Bealtaine Tank Knitting Pattern

Bealtaine (bay-all-tin-uh) or Beltane is one of the four major Celtic festivals, celebrating the start of summer. A festival of growth, protection, light, and fire, Bealtaine marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Bonfires are lit and rituals performed to protect people and livestock, and to encourage the growth of crops.

This tank top similarly celebrates the start of summer — a breezy, lightweight fabric shifts and moves in a breeze like the flames of a bonfire, it is ideal for layering over a tee or tank as warmer weather takes hold and we shed our coats and jackets. A quick knit requiring only 1-4 skeins of laceweight yarn, this is the perfect top to knit when summer sneaks up on you after a dreary spring. You can easily shop your stash if you frequently work with mohair, or find a few special skeins to celebrate the start of the season.

Skill Level

Intermediate

Yarn

Note: Yarns A and B are held together throughout.

Sample:

• Yarn A: Ritual Dyes Fae (70% kid mohair, 30% silk; laceweight; 459yds / 50g). 1 (1, 1, 1, 1), 1 (1, 2, 2, 2) skeins of “Chanterelle.”
• Yarn B: Dirty Water Dyeworks Shimmer (72% mohair, 28% silk: laceweight; 459yds / 50g). 1 (1, 1, 1), 1 (1, 2, 2, 2) skeins of “Persimmon.”
• 275 (301, 328, 372, 398), 429 (464, 500, 525, 567) yds or 250 (274, 298, 338, 362), 390 (422, 455, 478, 516) m of EACH yarn.
• 550 (602, 656, 744, 796), 858 (928, 1000, 1050, 1134) yds or 500 (548, 596, 676, 724), 780 (844, 910, 956, 1032) m total.

Alternate Yarn Suggestions:

• Knit Picks Aloft
• Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair
• Ella Rae Silky Kid
• Plymouth Yarn Suri Stratus

Needles

• US 10 (6mm) circular needles, or size to obtain gauge

Notions

• Yarn needle
  Stitch marker for BOR

Gauge

• 16 sts and 25 rounds = 4” (10cm), in stockinette stitch in the round, blocked
• Please note: an appropriate gauge swatch is needed for this pattern to fit as intended! Many testers found their final project gauge to be much looser than their swatch, and the tank came out larger than expected. I highly recommend knitting a large (6”/15cm) swatch and washing and blocking it to get a more accurate swatch. I also recommend trying on the top as you go to ensure it will fit as desired.

Finished Measurements

• Sizes 1 (2, 3, 4, 5), 6 (7, 8, 9, 10)
• 34 (38, 42, 46, 50), 54 (58, 62, 66, 70)” finished bust measurement; garment is meant to be worn with 2–4” of positive ease
• 85 (95, 105, 115, 125), 135 (145, 155, 165, 175)cm finished bust measurement; garment is meant to be worn with 5–10cm of positive ease
• Sample shown is Size 3 on 39”/98cm bust

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked from the top down with the front and back triangles each knit flat and then joined to work in the round at the underarm. This tank has i-cord straps, i-cord edging, and edges with a picot hem.