Pink Summer Oversized Corset Top

Machine Knitting Pattern — Beginner

A breezy, oversized sleeveless summer top worked in soft pink sport-weight yarn. Simple stockinette panels are shaped with basic holds for armholes and a gentle scoop neck. A horizontal band of eyelets across the front waist lets you thread satin ribbon for an adjustable corset-lace detail. No ribber or punchcard required.

Materials

• Yarn: Sport weight (Category 2), cotton or cotton-blend recommended for summer drape. Color: pink (any shade).
  Yardage: 650 (720, 800, 880) yd / 595 (660, 730, 805) m.
• Machine: Standard gauge (4.5 mm) knitting machine (Brother, Silver Reed/Studio, Empisal, etc.). Punchcard or electronic; single bed only.
• Ribbon: 2–3 yd (1.8–2.7 m) of ⅜–½" (10–12 mm) satin or grosgrain ribbon in matching or contrasting color for corset lacing.
• Tools: Cast-on comb, ravel cord, claw weights, transfer tool (1-prong and 2-prong), latch tool, tapestry needle, scissors, blocking wires or pins, steam iron.
• Optional: Waste yarn (contrasting color, same weight).

Tension / Gauge

• Main tension: T7 (adjust ±1 if needed to match gauge).
• Gauge: 28 stitches × 36 rows = 4" × 4" (10 × 10 cm) in stockinette stitch after steaming.
  (7 sts = 1" / 2.5 cm; 9 rows = 1" / 2.5 cm.)
• Always knit a 40-st × 40-row swatch, steam, and re-measure before starting. Change tension dial until gauge matches.

Sizes

S (M, L, XL)
Finished bust circumference (oversized): 40 (44, 48, 52)" / 102 (112, 122, 132) cm
Finished length (shoulder to hem): 22 (23, 24, 25)" / 56 (58.5, 61, 63.5) cm
Armhole depth: 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5)" / 20 (21.5, 23, 24) cm
Shoulder width each: 4.5 (5, 5.5, 6)" / 11.5 (12.5, 14, 15) cm

Sample shown in size M. Choose size with 6–8" (15–20 cm) positive ease over actual full bust.

Abbreviations & Machine Terms

Pattern Notes

• Knit completely flat; front and back are separate panels.
• Corset eyelets are worked on the front only.
• Use every-needle stockinette throughout unless instructed.
• Hang claw weights evenly and move them up every 20–30 rows.
• Carriage settings: both Part (slip) levers and Cam levers at N (normal knit) unless noted.
• When holding stitches, set carriage to Hold (Russell levers / holding cams to H).
• Eyelets: transfer the selected stitch to its neighbor, leave empty needle in WP so it picks up a new loop (creates a clean eyelet).
• All measurements are after light steaming; do not stretch aggressively.

BACK

Machine Setup

1. Set main bed to single-bed stockinette. Ribber not required.
2. Tension: T7. Carriage COR. RC 000.
3. Bring 140 (154, 168, 182) needles to WP.
4. Cast on with waste yarn using open-edge cast-on (e-wrap or machine closed CO, then knit 8–10 rows WY).
5. Knit 1 row ravel cord. COR.
6. Change to main pink yarn. Reset RC 000.

Hem to Armhole

• Knit in stockinette to RC 126 (130, 135, 139).
  (This is 14 (14.5, 15, 15.5)" / 35.5 (37, 38, 39.5) cm from cast-on.)
• Carriage ends COR. Piece measures approx. 14–15.5" in length.

Shape Armholes

1. At the beginning of the next 2 rows, bind off 5 (6, 7, 8) sts using the latch-tool method or transfer BO:
   • COR → knit left, BO 5 (6, 7, 8) sts on left edge. COL.
   • Knit right, BO 5 (6, 7, 8) sts on right edge. COR.
   • Stitches remaining: 130 (142, 154, 166).
2. Continue stockinette, decreasing 1 st each side every 2 rows, 4 (5, 6, 7) times as follows:
   • Transfer edge st onto adjacent needle (or use 2-prong tool for a neat fully-fashioned dec).
   • Knit across.
   • Repeat on opposite edge.
   • After all decs: 122 (132, 142, 152) sts.
   • RC will read approximately RC 134 (140, 147, 153).
3. Knit straight until armhole measures 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5)" / 20 (21.5, 23, 24) cm.
   Total RC 198 (207, 216, 225). Carriage COR.

Shape Back Neck & Shoulders

1. Place center 42 (46, 50, 54) needles into HP (or scrap them off later).
   Work each shoulder separately.
2. Right shoulder (carriage side):
   • 40 (43, 46, 49) sts remain in WP.
   • At neck edge, BO 3 sts once, then 2 sts once.
   • At the same time, at armhole edge, BO 11 (12, 13, 14) sts every other row, 3 times (or short-row hold: hold 11 (12, 13, 14) sts 3 times).
   • Final shoulder sts: 32 (35, 38, 41) → BO remaining 32 (35, 38, 41) sts.
3. Rejoin yarn at left shoulder (COL or COR as needed). Mirror shaping exactly.
4. Return center neck stitches to WP and bind them off, or scrap off on waste yarn for a softer neckline finish.

Remove back piece. Steam lightly flat.

FRONT

Machine Setup

Identical to Back:
140 (154, 168, 182) needles, WY + ravel cord, main yarn, T7, RC 000, COR.

Hem to Corset Eyelet Band

• Knit stockinette to RC 108.
  (Approx. 12" / 30.5 cm from cast-on — waist level on an oversized summer top.)
• Carriage COR.

Corset Eyelet Band (Front only)

Work 6 rows of eyelets for ribbon channels:

Eyelet Row A (RC 109):

• Starting from the 4th stitch in from each edge, transfer every 4th stitch onto its right-hand neighbor.
• Leave emptied needles in WP.
• Example size S (140 sts): transfer needles 4, 8, 12 … 136 (empty NDs stay in WP).
• Knit 1 row (COL). Empty needles cast on automatically → eyelets formed.

Plain Row (RC 110): Knit 1 row. COR.

Eyelet Row B (RC 111):

• Offset the transfers: begin on the 6th stitch, transfer every 4th stitch (needles 6, 10, 14 …).
• Knit 1 row. COL.

Plain Row (RC 112): Knit 1 row. COR.

Eyelet Row C (RC 113): Repeat Eyelet Row A placement. Knit 1 row. COL.

Plain Row (RC 114): Knit 1 row. COR.
RC now 114. Eyelet band complete (3 eyelet rows + 3 plain = 6 rows).

Tip: Hang extra weights under the eyelet zone so empty needles knit cleanly.

Continue to Armhole

• Knit straight in stockinette from RC 114 to RC 126 (130, 135, 139).
• Carriage COR. Same length as back to underarm.

Shape Armholes

Identical to Back:

• BO 5 (6, 7, 8) sts each side.
• Dec 1 st each side every 2 rows 4 (5, 6, 7) times.
• Remaining: 122 (132, 142, 152) sts.
• RC approx. 134 (140, 147, 153).

Knit to Neck

• Continue straight until armhole measures 5.5 (6, 6.5, 7)" / 14 (15, 16.5, 18) cm —
  RC 176 (184, 193, 202). COR.
  (Neck begins lower than back for a flattering scoop.)

Shape Front Scoop Neck

1. Place center 26 (28, 30, 32) needles into HP (or scrap off).
   Work each side separately.
2. Right neck (40 (43, 46, 49) + later shoulder sts):
   • At neck edge, BO or transfer-dec: 3 sts once, 2 sts twice, then 1 st every other row 5 (6, 7, 8) times.
   • When armhole depth reaches 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5)" (same RC 198 (207, 216, 225) as back), shape shoulder exactly as back: BO/hold 11 (12, 13, 14) sts three times.
   • Final remaining shoulder sts BO.
3. Complete left neck and shoulder as mirror image.
4. Bind off or scrap the held center neck stitches.

Remove front. Steam lightly, taking care not to flatten eyelets.

Finishing

1. Block: Pin front and back to schematic measurements. Steam gently from WS (hover iron; do not press hard). Allow to dry fully. Eyelets should remain open.
2. Shoulder seams: With right sides together, join shoulders using mattress stitch or by rehanging both shoulders on the machine (half the shoulder stitches from front and back on same needles) and binding off together with latch tool.
3. Side seams: Mattress stitch from hem to armhole bind-off, matching RC rows. Leave armholes open.
4. Armhole and neck edges (optional neat finish):
   • Rehang armhole edge stitches evenly onto needles (approx. 56 (60, 64, 68) sts per armhole).
   • Knit 3–4 rows at T6, then latch-tool BO.
   • Repeat for neckline (approx. 90–110 sts total around).
     Or crochet one round of single crochet / slip stitch by hand if preferred.
5. Corset lacing:
   • Cut ribbon into one long piece or two shorter pieces.
   • Starting at center bottom eyelet row, weave ribbon in a classic criss-cross corset pattern through the three eyelet rows, or thread vertically/horizontally as desired.
   • Tie in a bow at center front or at the side. Trim ends at an angle and seal with clear nail polish or heat if synthetic.
6. Weave in all ends with tapestry needle. Final light steam on seams.

Schematic (key measurements)

        |← 4.5–6" shoulder →|   neck   |← shoulder →|
        +-------------------+---------+-------------+
        |                   |  scoop  |             |
        |     armhole       |         |   armhole   |
        |     8–9.5"        |         |             |
        |                   +---------+             |
        |                                           |
        |              FRONT EYELETS                |
        |            (at ~12" height)               |
        |                                           |
        |              total length                 |
        |              22–25"                       |
        +-------------------------------------------+
        |←—————— panel width 20–26" ——————→|

Beginner Tips

• Practice eyelet transfers on a small swatch first.
• If a needle fails to pick up after an eyelet, manually place the bar of the stitch below onto that needle before knitting the next row.
• Count needles before every shaping section; mark every 10th needle with a claw weight or needle stopper.
• Reset RC only when the pattern says so; otherwise let it run continuously for easy checkpoints.
• Oversized fit is forgiving — if your row gauge is slightly off, length is easy to adjust by adding/subtracting plain rows before the armhole.

Enjoy your pink summer corset top!