Kitchener Stitch is a technique for seamlessly joining together "live stitches", those that are still on the needle, with a strong stitch that imitates knitting.  

 
RIGHT SHOULDER

Arrange tunic so that the front is facing you.  Slip the 10 back right shoulder stitches from the holder onto one spare needle. Slip the 10 front right shoulder stitches from the circular needle onto the other spare needle.

1.  Hold the needles parallel, so that the stitches on the front needle come from the front body, and the stitches on the back needle come from the back body.  The yarn is coming from the first stitch on the back needle.

2. Thread the tail yarn onto a tapestry needle.

3.  Draw the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle, as if to purl.  Leave the stitch on the knitting needle.

4.  Draw the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle, as if to knit.  Leave the stitch on the knitting needle.

5. Front Needle
a. Draw the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit.  Slip the stitch off the knitting needle.

b. Draw the tapestry needle through the following stitch on the front needle as if to purl and leave it on the knitting needle.

6.  Back Needle
a. Draw the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl.  Slip the stitch off the knitting needle.

b. Draw the tapestry needle through the following stitch on the back needle as if to knit and leave it on the knitting needle.

Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for remaining stitches.

Draw the yarn through the last stitch to secure it, then weave in the tails.

LEFT SHOULDER

Rearrange the tunic so that the back is facing you.  Slip the 10 back left shoulder stitches from the holder onto one spare needle. Slip the 10 front left shoulder stitches from the circular needle onto the other spare needle.

This time, as you hold the needles parallel, the stitches on the front needle come from the back body, and the stitches on the back needle come from the front body.  The yarn is coming from the first stitch on the back needle.

Work all steps of Kitchener Stitch as you did for the right shoulder.  

 
FINISHING AND BLOCKING 

Weave in all your tails, then lightly block the tunic to even out fabric.  Enjoy!

MAKE FRONT BODY

Cast on 105(119, 133) stitches. 

Work in stockinette stich until piece measures 4(5,5) inches; end on a purl row. Slip all stitches onto a stitch holder. Break yarn, leaving a tail, and set aside for now. 

MAKE BACK BODY 

Cast on 105(119, 133) stitches. 

Work in stockinette stitch until piece measures 4(5,5) inches; end on a purl row. Do not break yarn. 

 
JOINING ROUND

With right side facing, knit across stitches of the back body, place a stitch marker, then knit all stitches of the front body from the stitch holder onto the circular needle. You now have 210(238, 266) stitches. The yarn is coming from the last stitch on the front body.

Without turning the needles (so that the right side is facing out and the last stitch of the front body is next to the first stitch of the back body), place a second stitch marker, then knit all the way around to complete the joining round.

Continue in stockinette stitch in the round (knitting all stitches) until piece measures 1(2,2) inch from joining round.

SHAPING ROUNDS

Decrease Round 1: *Knit to within 2 sts of marker, ssk, slip marker, k1, k2tog;  repeat from * to end of round.  Continue in stockinette stitch for 1 inch, then repeat decrease round.  Continue in stockinette stitch for 1(3,3) inches more.

Increase Round 1: *Knit to within 2 sts of marker, m1, slip marker, m1.  Repeat from * to end of round.  Continue in stockinette stitch for 1 inch, then repeat increase round. 

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 13.5(16.5, 16.5) inches from joining round.

DIVIDE FOR FRONT AND BACK

Slip 105(119, 133)sts onto a holder.  These are the stitches that will later create the front. You can put away the stitch markers now.

 
WORK FRONT AND BACK SEPARATELY, SHAPE ARM HOLES FOR BACK
 
Beginning with a purl row, work with the 105(119, 133) remaining stitches on the circular needles in stockinette stitch, alternating knit and purl rows.

Row 1: Bind off 5, purl to end. 

Row 2: Bind off 5, knit to end.  

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 19(22, 22) inches from joining round, ending on a purl row. 

 
BIND OFF BACK NECKLINE 

Bind Off Row:  K10, bo75(99, 113), k10.
Slip 20 remaining stitches to a holder.  Break yarn, leaving a 16 inch tail.

 
SHAPE ARM HOLES FOR FRONT

Slip 105(119, 133) stitches from holder onto the circular needles. Rejoin yarn and work identical to the back, beginning with a purl row.

 
BIND OFF FRONT NECKLINE 

Bind Off Row:  K10, bo75(99, 113), k10.
Break yarn, leaving a 16 inch tail. 

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PATTERN!

Leah Tunic Pattern

 
FINISHED SIZE
Adult Small (Medium, Large):

    length 23 (27,27) inches
    bust  30 (34,38) inches

 
GAUGE
7 sts per inch in stockinette stitch

 
MATERIALS

800(1000,1200) yards fingering weight yarn (Leah used 3 skeins Habu Textiles Cotton Gima in color #33 for the Adult Small size)
1 circular needle, 24” long, in the size needed to obtain gauge
1 pair straight or 2 double pointed needles in the same size as circular needle
2 stitch holder
2 stitch markers
tapestry needle

NOTES & ABBREVIATIONS

bo        bind off
k2tog    decrease; knit two stitches together
m1       increase; make one     
ssk      decrease; slip, slip, knit

You can find helpful photos and directions for the techniques used in this pattern in some of our tutorials:

Blocking Tutorial
Decrease Tutorial
Increase Tutorial
Swatch Tutorial

The shoulder seams of the tunic are sewn together using Kitchener Stitch.  In addition to our written instructions, you can follow along with a great Kitchener Stitch knitting tutorial video on Knittinghelp.com. 

Leah's breezy summer style is elegant and graceful.  Her design is delicately executed to highlight Habu Textiles beautiful Cotton Gima yarn.  She recommends other fingering weight yarns like Habu Textiles Root Sizing Silk and Alchemy Silken Straw as luxurious substitutes for cotton if you like. 

Wear this tunic on its own or as Leah does, layered over a pretty lace-trimmed slip.  Your favorite necklace or dangly earrings are the perfect companions for the draping neckline.