Easy Jersey Wrap T-Shirt

A beginner drop-shoulder wrap t-shirt in smooth stocking stitch, designed to look like a machine-knit jersey tee. Two overlapping fronts, short sleeves, 2×2 rib trims, and garter-stitch ties. Worked flat in pieces and seamed.

Sizes

XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)

To fit bust: 81 (86, 91, 97, 102, 107) cm / 32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 42) in

Instructions are written for XS with S, M, L, XL and 2XL in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes. Choose the size closest to your bust measurement; the wrap is adjustable with the ties.

Finished measurements

Ease at the back is about 7–9 cm (2¾–3½ in). Bust fit is adjustable because the fronts wrap and tie.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted weight (UK aran / 10-ply), preferably a cotton or cotton-blend with a little drape so the wrap hangs well. About 180–200 m per 100 g.

Yardage: 700 (800, 900, 1000, 1150, 1300) metres / 400 (450, 500, 550, 650, 750) g.

Allow a little extra if your yarn is a dense cotton.

Needles:

• 4.5 mm (UK 7) straight or circular needles for stocking stitch
• 4 mm (UK 8) straight or circular needles for rib, neckband and ties

A circular needle used as a straight needle (working back and forth) is fine.

Notions:

• Tapestry needle
• 4 stitch markers
• 2 stitch holders or spare yarn
• Scissors
• Optional: 1 press stud (snap) for the inner wrap corner

Tension (gauge)

20 stitches and 28 rows = 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch on 4.5 mm needles, after blocking.

Work a tension square of at least 12 × 12 cm, wash and dry it as you will the t-shirt, then measure the centre 10 cm.

• Too many stitches in 10 cm → fabric is tight → try 5 mm needles.
• Too few stitches in 10 cm → fabric is loose → try 4 mm needles.

Match both stitch and row tension. Row tension controls how steep the wrap slope is; if it is off, the slope may not finish at the shoulder.

Abbreviations

Pattern notes

• Construction: Back, two fronts and two sleeves are knitted separately from the hem up, then seamed. Drop-shoulder shaping means the body is a straight rectangle — no armhole decreases.
• Wrap: The left front (as worn) wraps over the right front and ties at the right side. Each front has a 4-stitch garter border along the wrap edge so the fabric does not curl.
• Two different fronts: The left and right fronts are mirror images. Follow the decrease edge given for each piece.
• Selvedge: The side-seam edge is worked as 1 stitch of garter (knit it on every row) for easier seaming.
• Sizing: Highlight or circle your size throughout before you start.
• Machine knitting: The fabric is plain jersey. On a mid-gauge machine (about 6–7 mm, e.g. Silver Reed LK150) use the same stitch counts, set the tension dial to match 20 sts × 28 rows = 10 cm, latch-tool or hand-knit the rib, and transfer the stitch inside the 4-st edge every 4th row for the wrap decreases. Make up as given.

Beginner tip — ssk: Slip the next stitch knitwise, slip the following stitch knitwise, insert the left needle into the front of both slipped stitches from left to right, and knit them together.

Instructions

Back

With 4 mm needles, cast on 88 (92, 100, 104, 108, 116) sts.

Rib row 1 (RS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.

Rib row 2 (WS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.

These 2 rows form 2×2 rib. Cont in rib until work measures 4 cm (1½ in) from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Change to 4.5 mm needles.

Next row (RS): Knit.

Next row (WS): K1 (selvedge), p to last st, k1 (selvedge).

These 2 rows form stocking stitch with garter selvedges. Cont until Back measures 54 (56, 58, 60, 62, 64) cm / 21¼ (22, 22¾, 23½, 24½, 25¼) in from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Shape left neck and shoulder

Next row (RS): K 28 (30, 32, 34, 34, 38), turn. Leave rem sts on a holder.

Next row (WS): Cast off 2 sts, p to last st, k1. 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts. (28 − 2 = 26 ✓)

Next row (RS): Cast off rem 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts.

Shape right neck and shoulder

With RS facing, rejoin yarn to rem sts. Cast off centre 32 (32, 36, 36, 40, 40) sts, k to end. 28 (30, 32, 34, 34, 38) sts on this side. (88 − 28 − 32 = 28 ✓)

Next row (WS): K1, p to end.

Next row (RS): Cast off 2 sts, k to end. 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts. (28 − 2 = 26 ✓)

Next row (WS): Cast off rem 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts.

Back neck = centre 32 + 2 + 2 = 36 (36, 40, 40, 44, 44) sts. (36 sts = 18 cm at tension ✓)

Left Front (wraps over, as worn)

This piece sits on your left side and crosses your body to the right. The wrap edge is at the end of RS rows.

With 4 mm needles, cast on 56 (60, 64, 68, 72, 76) sts.

Rib row 1 (RS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.

Rib row 2 (WS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.

Cont in 2×2 rib until work measures 4 cm (1½ in) from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Change to 4.5 mm needles.

Set-up row (RS): Knit.

Set-up row (WS): K4 (wrap border), p to last st, k1 (side selvedge).

The 4 sts at the wrap edge are knitted on every row (garter) from here on.

Wrap shaping

Dec row (RS): K to last 6 sts, k2tog, k4.

Next row (WS): K4, p to last st, k1.

Next 2 rows: Work as set (knit RS; on WS, k4, p to last st, k1) with no decrease.

Rep the last 4 rows (1 dec row + 3 even rows) 29 (31, 33, 35, 39, 39) times more.

30 (32, 34, 36, 40, 40) decreases in total.
56 (60, 64, 68, 72, 76) − 30 (32, 34, 36, 40, 40) = 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts rem. ✓

Cont straight in st st with the 4-st garter wrap border and 1-st side selvedge until Left Front measures 55 (57, 59, 61, 63, 65) cm / 21¾ (22½, 23¼, 24, 24¾, 25½) in from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Cast off rem 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts knitwise (shoulder).

Right Front

This piece sits on your right side and lies underneath. The wrap edge is at the beginning of RS rows.

With 4 mm needles, cast on 56 (60, 64, 68, 72, 76) sts.

Work 2×2 rib as for Left Front until work measures 4 cm (1½ in) from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Change to 4.5 mm needles.

Set-up row (RS): Knit.

Set-up row (WS): K1 (side selvedge), p to last 4 sts, k4 (wrap border).

Wrap shaping

Dec row (RS): K4, ssk, k to end.

Next row (WS): K1, p to last 4 sts, k4.

Next 2 rows: Work as set with no decrease.

Rep the last 4 rows 29 (31, 33, 35, 39, 39) times more.

30 (32, 34, 36, 40, 40) decreases in total.
56 (60, 64, 68, 72, 76) − 30 (32, 34, 36, 40, 40) = 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts rem. ✓

Cont straight until Right Front measures 55 (57, 59, 61, 63, 65) cm from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Cast off rem 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts knitwise (shoulder).

Sleeves (make 2)

With 4 mm needles, cast on 56 (60, 64, 68, 72, 76) sts.

Work 2×2 rib as for Back until cuff measures 3 cm (1¼ in), ending after a WS row.

Change to 4.5 mm needles.

Inc row (RS): K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1. (2 sts increased)

Next row (WS): K1, p to last st, k1.

Rep the last 2 rows 11 times more. 12 increase rows in total.

56 (60, 64, 68, 72, 76) + 24 = 80 (84, 88, 92, 96, 100) sts. ✓

Cont straight in st st with garter selvedges until Sleeve measures 14 (14, 15, 15, 16, 16) cm / 5½ (5½, 6, 6, 6¼, 6¼) in from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Cast off knitwise.

Ties (make 4)

With 4 mm needles, cast on 8 sts.

Work in garter stitch (knit every row) until the tie measures 45 cm (17¾ in).

Cast off knitwise. Weave in the cast-on and cast-off tails, or leave a 20 cm tail at one end for sewing the tie to the t-shirt.

Finishing

Block all pieces to the finished measurements, pinning the wrap edges in a straight diagonal. For cotton blends, wet-block: soak in lukewarm water, press out water in a towel (do not wring), and dry flat. Do not stretch the rib.

1. Shoulder seams

With RS together (or RS facing you if using mattress stitch), join each front shoulder to the matching back shoulder. 26 (28, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts each side. The 4-st garter wrap border should sit at the neck end of the shoulder seam, not at the arm.

2. Set in sleeves

On each side of the body, measure down from the shoulder seam:

20 (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) cm / 8 (8¼, 8¾, 9, 9½, 9¾) in

and place a marker. This is the armhole depth. (Sleeve top width 40 (42, 44, 46, 48, 50) cm ÷ 2 = 20 (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) cm ✓)

Fold a sleeve in half to find its centre. Match that centre to the shoulder seam. Sew the sleeve top between the two markers, easing evenly. Repeat for the second sleeve.

3. Side and sleeve seams

Starting at the hem, sew each side seam up to the underarm, then continue along the sleeve underarm to the cuff, in one continuous seam. Use mattress stitch for a flat, machine-look join.

4. Back neckband

With RS facing and 4 mm needles, pick up and knit 3 sts down the left back neck slope, 32 (32, 36, 36, 40, 40) sts across the centre back cast-off, and 3 sts up the right back neck slope.

38 (38, 42, 42, 46, 46) sts. (3 + 32 + 3 = 38 ✓)

Knit 6 rows (3 garter ridges). Cast off knitwise. The band should meet the garter wrap borders at each shoulder. Stitch the short ends of the band neatly to the wrap borders if they sit slightly apart.

Picking up tip: Insert the needle under both legs of each cast-off stitch along the back neck, and into the edge stitches of the short neck slopes, wrapping the yarn as for a knit stitch.

5. Attach ties

Try the t-shirt on and pin the ties before sewing, then adjust. Default placement, measured from the hem:

Waist height: 18 (18, 19, 19, 20, 20) cm / 7 (7, 7½, 7½, 8, 8) in from the hem.

Sew one end of each tie securely to the WS, as follows:

1. Outer wrap tie — Left Front wrap (garter) edge, at waist height.
2. Outer side tie — Right Front side seam, at the same height (this is where you tie on the outside).
3. Inner wrap tie — Right Front wrap edge, at waist height.
4. Inner side tie — Left Front side seam, at the same height (ties on the inside, under the wrap).

The inner pair (3 and 4) keeps the underlap in place. If you prefer a simpler finish, sew only ties 1 and 2 and add an optional press stud at the inner right-front corner.

6. Weave in ends

Weave all remaining ends into the WS along the same colour row or into a seam. Trim.

7. Final block

Give the seamed t-shirt a light steam (hover the iron; do not press rib or cotton-blend fabric flat with a hot iron) or a second wet block. Smooth the wrap fronts so they lie in matching diagonals.

To wear

Put the t-shirt on as you would a cardigan. Bring the right front across your body and tie it on the inside at the left side. Bring the left front over the top and tie it on the outside at the right side. Adjust the overlap with the ties until the wrap sits where you like it.

Schematic (measurements)

BACK                          LEFT FRONT (RS)
+------------------+          +------------------+
|                  |          |                  |
|  44 (46, 50,     |          |  28 (30, 32,     |
|  52, 54, 58) cm  |          |  34, 36, 38) cm  |
|                  |          |               \  |
|                  |          |                \ |  wrap edge
|     length       |          |                 \|  (garter)
|  55–65 cm        |          |                  +  shoulder
+--------+---------+          |     13–18 cm     |
   neck 18–22 cm              +------------------+
   each shoulder 13–18 cm

SLEEVE
cuff 28 (30, 32, 34, 36, 38) cm
top  40 (42, 44, 46, 48, 50) cm
length 14–16 cm

Pattern by your technical editor. Stitch counts verified at every shaping step. Work a tension square before you begin.