Fingering Weight Yarn = The Perfect Knitted Tee

I’m totally in love with my Outline Tee knitted up in this stunning fuchsia Stroll sock yarn. I knit a lot of socks and shawls with fingering weight yarn, but this was my first time tackling a full garment with it. I’ll be honest, it felt a little intimidating: knitting something that big with such thin yarn sounded like a serious time commitment. But once I bound off and tried it on, I was a total convert. The fabric is soft, drapey, and perfectly light. It was worth every extra stitch!

The Outline Tee: A Boxy Silhouette That Needed a Little Tweak for Pepper

The pattern is called the Outline Tee by Jessie Maed Designs. It’s designed to fit as a crop top with substantial positive ease, giving it that cute boxy shape that’s everywhere right now. It’s totally on trend, but not a silhouette that I can pull off. (I’m a millennial, y’all. I think every top should be a tunic top!)

But, as fate would have it, I saw someone on Bluesky who had modified this pattern into more of a standard-length fitted tee and loved their version…. like, I loved it so much that it gave me the willpower to knit a garment with fingering weight yarn. That’s some serious inspiration. Thanks, Kim!

A nice summer knit is “Outline Tee” by Jessie Maed Designs. It features purposefully dropped stitches which is fun and slightly scary! 😱 Yarn is Shibui Knits Reed that is a linen yarn that appears to be discontinued now. #ShowMeYourKnits 🧶#knitsky

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— Kim (@klremus.bsky.social) July 19, 2025 at 12:27 PM

Adjusting the pattern was easy. It’s size-inclusive with nine options to choose from, so I just picked one of the small ones then knitted the body about 6 inches longer than instructed. The pattern has a simple construction with no shaping, so it was easy to make these little adjustments without throwing off the proportions or stitch details.

The Yarn: A Gamble with Three Dye Lots

I was so inspired that, obviously, I had to start knitting this immediately, so it became a bit of a stash-busting adventure. I had enough yardage of Knit Picks Stroll in Paisley Heather kicking around, but it was three different dye lots… which is so risky, especially with a heathered yarn where the color shifts can really show. But this was a knitting emergency, so I rolled the dice and cast on.

Somehow, the yarn gods smiled on me because you truly can’t tell where I switched lots. The color looks completely even – even in sunlight! I felt so lucky that I bought a scratch ticket the first day I wore it. (That didn’t pan out, but was definitely worth a shot!) 

Anyway, back to the yarn: if you haven’t worked with Stroll before, you should check it out. It’s one of my favorite affordable yarns for socks and (now) for lightweight garments, like this. It comes in tons of colors, but I think the heathers especially shine. I get tons of compliments on the socks I knitted in this shade, which is why I bought more. If you like heathered yarn, I also highly recommend Rainforest Heather and Sprinkle Heather.

A Quick Note on Knitting Stockinette

If you’ve ever struggled with “rowing out” in flat stockinette (where every other row looks a little looser or tighter), that can be an issue with this top. I wrote a separate post about how I tackled it. 

TL;DR: I alternated two different needle sizes for the flat portions, and it worked beautifully. The fabric turned out smooth and even, with zero ridge lines or tension quirks. It’s such a simple trick, but it makes a big difference in a lightweight tee like this.

The Drop Stitch Moment

The most thrilling part of this project came at the very end: the drop stitches. After knitting for weeks, there’s something wild about intentionally dropping a stitch and letting it ladder all the way down the front of your sweater.

It’s like a trust fall for knitters. You hold your breath as it unravels, and then – magic! – you’re left with this clean, intentional design detail that breaks up the stockinette just enough to make the whole thing feel modern and polished. I loved that moment. I might need to seek out more patterns with drop stitches now that I know how fun they are. Who knew knitters could be adrenaline junkies?

The Power of Blocking

Before we wrap up, I have to include some before-and-after blocking photos because this tee looked SO sad right off the needles. Observe:

I gave it a good soak and laid it out to dry, trusting the process. Blocking is so magical. As always, the stitches opened, the drop-stitch columns settled into place, and the neckline uncurled. The whole piece looks so crisp and professional now. 

Blocking Update:

I’ve now worn the sweater a few times and, unfortunately, the neckline and dropped stitches don’t hold that crisp shape forever. I don’t know if this is gross or not, but I usually wear my knits a few times before washing them because it is a bit of a hassle – especially if they need to be reshaped like this one. 

But don’t despair! I have a secret weapon: Soak Flatter. I use this to freshen up my shawls and it works great on this guy too. If you don’t have the time or energy to do a wet block, you can think of this stuff as a “damp block.” I just pop it on a towel and spray the Flatter liberally on the neck and drop stitch sections and then I give it a little stretch and smooth it out with my hand. It’s dry and ready to wear in about 15 mins.

Bonus: Flatter comes in amazing scents, which is a nice-to-have if you are freshening between washes.

Some Final Thoughts

In conclusion, knitting a sweater in fingering weight yarn definitely takes patience, but the payoff is huge. It’s light, breathable, and has a drape that heavier yarns just can’t mimic. 

I’m already on the lookout for the next pattern I want to try! If you’ve got ideas, drop me a comment or hit me up on the Gram or Bsky. (BTW, if you’re a designer, don’t be shy about recommending your own patterns in the comments. I fully support makers taking space for self-promotion!)