The Sedalia* Tank from Knitted Tanks and Tunics has lots of knitterly details that I really enjoyed incorporating into the design (but they do make this project a better choice for an experienced than a novice knitter). The simple lace columns on the body are carried into a floral lace motif on the upper front and back, and the waist is shaped with side decreases. All edges are self-finished, and the lace pattern creates an attractive wavy edge along the armholes.
I decided to add gussets under the arms (see above photo) because I wanted to shape the armholes with just decreases, and not bind off any stitches, since the transition from bound off stitches to the armhole sides would have been hard to finish nicely without adding an edging. But without the bound off stitches, I thought the armholes would be too deep, since the underarm stitches would have to be removed more gradually by decreases. And that's where the gussets came in: they fill in the area between the initial armhole shaping decreases, keeping the armhole from being too deep.
Another knitterly detail: the shallow scooped necklines, slightly deeper on the front than the back. (Sedalia can also be worn backwards if you like the deeper neckline in the back-- or even worked with the front and back identical, using either the deeper or the shallower neckline.) I shaped the necklines using short rows, and also used short rows to shape the shoulders.
I thought the crisp stitch definition of Classic Elite Yarns Provence would be a great match for this design; it also has a pretty sheen from the mercerized Egyptian cotton, wears really well, and comes in many lovely shades. I used it for one of my earliest designs, the Wisteria child's sleeveless dress, and have been fond of it ever since. Alas, I found out recently that Classic Elite Yarns is closing its doors! This was very sad news for me-- CEY has been one of my go-to yarn companies, and I used two of their other yarns, Firefly and Sanibel, for the Yuma and Odessa tunics in Knitted Tanks and Tunics.
I will miss you, CEY!
And I suggest that if you are thinking of making Sedalia, and want to use Provence yarn, you purchase some sooner rather than later. If looking for a substitute yarn, I have found yarnsub.com to be valuable resource.
All photos except 2nd-- copyright Tom Moore Studios!
(By the way, Sedalia was previously published as an individual pattern, the Madaket Tank, and is still available as an individual PDF download).
*Named after Sedalia, MO: Another town that I would love to visit someday.
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