How to Knit a Faux Cable Tank Top – No Cable Needle Required
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Looking for a stylish and classic summer knit? This Faux Cable Knit Tank Top combines the elegance of cable-inspired texture with the simplicity of beginner-friendly stitches. Designed to keep you cool and comfortable, this lightweight tank is perfect for warm-weather layering or wearing on its own. Whether you’re updating your handmade wardrobe or searching for your next weekend project, this easy knitting pattern offers a modern twist on a classic look—with no actual cabling required!
This tank top looks great worn casually with a flannel shirt or dress it up with a jean jacket on a cool evening. Or, if you’re like me and always cold, this wool tank top is the perfect extra layer for warmth. 🤗
💕 Why You’ll Love This Faux Cable Knit Tank Top
Looks Like Cables, Without the Hassle
Get the elegant, textured look of cables—no cable needle required! This stitch is simple yet impressive, making it perfect for knitters who love stylish results with minimal effort.
Perfect for Warm Weather
Designed with summer in mind, this sleeveless knit is lightweight, breathable and ideal for layering over tanks, swimsuits or dresses.
Quick & Satisfying Project
Using worsted yarn, this tank knits up quickly—perfect for weekend making or last(ish)-minute gifts.
Beginner-Friendly & Meditative
If you can knit and purl, you can make this! The repetitive faux cable stitch is easy to learn and soothing to repeat.
Modern, Handmade Wardrobe Staple
Add a touch of handmade charm to your summer wardrobe with this modern, textured knit top you’ll be proud to wear again and again. I get compliments every time I wear it 🥰.
Great for Travel Knitting
This pattern is compact, easy to memorize and requires minimal tools—making it the perfect project to bring along on road trips, flights or lazy beach days. Relax and knit wherever you go!
✨ About the Tank Top Pattern
This downloadable PDF pattern is available in 23 (Children’s 2/3 – Adult 64″ Bust) sizes, which you can get on Ravelry or Brome Fields. Scroll down to get the size SMALL for free!
Pattern Format: Written Pattern, No Chart
Pattern Language: English
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Pattern Name: Summer Solstice
The sample is shown in size small (34”/86cm bust) with 11”/28cm of negative ease, meaning the top is 22″/56cm in circumference, but fits a 34″/86cm bust.
Techniques Used
Before you cast on, here are a few simple tips to help your project flow smoothly.
If you know how to knit and purl and you’re ready learn a new technique, then you’re ready to knit this tank top!
- Knit Flat
- Knit in the Round
- Knit & Purl Stitches
- Faux Cable Stitch
- Decrease Stitches
🧶 Materials Needed
Yarn Recommendation
- Yarn Weight: Worsted
- Yardage: 199 – 637 yards (218 – 696 meters)
- Yarn Used: Yarnalia Wooly, Color Buttermilk
Superwash yarn is a game-changer for knitters who want both beauty and practicality. Treated to prevent felting, it’s machine-washable—making it ideal for everyday garments and gifts that need easy care. You get the softness and warmth of wool without the worry, so you can enjoy your handknits without the extra maintenance.
Yarn Substitute Options
- Cascade 220
- Cascade 220 Superwash
- Malabrigo Rios
- Rowan Pure Wool Superwash Worsted
- Paintbox Yarns Worsted Superwash
Check out Yarnsub’s for more yarn substitutions.
Needles & Notions
Needle Size: US 8 (5mm) Circular Needles with a 24″ (60cm) Cable
Needle Size: US 9 (5.5mm) Circular Needles with a 24″ (60cm) Cable
Stitch Markers
Darning Needle or Tapestry Needle
Garment Steamer
🎥 How to Knit Faux Cables Video Tutorial
Learn how to knit faux cables in this faux cable stitch video tutorial! See for yourself how easy it is to knit cable looking stitches without the cable needles. This is a great step into cable stitching for beginner knitters too. If you’re an experienced knitter, this is a simple and rewarding stitch to knit and when you’re finished, you feel great wearing it.
Gauge for the Faux Cable Stitch
24 STS & 23 rounds per 4” (10cm) square, knit in the round using the faux cable stitch pattern.
Sizes:
23 (Children’s 2/3 – Adult 64″ Bust) sizes are available in the PDF, which you can get on Ravelry or Brome Fields. Scroll down to get the size SMALL for free!
Model Details:
Height: 5’9″ (175cm), weight: 130lbs (59kg), bust: 35″ (88cm), waist: 25″ (63cm)
Details of the product in the photo:
Size of the top that the model is wearing: Small, 34″ (85cm) bust
# of CO stitches: 132
Weight of the tank top: 6.5oz (185g)
Finished tank top measurements, after steaming:
Top width: 6″ (15cm)
Bottom width: 11″ (28cm)
Circumference: 22″ (56cm)
Top to bottom length: 21″ (53cm)
Armhole length: 7″ (18cm)
Bottom up to the armhole: 14″ (36cm)
Bottom ribbing: 1 1/2″ (4cm)
Top ribbing: 1 1/2″ (4cm)
🗒️ Notes
Not reversible.
Knit bottom up.
Knit using a faux cable knit stitch.
Partially knit in the round with circular needles.
When knitting in the round you’re always knitting the right side of your work.
The front and back are knit flat and then seamed at the top to create the neck.
The Summer Solstice Faux Cable Tank Top is knit from the bottom up. You’ll start by knitting in the round and then split the stitches in half to knit the front and then the back, flat, separately.
This top is knit in one piece and has 2 tiny seams to create the neck. This is a great first garment pattern for confident beginner knitters.
The sample is shown in size small (34”/86cm bust) with 11”/28cm of negative ease, meaning the top is 22″/56cm in circumference, but fits a 34″/86cm bust.
✔️ Knitting Abbreviations
*– * – repeat between the asterisks
BO – bind-off in pattern
CO – cast-on (long-tail cast-on method)
K2TOG – knit 2 stitches together
K – knit stitches (K1 means to knit 1 stitch)
P2TOG – purl 2 stitches together
P – purl stitches (P2 means to purl 2 stitches)
PM – place marker
RS – right side
RT – Right Twist – knit 2 STS together, without dropping STS from the left needle, knit into the first stitch, slip both stitches to the right needle together
SKP – slip 1 stitch knit-wise, knit 1 stitch, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch
STS – stitches
WS – wrong side
WYIF – with yarn in front
📌 Save it for Later
- Buy the ad-free, printer-friendly pattern in the Brome Fields Shop.
- Save it to your Ravelry Library!
- Pin-it to Pinterest for later!
🖨️ Download & Print this Pattern
Do you enjoy working from a paper copy? Get the downloadable, printer-friendly PDF completely ad-free.
That way you can have lifetime access to it and download it to any device and view it from anywhere, without ads (and the pattern might not be around forever).
🧶Faux Cable Tank Top Pattern Instructions for a 34″/80cm Bust
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Knit in the Round:
Using US 9, 24″ cable needles
CO 132 STS, PM, join in the round.
Bottom Ribbing:
Switch to US 8, 24″ cable needles
Rounds 1-10: *K2, P2*
Faux Cable Body:
Switch to US 9, 24″ cable needles
Round 11: *RT, P2*
Rounds 12-14: *K2, P2*
Repeat rounds 11-14, 16 times, until it measures 13″ or desired length.
Repeat round 1: *K2, P2*
Work flat from here on out.
Round 1: *K2, P2* the first half of your STS, leaving the first half of the STS on the working needles and then put the second half of STS on a scrap piece of yarn, without knitting them. You can break the yarn if you want to or you can leave it to knit the second side. Remove the stitch marker.
The working side has 2 knit stitches at the beginning and 2 knit stitches at the end.
The 2nd side has 2 purl stitches at the beginning and 2 purl stitches at the end.
Decrease for the Arms:
Row 1 (RS): *K2, P2* last 2 sts: K2
Row 2 (WS): *P2, K2* last 2 sts: P2
Row 3 (RS): SKP, P2 *RT, P2* last 2 sts: K2TOG
Row 4 (WS): SKP, K1 *P2, K2* last 5 sts: P2, K1, P2TOG
Row 5 (RS): *P2, K2* last 2 sts: P2
Row 6 (WS): *K2, P2* last 2 sts: K2
Row 7 (RS): WYIF SKP *RT, P2* last 4 sts: RT, K2TOG
Row 8 (WS): WYIF SKP, P1 *K2, P2* last 5 sts: K2, P1, P2TOG
Repeat rows 1-8, 4 times, which measures about 6″/15cm, or until desired length.
Top Ribbing:
Switch to US 8 knitting needles
Row 1 (RS): *K2, P2* last 2 sts: K2
Row 2 (WS): *P2, K2* last 2 sts: P2
Switch to US 9 knitting needles
Row 7 (WS): BO
Starting on the 2nd side:
If you broke the yarn when you were dividing the stitches start with a new skein of yarn, if not continue with the previous ball of yarn:
Decrease for the Arms:
Row 1 (RS): *P2, K2* last 2 sts: P2
Row 2 (WS): *K2, P2* last 2 sts: K2
Row 3 (RS): WYIF SKP *RT, P2* last 4 sts: RT, K2TOG
Row 4 (WS): WYIF SKP, P1 *K2, P2* last 5 sts: K2, P1, P2TOG
Row 5 (RS): *K2, P2* last 2 sts: K2
Row 6 (WS): *P2, K2* last 2 sts: P2
Row 7 (RS): SKP, P2 *RT, P2* last 2 sts: K2TOG
Row 8 (WS): SKP, K1 *P2, K2* last 5 sts: P2, K1, P2TOG
Repeat rows 1-8 to match the first side.
Top Ribbing:
Switch to US 8, 24″ cable needles
Row 1.3.5 (RS): *P2, K2* last 2 sts: P2
Row 2.4.6 (WS): *K2, P2* last 2 sts: K2
Switch to US 9, 24″ cable needles
Row 7 (WS): BO
Finishing:
Seam 3 STS on either side of the top seam to create the neck.
Reinforce under arms, if desired.
Weave in all the ends.
Steam-block lightly to even out the stitches. Lay flat to dry.
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