Camisole No. 9: First Impressions

I finally finished my Camisole No. 9 and it feels like such a feat that I wanted to share my initial thoughts before I’ve had a chance to really wear it. 

This pattern has been on my list for a few months now for a few reasons. For starters, it feels like such an iconic pattern. And I think it’s actually pretty safe to call it one with over 3,000 projects on Ravelry. This pattern felt like it was just a matter of time for me—and that time has come. 

It’s described as “a classic top designed from the premise of ‘less is more’,” and I would agree with that. Another reason why I wanted to make this is that it’s such a wardrobe staple. A clean, fitted black tank top is something I reach for over and over again, so why wouldn’t I want such a key piece of my closet to be made by me?

In one of my recent posts, I mentioned how this pattern has been a little deceiving in that the yoke went by very fast and then when I got to the torso, I felt like I stepped in quicksand. The fine-gauge, dense fabric is part of what drew me to this pattern. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I even saw a comment on Ravelry that essentially said to not underestimate this thing, and I absolutely underestimated this thing. 

Between the roughly 20,000 stitches in the torso and the seemingly endless skeins of Cascade Cotton Sox, this project felt like a bit of a time warp. I couldn’t believe how far the first skein got me, to the point where I was wondering if I’d need the second skein at all. About 3/4 of the way through the torso was when I really started to lose my patience with this project. I felt like, surely I’ve done enough work to deserve a tank top by now. But I wanted my tank top to look like hers, so I knit it to the recommended length.

Everything that came after I lost my patience, that I moaned and groaned about having to do, is exactly what gives this tank top its identity. And most of that was the finishing on the armholes and neckline. They all get picked up from the WS and every time I set my project down and picked it back up, I’d have to reorient myself. By the time I got to the second armhole I felt like, again? 

Then there was sewing them down. There is an option for alternative edges, but again, I wanted my tank top to look like hers. And I’m glad I did. All the corner areas near the cast-ons, areas that can tend to look a little sloppy, ended up looking incredibly clean once everything was sewn down. 

There was a point near the end of the project where I realized I could be doing all this work and just end up hating it. I was so reluctant to try it on, but now that it’s off the blocking mats, I can confidently say I really love it. I love it to the point where I can barely process that I made it. I have another tank top in my closet already that is eerily similar, and I don’t say that as a bad thing. This one feels more substantial than the store-bought one and it feels like a real top rather than just a layering piece. This one was made by me.

My Camisole No. 9 (left) vs. store-bought tank top (right)