BACK

Using no. 3 knitting needles and contrasting colour yarn, cast-on 124 sts. and work 1 r. in knit st., then with BABY SOFT yarn work 1 r. in purl st. and, for band shaping, work 4 r. in tubular st. and 12 r. rib 1/1.

Using no. 3.5 knitting needles, work as follow: 6 sts. in stocking st., 112 sts. in cable st. (= 5 repetitionmodules), 6 sts. in stocking st.

Work as set, following the cable st. diagram and rep. the module (from 3rd to 14th r.) = 68 r.

69th r. (RS): cont. in cable st. and, for armholes shaping, on both edges, cast off 2 sts.

70th r. and even r. (WS): purl

71st r. (RS): on both edges (2 sts. from each edge) decr. 2 sts. as foll.: k2, 2 decr. on the right (slip 2 sts. onto a cable needle and let it hang in back of work, then work the 1st st. of left knitting needle and 1st st. of cable needle together, also work the second st. of left knitting needle as given for first one), cont. in cable st. until last 6 sts., 2 decr. on the left (slip 2 sts. onto a cable needle and let it hang in front of work, then work the 1st st. of left knitting needle and 1st st. of cable needle together, work one more decr.), k2.

73rd-75th-77th-79th-81st-83rd-85th-87th r. (RS): work as given for 71st r.

89th r.: cont. in cable st. and, on both edges, decr. as given above. At the same time, for neckline shaping, bind off 40 central sts., then cont. working 2 pieces separately.

First top part of back:

91st r.: on neckline edge bind off 8 sts. and on armhole edge decr. 2 sts.

93rd r.: on neckline edge bind off bind off 3 sts. and on armhole edge decr. 2 sts. There are 5 sts. on your knitting needle.

95th r.: k1, sk2p, k1.

96th r.: bind off 3 rem. sts.

Second top part of back:

Work as given for first one, reversing all shaping.

RIGHT FRONT

Using no. 3 knitting needles and contrasting colour yarn, cast-on 72 sts. and work 1 r. in knit st., then, with BABY SOFT yarn, work 1 r. in purl st. and, for band shaping, work 4 r. in tubular st. and 12 r. rib 1/1.

Using n. 3.5 knitting needles, work as follow: 2 sts. in stocking st., 64 sts. in cable st. (= 4 repetitionmodules), 6 sts. in stocking st.

Work as set, following the cable st. diagram and rep. the module (from 3rd to 14th r.) = 68 r.

69th r. (RS): cont. in cable st. as given above and, for neckline and armhole shaping, on both edges decr. (3 sts. from each edge) 3 sts. (work the decreases as given for back).

70th r. and even r. (WS): purl.

71st-73rd-75th-77th-79th-81st-83rd-85th-87th r. (RS): cont. as set, decr. 3 sts. on both edges, as given for 69th r.

89th r.: on both edge dec. (2 sts. from each edge) 2 sts.

91st r.: on both edges, decr. 2 sts. and work sk3p in the middle.

93rd r.: sk2p.

94th r.: bind off all rem. sts.

LEFT FRONT

Work as given for right front, reversing all shaping.

FINISHING OFF BAND

Give the finishing touch to 2 fronts, 2 fronts neckline, back neckline and work 2 shoulder straps.

Using no. 3 knitting needles and contrasting colour yarn, cast-on 320 sts. and work 1 r. in knit st., then using BABY SOFT yarn work 1 r. in purl and cont. working 4 r. in tubular st., 12 r. rib 1/1 (keep the yarn loosely) and 3 r. in tubular st., at last bind off all sts. in graft st. using the darning needle.

FINISHING

Sew side seams of tank top.

Sew the band along the edge of right front, right front neckline, back neckline, left front neckline and left front and, for 2 shoulder straps shaping, leave approx. 10 cm on both sides.

Cut the yarn and hide the ends. Sew the buttons on the band of left front, at steady distance (see the picture). Use the loosely worked stitches (on opposite band) like buttonholes.