Motifs in Context

This piece evolved from a discussion with one of my knitting friends (SusStrickArt - you can follow her on Ravelry or Instagram).  She has a gorgeous knitting and design style that is completely different from my own. She creates exquisitely tailored garments with beautiful details, while I prefer bold geometric patterns in smaller pieces or accessories..

Last year, she suggested a design cooperation - in that I would do some sort of flower motif that would be placed in the context of a well-finished garment ... the flower squares used here were my first "try" that I liked it so much that I published it as a separate pattern (my Hana Coasters). Even though this square didn't make it into our cooperation, I used it (and the general idea) in this top as a side panel - using similar constructions and calculations as in my No Assembly Required Top.

We actually DID publish a joint design (the Japanese Blossom Cardigan) in April 2026 - using a different flower motif.

So, here's a blog post that describes how to create something similar yourself. Please note, that this is NOT A FULL KNITTING PATTERN, but a "only" a description / tutorial. However, there are some illustrations that explain the construction and I will give you the numbers and calculation (written in violet) for the top that I knitted.

To produce something similar you can of course use other square motifs (knitted or crocheted) instead - I can imagine that even crocheted Granny Squares might look interesting as a side panel.

Materials

• yarn - I used fingering weight cotton yarn, specifically Fraya colorful - here's a link to the yarn's Ravelry page
• about 225 grams of the main color (blue in title picture) 
• about 25 grams of the contrast color (white in title picture)
• knitting needles - and a second needle (the same size or a bit smaller in size): to knit I used 2.75mm needles (as a second needle (e.g. to pick up stitches from an edge) I used 2mm needles 
• some stitch markers
• scrap yarn - for provisional CO, to secure stitches that will be needed later and as markers
• a crochet hook for the provisional CO that suits the yarn (I used a 2.5mm hook)
• a tapestry needle for grafting
• pen and paper - because you need to write down your measurements and calculations and you absolutely need to take notes while you are knitting (e.g. to make the garment symmetrical in shape)

Techniques / Definitions

• Provisional CO: My favorite method for a provision CO is the crochet provisional CO - it is shown in this Youtube video by New Stitch a Day.
• Short rows with wrap and turn (w+t) - as shown in this YouTube video by VeryPinkKnits.
• Grafting in Garter Stitch: A technique to get an invisible (knitted) seam - this technique is shown in this YouTube Video by knittinghelp.com.
• Picking up stitches from the edge and joining as you go: to attach the first stitch of one row to the edge stitch of the row opposite, slip the last stitch and insert the right needle in a loop from the opposite side, reinsert the left needle into the last 2 loops and knit them together (like doing a ssk) - a similar method is shown in this video: http://youtu.be/3zPXZ4cu66
• Pick up stitches - as opposed to pick up and knit, as shown in this YouTube video by Knit Purl Hunter
• Seaming garter stitch - shown in this YouTube video by VeryPinkKnits. This is needed for creating the side panels if you use a garter stitch motif - like I did.
• Icelandic bind off (which I used for binding off my sleeves) - shown in this YouTube video by VeryPinkKnits
• Reverse Single Crochet (Crab Stitch): a crochet stitch that makes for a lovely edging - shown in this YouTube video by Tamara Kelly - Moogly
• One garter stitch ridge equals two rows of garter stitch

Instructions

• Create your side panels, i.e. knit or crochet your motifs (illustration A) and sew them up to a strip (illustration B). Make sure that they stack up to a length that corresponds to the measured length from under your arm to the hem of piece. As you can see on illustration A, I added two stitches on opposite sides of my Hana squares to make them longer (rectangles rather than squares). Alternatively, you can add knitted / crocheted strips between your motifs.

• Knit a swatch. If your side panel pieces are knitted and you are brave, you may use the side panel pieces to count your stitch/rows to centimeter ratio, but usually a real swatch is more reliable.
  
• Take the following measures and measure the width of your side panel. 

B = width of the shoulder seam

C = half of the width of neckline

D = a quarter of the waist circumference

E = half of your front measurement at bust height

E' =  half of your back measurement at bust height

F = a quarter of your hip circumference

U = a quarter of your underarm circumference

G = from shoulder to neckline (back)

H = from shoulder to neckline (front)

I = from shoulder to right under your arm

J = from shoulder to bust

K = from shoulder to waist

L = from shoulder to hip (total length of the garment)

S = half the width of your sidepanel (not in schematic) 

• Calculate the number of necessary stitches for each vertical measurement and calculate the number of necessary ridges (1 garter stitch ridge = 2 rows of garter stitch) for the sideways measurements. Make sure to subtract the S (half the width of the sidepanel) from  F, D, E, E', U - to take the side panel into account. I also calculated the difference of ridges that I would need at every height (hem, waist, underarm, bust) because that gives the amount of short rows that have to be included in the garment.
• Now you can start knitting the back piece: From the side panel pick up and knit the number of stitches that corresponds with L-I (i.e. hem of garment up to right under the arm). On another needle use your scrap yarn to do a provisional CO of the number of stitches that corresponds with I. Using the needle with the picked up stitches continue to knit the stitches of the provisional CO so that you have a row of stitches that corresponds to L (your piece now looks like illustration C). The piece will be knitted sideways similar to the the No Assembly Required Top. I inserted two markers on the WS row: one at waist height and one a underarm height. This pickup row and its WS row are ridge 1.
• According to your measurements add short rows to create shape at the hem and underarm. When you have reached the shoulder width at the top, start decreases at the top in order to get your desired neckline. Take notes while you are knitting. I did all my shaping in the beginning - after I had finished the shaping (waist, bust, hips), I placed a stitch marker marking the row, to make counting the straight rows (without short rows) easier.
  
• Knit until you have reached half of your back piece. Then according to your notes, knit a mirror image of the first half. Again, I marked the row to make counting from the middle easier. On illustration D you can see these markers: the white one marks the middle of the back piece, the two pink ones mark the end/beginning of the shaping short rows.
• When your next row would be the mirror row to ridge 1, do the following: 
• knit RS, then knit WS up until the underarm measure
• put the (just knitted) stitches from shoulder to underarm on a stitch holder (e.g. scrap yarn)
• with another needle pick up (NOT pick up and knit) stitches from the side of your second sidepanel - make sure to pick up the same number of stitches as you did on the first side panel (or the number of stitches that corresponds to L-I) - see illustration D
• cut your working yarn leaving a tail long enough for grafting and graft the remaining stitches of your back piece and the newly picked up stitches togethe

• Now you have finished the back piece with two connected side panels.
• The front piece is knitted similar to the back piece - however the shaping around the bust and the neckline will be different. This means you start by picking up stitches from the side of the second side panel (again this should be the number of stitches that corresponds to L-I). Do a provisional CO of L stitches on another needle and make a continuous row of your picked up stitches with the stitches of the provisional CO. Since there will probably a bit more shaping around the bust on the front, put in three stitch markers: at underarm height, at bust height and a waist height while knitting the WS of the pick-up row. Again, this pickup row and its WS row are ridge 1.
• According to your measurements add short rows to create shaping around bust, hem and underarm. Again, when you have reached the shoulder width at the top, start decreases at the top in order to get your desired neckline. Make sure that the number of ridges at your shoulder seam is the same in the front as on the back piece.
• As in the back piece - once you finished half of the front - place a marker and knit the mirror image of the first half. Your piece will look similar to illustration E.
• When your next row would be the mirror row to ridge 1, do the following: 
• knit RS, then knit WS up until the underarm measure
• put the (just knitted) stitches from shoulder to underarm on a stitch holder (e.g. scrap yarn)
• with another needle pick up (NOT pick up and knit) stitches from the unused side of your first sidepanel - make sure to pick up the same number of stitches as you did on the first side panel (or the number of stitches that corresponds to L-I) - see illustration F 
• cut your working yarn leaving a tail long enough for grafting and graft the remaining stitches of your back piece and the newly picked up stitches together.

• You now have finished the main body pieces.
• Now sew up the shoulder sleeves using the method for seaming garter stitch that is shown in the video linked above.
• Your piece now already looks like a top (similar to photo G). Around the armholes you can still see the scrap yarn used for the provisional CO and as a stitch holder.
• For one sleeve pick up the stitches of  the provisional CO and the stitch holder on one needle - and placed a marker between them, i.e. at the top of the shoulder seam (see illustration H). To avoid a hole at the top, I picked up an additional stitch there.

• The sleeves will now be knitted back and forth on this needle - afterwards the edge stitches will be attached to the upper edge of the side panel. Therefore the number of rows (edge stitches) is limited to the available edge stitches of the motif. I added a few short rows to make the sleeves a bit longer and a few decreases at the top and the beginning/end of the row to achieve a curve around the shoulders. Again, take notes while knitting a sleeve to knit the second one to match.
• Bind off the sleeve and sew the edge stitches of the sleeve to the upper edge of the side panel - photo I.
• Knit a second sleeve and sew it to its side panel.
• To smooth the curve of your neckline, finish it with a crochet edge - I used crab stitch (see photo J)
• Weave in ends and remove all remaining markers.

Now some numbers and instructions for the piece I knitted - with my measurements and my gauge (10 cm, about 21,5 ridges) I needed the following ridges/stitches:

S = half the width of your sidepanel: 5 cm; 12 ridges

B = width of the shoulder seam: 17 ridges

C = half of the width of neckline: 9 cm; 20 ridges

D = a quarter of the waist circumference: 20 cm - 5 cm (S: half of  sidepanel) 15 cm: 32 ridges

E = half of your front measurement at bust height: 25 cm - 5 cm (S) = 20 cm: 43 ridges

E' =  half of your back measurement at bust height: 22 cm - 5 (S) = 17 cm: 37 ridges

F = a quarter of your hip circumference: 25 cm - 5 cm (S) = 20 cm: 43 ridges

U = a quarter of your underarm circumference: 22 cm - 5 (S) = 17 cm: 37 ridges

G = from shoulder to neckline (back): 6 sts

H = from shoulder to neckline (front): 30 sts

I = from shoulder to right under your arm: 47 sts

J = from shoulder to bust: 47 sts + 17 sts

K = from shoulder to waist: 47 + 17 + 38

L = from shoulder to hip (total length of the garment): 47 + 86 sts

I also calculated the differences of ridges, i.e.

• waist (32) / bottom hemline (43): 43-32 = 11, i.e. there have to be 11 more ridges at the bottom hem than at waist height
• waist (32) / underarm (37): 37 - 32 = 5 , i.e. there have to be 5 more ridges at the bottom hem than at waist height
• waist (32) / front-bust (43): 43-32 = 11, i.e. there have to be 11 more ridges at the bust heigh (on the front) than at waist height

Back

After creating the first side panel (photo B), I picked up 86 stitches along the long side, knitted (from a different needle) a provisional CO of 47 stitches and knitted all stitches on WS (photo C) while putting in marker 2 (M2) 47 stitches from the top (underarm) and marker 1 (M1) 55 stitches further along (31 stitches away from the bottom hem) - that was my Ridge 1.

Then I started knitting the main back part and included short rows for shaping:

Ridge 2: (RS) k to 4 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to 12 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to M2, k40, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

//with the short rows in this ridge the width at the hemline is two ridges wider than the waist and the underarm/shoulder is one ridge wider than the waist

Ridge 3: (RS) k to 20 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k all, turn (WS) k to M2, k30, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

Ridge 4: (RS) k to 8 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to 16 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to M2, k20, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

Ridge 5: (RS) k to 2 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to 10 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to M2, k35, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

Ridge 6: (RS) k to 18 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k all, turn (WS) k to M2, k25, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

//now there are 5 more ridges at underarm/shoulder height than at the waist, so no more short rows have to be added here

Ridge 7: (RS) k to 24 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k all, turn (WS) k all

Ridge 8: (RS) k to 5 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k all, turn (WS) k all

Ridge 9: (RS) k to 13 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k all, turn (WS) k all

//now there are 11 more ridges at the bottom hem than at the waist, i.e. no more short rows have to be added here 

Ridge 10:  (RS) k all, turn (WS) k all

Ridges 11 and 12 = Ridge 10

//now the shoulder seam is 17 ridges wide, i.e. the neckline can be started,

Ridge 13: (RS) k all, turn (WS) BO3, k to end

Ridge 14: (RS) k to last 2 sts, k2tog, turn (WS) k all

Ridge 15: (RS) k to last 2 sts, k2tog, turn (WS) k all

Ridges 16 = Ridge 10

Ridge 17: (RS) k to last 2 sts, k2tog, turn (WS) k all

//now the neckline is deep enough (6 stitches) - so the rows until the middle of the back are just plain garter stitch, i.e. 

Ridges 18 - 32 = Ridge 10

//now the middle of the back piece has been reached - all following ridges are the ones knitted before but in the opposite order. but when there is a decrease (k2tog) in the first half, do an increase (kfb) and when there is a BO do a CO.

When I had reached the "mirror" of ridge 1, I did the following: I knitted RS, than I knitted WS up to the M2 (the underarm marker) and put these 47 stitches on a stitch holder, with another needle I picked up 86 stitches from the long edge of the second sidepanel. 

I cut my yarn (leaving a tail) and grafted both rows of 86 stitches together in garter stitch (holding the side panel on the front needle).

Front

From the second side panel, I picked up the same number of stitches than for the back part (86 stitches) along the long side, and knitted (from a different needle) a provisional CO of 47 stitches and knitted all stitches on WS (photo C) while putting in marker 2 (M3) 47 stitches from the top (underarm) and marker 2 (M2, bust height) 17 stitches further along, and (M1) 38 stitches further along (31 stitch from the bottom hem) - that was my Ridge 1.

Then I started knitting the main front part and included short rows for shaping:

Ridge 2: (RS) k to 4 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to 10 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to M2, k30, w+t

    (RS) k to M2, k12, w+t (WS) k to M2, k20, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

//with the short rows of this ridge the width at the hemline is two ridges wider than the waist and the underarm/shoulder is one ridge wider than the waist and the bust is two ridges wider than the waist 

Ridge 3: (RS) k to 16 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to 22 sts bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to M2, k10, w+t

    (RS) k to M2, k10, w+t (WS) k to M2, k7, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

Ridge 4: (RS) k to 2 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end
    (RS) k to 8 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end
    (RS) k to end, turn, (WS) k to M2, k25, w+t,
    (RS) k to M2, k5, w+t, (WS) k to M2, k15, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn, (WS) k to end

Ridge 5: (RS) k to 14 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to 20 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end
    (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k to M2, k5, w+t
    (RS) k to M2, k14, w+t, (WS) k to M2, k9, w+t
    (RS) k to end, turn, (WS) k to end

Ridge 6: (RS) k to 26 bef M1, w+t, (WS), k to end
    (RS) k to 6 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to M2, k10, w+t, (WS) k to M2, k13, w+t
    (RS) k to M2, k7, w+t, (WS) k to M2, k17, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn, (WS) k all

Ridge 7: (RS) k to 12 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k to M2, k21, w+t,

    (RS) k to end, turn, (WS) k all

Ridge 8: (RS) k to 18 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to M2, k8, w+t, (WS) k to M2, k23, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn, (WS) k all

Ridge 9: (RS) k to 24 bef M1, w+t, (WS) k to end

    (RS) k to M2, k5, w+t, (WS) k to M2, k7, w+t

    (RS) k to end, turn, (WS) k all

//now the shaping for the first half of the front is finished, i.e. because of the short rows there are 13 more ridge son the hem, 13 more ridges on the bust height, and 5 more ridges underarm compared to the waist

Ridge 10 - 12: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k all

// now I started the neckline by binding off/decreasing a total of 30 stitches from the top over the next rows in the following pattern: 10-7-4-2-1-1-1-0-1-0-1-0-0-1-0-0-1, i.e.

Ridge 13: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) BO10, k to end

Ridge 14: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) BO7, k to end

Ridge 15: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) BO4, k to end

Ridge 16: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) BO2, k to end

Ridge 17 - 19: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k2tog, k to end

Ridge 20: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k all

Ridge 21: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k2tog, k to end

Ridge 22: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k all

Ridge 23: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k2tog, k to end

Ridge 24 - 25: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k all

Ridge 26: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k2tog, k to end

Ridge 27 - 28: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k all

Ridge 29: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k2tog, k to end

Ridge 31 - 32: (RS) k all, turn, (WS) k all

Having reached the middle of the front half, I knitted these ridges 32 to 2 in opposite order (increasing where there was a decrease and casting on stitches, when I did a bind off before). I then knitted RS of ridge 1 and WS up to the underarm marker.  I put the 47 sleeve stitches on a stitch holder and with another needle I picked up 86 stitches from the long and unused edge of the first sidepanel. Again, I cut my yarn and grafted both rows of 86 stitches together in garter stitch (holding the side panel on the front needle).

Sleeves (very short)

To prepare finishing the sleeves, I sewed up the shoulder seams and put the stitchholder stitches from front and back on one knitting needle - marking the top of the shoulder with a stitch marker. 

Then I knitted both sleeves as follows:

Ridge 1: (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

Ridge 2: (RS) k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog k1, turn, (WS) k to marker, k4, w+t,
   (RS) k4, k4, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 3 (RS), k to end, turn, (WS) k to marker, k8, w+t,

   (RS) k8, k8, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 4 (RS) k to 3 bef marker, k2tog, k1, k1, k2tog, k to end, turn, (WS) k to marker, k11, w+t,
   (RS) k11, k11, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 5 (RS), k to end, turn, (WS) k to marker, k15, w+t,

   (RS) k15, k15, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 6 (RS) k to 3 bef marker, k2tog, k1, k1, k2tog, k to end, turn, (WS) k to marker, k18, w+t,
   (RS) k18, k18, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 7 (RS), k to end, turn, (WS) k to marker, k22, w+t,

   (RS) k22, k22, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 8 (RS) k to 3 bef marker, k2tog, k1, k1, k2tog, k to end, turn, (WS) k to marker, k25, w+t,
   (RS) k25, k25, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 9 (RS), k to end, turn, (WS) k to marker, k29, w+t,

   (RS) k29, k29, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 10 (RS) k1, k2tog to 3 bef marker, k2tog, k1, k1, k2tog, k to 3 bef end, k2tog, k1, turn, 

         (WS) k to marker, k32, w+t,
   (RS) k32, k32, w+t, (WS) k to end

Ridge 11: (RS) k to end, turn (WS) k to end

Ridge 12: (RS) k to end, (WS) BO in Icelandic BO

Then I sewed the edge stitches of the sleeves to the upper edge of the side panel (see illustration I)

Finishing

I finished the neckline with a row of crochet in crab stitch.