Harbor Wave Dolman Tee Free Pattern: Knitted Intarsia Stripe Top

Harbor Wave Dolman Tee: A Free Beginner-Friendly Knitted Intarsia Stripe Top

Introduction

Welcome to the Harbor Wave Dolman Tee — a relaxed, oversized top that looks like a boutique find but is secretly one of the friendliest garments you can knit. If you have never knitted a piece of clothing before, this is the project for you: the whole tee is knitted flat as one wide rectangle, then folded and seamed. No shaping, no complicated armholes, no scary "decreases." The finished piece is a soft, drapey bamboo-cotton tee in deep olive green, with wavy ochre stripes that flow outward toward the sleeve edges like ripples spreading across a harbor. It feels cool and smooth against the skin, drapes beautifully, and layers perfectly over a tank top or under a jacket. You will be amazed at what a single rectangle can become.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Bamboo cotton DK weight (approximately 50% bamboo, 50% cotton; 125 yd / 115 m per 50 g skein).
  • Main Color (MC) Olive: 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) skeins
  • Contrast Color (CC) Ochre: 2 (2, 3, 3, 3) skeins
• Needles: US 6 (4.0 mm) circular needle, 32 in / 80 cm long, worked flat (you knit back and forth on it like straight needles). Plus a spare US 6 (4.0 mm) needle for the three-needle bind-off.
• Stitch markers: 4 markers to divide the color zones.
• Bobbins: Small bobbins or clothespins to hold each color section for intarsia.
• Tapestry needle: A blunt, large-eye needle for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors and a row counter (or a notebook and pen).
• Finished size: Bust 44 (48, 52, 56, 60) in / 112 (122, 132, 142, 152) cm with 8–12 in / 20–30 cm of positive ease (roominess). Length from shoulder 22 (23, 24, 25, 26) in / 56 (58, 61, 64, 66) cm. Sleeve depth (drop from shoulder) 9 (9.5, 10, 10.5, 11) in / 23 (24, 25, 27, 28) cm.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• st / sts – stitch / stitches. One "stitch" is one loop on your needle.
• k – knit. Insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from left to right, wrap the yarn around, and pull it through.
• p – purl. Insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from right to left, wrap the yarn around the front, and pull it through.
• k1, p1 rib – alternate one knit stitch and one purl stitch across the row. This makes a stretchy, textured band.
• RS – right side. The "public" side of the fabric that faces out when worn.
• WS – wrong side. The inside of the fabric.
• stockinette stitch – knit on RS rows, purl on WS rows. This makes the smooth, flat "V" texture.
• MC – main color (olive).
• CC – contrast color (ochre).
• intarsia – a colorwork method where each color block uses its own separate bobbin of yarn. You do not carry the unused color across the back; instead you twist the two yarns at each color change.
• cast on – creating the first row of loops on your needle. We use the long-tail method.
• bind off – finishing an edge so the stitches cannot unravel.
• pick up and knit – inserting your needle into the edge of the finished fabric and knitting new stitches from it.
• mattress stitch – a seaming technique that creates an invisible join between two edges.
• three-needle bind-off – joining two live edges by holding them together and binding off through both layers at once.
• blocking – gently wetting and pinning the finished piece to its final measurements so it dries in shape.

Gauge

20 sts and 28 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in stockinette stitch, blocked.

Gauge is simply how big your stitches are. It matters enormously here because the entire tee is one rectangle: if your stitches are too big, the tee will be too wide and too long; too small, and it will be too tight. To check gauge, cast on about 30 stitches, knit a 5-inch square in stockinette, and measure a 4-inch section in the middle with a ruler. Count the stitches and rows. If you have more than 20 stitches, go up a needle size; if fewer, go down. Take the time — it saves hours later.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use stitch markers to track your zones. Place a marker at each color-zone boundary so you always know where the waves begin and end.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight at color changes. Keep the twist loose so the fabric stays flat and does not pucker.
• Use a row counter. The wave lines shift one stitch every row, so counting rows is essential to keep the pattern on track.
• Keep a separate bobbin for every color block. Never carry the ochre yarn across the back of the olive — that creates a tangled mess.
• Count your stitches at the end of every row. If you are off by one, fix it immediately rather than discovering it 50 rows later.
• Relax and swatch. Bamboo cotton has beautiful drape, but it can be slippery. A firm, even tension makes the waves crisp.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body (Worked Flat as One Rectangle)

Note: The rectangle's width becomes the full cross-body span (front + back + both dolman sleeves). Its height becomes the body length. Size M is shown in parentheses where numbers differ.

With MC Olive, cast on 260 (284, 308, 332, 356) sts using the long-tail method.

Rows 1–6: Work in k1, p1 rib. (260 (284, 308, 332, 356) sts) — this is the hem band.

Row 7 (RS): Knit across, placing markers to divide zones: place marker after st 78 (85, 92, 99, 106) [left sleeve zone], after st 104 (114, 124, 134, 144) [left transition], after st 156 (170, 184, 198, 212) [body center], after st 182 (199, 216, 233, 250) [right transition]; remaining sts are right sleeve zone. (260 (284, 308, 332, 356) sts)

Rows 8–168: Work in stockinette stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows), following the Wave Stripe Sequence and color zones below. Begin the first ochre wave line on Row 15 in the body zone, Row 11 in the transition zones, and Row 9 in the sleeve zones. Continue the sequence, spacing wave lines as described, until Row 168. On the final row, do not cut yarns; leave live stitches on the needle. (260 (284, 308, 332, 356) sts)

Wave Stripe Sequence (Color Plan)

The rectangle is divided into vertical zones. The center 40% of the width (the body front and back) is worked in olive with narrow ochre wave lines. Moving outward toward each sleeve edge, the waves become wider, more frequent, and shift to alternating olive/ochre bands, so the stripes appear to flow outward and grow.

• Body zone (center): 1-row ochre wave line every 14 rows, following a 6-st wave repeat: k4 olive, k2 ochre, shifting 1 st left each row for 6 rows, then mirroring back.
• Transition zone (each side of body): ochre wave lines every 8 rows, 8-st wave repeat.
• Sleeve zone (outer edges): alternating 4-row olive / 4-row ochre bands with a 10-st wave repeat, so the sleeve edges read as bold wavy stripes.

Stitch guide: On RS rows, knit the ochre stitches; on WS rows, purl them. Always keep the wave line 2 sts wide, shifting position by 1 st every row to create the wave. At each color change, bring the new color up from under the old color and twist to prevent a hole. Do not carry colors across the back.

Finishing — Fold and Seam

Step 1: Block the rectangle to 52 (56, 60, 64, 68) in wide x 24 (25, 26, 27, 28) in high. Let dry completely.

Step 2: Fold the rectangle in half widthwise with RS together, matching cast-on edge to bound-off edge. The fold line is the center of the body (front-to-back fold at the sides).

Step 3 — Side seams: Starting at the hem, sew or crochet-slip-stitch the side edges together for 14 in / 35 cm (or 98 rows), leaving the upper 10 in / 25 cm open on each side for the sleeve openings. Use mattress stitch for an invisible seam.

Step 4 — Shoulder seams: With RS together, join the top edges using a three-needle bind-off: hold the two top edges together, and bind off together, working from each outer sleeve edge inward. Bind off 110 (120, 130, 140, 150) sts from each side toward the center, leaving the center 40 sts on each side unjoined for the neck opening. This creates an 8 in / 20 cm neck opening.

Neckband

Round 1: With RS facing and circular needle, pick up and knit 1 st in each bound-off stitch around the neck opening (approx. 80 (84, 88, 92, 96) sts). Join to work in the round. (80 (84, 88, 92, 96) sts)

Rounds 2–4: Work k1, p1 rib. (80 (84, 88, 92, 96) sts)

Round 5: Bind off loosely in rib. Weave in ends.

Sleeve Edging (Both Sides)

Row 1: With RS facing, pick up and knit 1 st in each row along the open sleeve edge (approx. 70 (74, 78, 82, 86) sts). (70 (74, 78, 82, 86) sts)

Rows 2–4: Work back and forth in k1, p1 rib. (70 (74, 78, 82, 86) sts)

Row 5: Bind off loosely in rib. Repeat for the other sleeve.

Hem Edging

The cast-on ribbing serves as the hem; no additional edging needed.

Assembly and Finishing

Seaming: Use mattress stitch for all seams. Thread your tapestry needle with yarn and work from the RS, picking up the horizontal bar between the first and second stitch on each edge, alternating sides. Pull gently every few inches so the seam stays flat and invisible.

Weaving in ends: Thread each tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it through the wrong side of the fabric for about 2 inches, changing direction once so it locks in place. Trim close to the fabric.

Blocking: Wet block gently to measurements. Submerge the tee in cool water with a drop of gentle soap, squeeze (never wring) out excess water, roll in a towel, then lay flat and pin to the finished measurements. Let dry completely. This opens the wave lines and gives the bamboo cotton its lovely drape.

Care: Hand wash cool, lay flat to dry, store folded. Do not wring.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap olive and ochre for navy and cream, or sage and blush, for a completely different mood. Keep one color dominant so the waves still read clearly.
• Adjust the size: The dolman shape is very forgiving. If you want a less oversized fit, choose a smaller size rather than altering the rectangle — the math is already built in.
• Substitute yarn: Any DK-weight yarn with good drape works. A cotton-linen blend gives a crisper, more summery tee; a merino blend gives warmth for cooler months. Always re-check your gauge.
• Simplify the intarsia: If colorwork feels intimidating, work the entire rectangle in one color and add the wave lines later with duplicate stitch — same look, far less fuss.