on YouTube here
Knit your Summer Tank Top Body Pieces
(Make 2)
CO 70 (75, 98, 119) stitches
R1-4 Knit all stitches
R5 – Knit the first stitch, YO2 (holding your yarn in your right hand wrap it counter clockwise around the right needle two times).
Continue with *Knit,YO2* until you reach the last stitch. Knit the last stitch.
R6 – Knit the first stitch. Using either your finger or your needle slip the wrapped stitches (the YO2 from the previous row) off your needle, these should be easy to differentiate form your knit stitches as you can see they are looser and are not connected to the row below. knit the next stitch.
Continue with *Knit, drop the YO* until the last stitch. Knit the last stitch.
Congratulations you have just completed your first block of pattern and it really isn’t as scary as you thought was it?
Row 7-84 repeat 1-6 (you should now have 14 blocks of pattern)
R 85-100 knit all stitches to give you a solid shoulder block.
R101 – BO all stitches
Putting It All Together
Place your pieces on a flat surface with the shoulders facing each other, mark a neckline with pins by measuring the width of you piece and subtracting 11 inches (this will be the width of your neck opening, you can make it wider if you prefer a slouchier look).
Divide the remaining width in two then measure from the outside edge of your piece to the centre and mark it with a pin.
For example, size small is 41 inches wide, if I subtract 11 inches for the neckline which leaves me with 30 inches. If I divide this in two I know I need to measure 15 inches from each shoulder and mark with a pin so my neckline will be centred.
Sew your shoulder seams from the pins to the outside edge.
With your seam still on the outside and the right sides together measure 10 (10,11,12) inches from the shoulder seam and mark with a pin. Sew from the pin down to the base of the tee. You could increase the depth of the armholes here if you want a breezy beach cover up.
Weave in any ends, turn your work the right way out and get out there to show it off!!
What to Knit Next
One of the nicest things about finishing your first garment is that it opens the door to so many other projects.
Suddenly cardigans don't seem quite so impossible.
Sweaters feel a little less intimidating.
And garments become something you look forward to rather than something you avoid. If you'd like the sweater pattern in the image above for free, then I'll send you a link when you sign up for my email updates on new tutorials and pattern discounts.
If you've enjoyed knitting Bon-Ares, you might like to explore some of the other knitting patterns in the warm weather collection, especially those designed with confident beginners in mind.
And if you'd like to keep building your skills, don't forget the Learn to Knit tutorials.
They're there to answer all those little questions that crop up halfway through a project—the sort of things that experienced knitters forget weren't obvious once upon a time.