Tequila Sunrise - free pattern!

A vision of a sunny little cotton top, with a swooping drape across the front has floated around the back of my mind for a while, but when we decided to visit the beaches of Mexico, I kicked it up front and came up with this. The fit is snug and sexy, flattering for all, achieved with ribbing on the bottom half for a slim fit there, and some interesting decreases and increases through the top front. A clever rotation of the shoulder seam creates fullness at the bust and the generous drape. The result is the perfect top for a summer evening (or a party at a beach bar after sunset). The color I chose reminds me of the popular cocktail, thus the name.

SIZES: XS [S, M, L, 1X,] (shown in size M)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Chest: 31 [34, 37, 40, 43] inchesLength: 21 [22, 22, 23, 23] inches

MATERIALS
Filati Sailor [100% cotton; 135m per 50g skein]; color406 (yellow,orange, pink); 4 [5, 5, 6,6] skeins [or any cotton sport weight yarn that knits to gauge]
US #4/3.5mm straight needles


GAUGE
22 sts/34 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES
See the diagram to find the A and B markings that will guide you to line up the shoulder seams. The 45 degree rotation of the front shoulder seams, creates the drape of the top half on the front.

PATTERN
Front:
Cast on 76[84,92,100,108].
Work in ribbing: Row 1: k2, p2 across. Row 2: k2,p2 across.
Work this ribbing for 10.5[11,11,11.5,11.5] inches. End with wrong side facing you.
Next row: knit.
Next row: knit.
Next row: knit, increasing 6 stitches evenly spaced across the row. 82[90,98,106,114] stitches on needle.

Right side facing, begin top half. Change to stocking stitch, (knit right side, purl wrong side). Work for 4 inches in stocking stitch.
Armhole shaping: Cast off 3 stitches at start of next two rows. Knit 2 together at start and end of every right side row 6[7,8,8,9] times. Work even until length from start of armhole shaping measures 5.5[6,6,6.5,6.5] inches. Increase one stitch at start and end of every right side row 4[4,5,5,5] times. Cast on 3 stitches at the start of next 4 rows.
Work even until 2.5 inches from last cast on row. Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 6 rows, then cast off all stitches.

Back:
Work the same as back until armhole shaping.
Armhole shaping: Cast off 3 stitches at start of next two rows. Knit 2 together at start and end of right side rows 6[7,8,8,9] times. Work straight from here until length from armhole is 7[7,7.5,8,8] inches. With right side facing, K16, purl across to last 16 stitches, K16. Next row; Purl across all stitches. Repeat these last two rows twice more. Cast off all stitches. (A section of garter stitch creates a natural back of neck edging-no need for further neck finishing!).



FINISHING
Sew shoulder seams together, matching up A and B points from diagram.
Pick up 76[80,84,88,92] stitches around the armhole and work in k2,p2 ribbing for 4 rows, then cast off loosely. Sew side seams.