Twisted Moss Stitch Tee: Free Knit Pattern

Introduction

The Twisted Moss Stitch Tee is a relaxed, boxy pullover that's perfect for anyone who wants a little texture without a complicated chart. It's knitted flat in simple pieces and seamed together, so you never have to wrestle with circular shaping—just straight needles and a few easy decreases. The chocolate body is broken up by a deep band of twisted moss stitch across the chest, which gives it a subtle, nubby texture that looks wonderful and feels cozy against the skin. Caramel twisted-rib trims at the hem, cuffs, and neckband add a warm Scandinavian touch that makes this tee feel special and handmade.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: DK weight alpaca blend (70% alpaca, 30% wool; 246 yds/100g).
  • Chocolate (MC): 600 (700, 800, 900) yds
  • Caramel (CC): 200 (250, 300, 350) yds
• Needles: 4.0 mm (US 6) straight needles; 3.75 mm (US 5) circular needle, 24" long, for the neckband
• Notions: Stitch markers, stitch holders or waste yarn, tapestry needle, tape measure
• Finished size: Chest circumference 36 (40, 44, 48)" / 91.5 (101.5, 112, 122) cm; Length 24 (25, 26, 27)" / 61 (63.5, 66, 68.5) cm; Sleeve length 8" / 20.5 cm

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on
• BO: bind off
• RS: right side (the public, outward-facing side of the fabric)
• WS: wrong side (the inside of the fabric)
• St st: stockinette stitch (knit on RS rows, purl on WS rows)
• K: knit
• P: purl
• K1tbl: knit one stitch through the back loop (twists the stitch)
• P1tbl: purl one stitch through the back loop (twists the stitch)
• Inc: increase (use your preferred method, such as a lifted increase)
• Dec: decrease (use k2tog or ssk as you prefer, keeping the edge neat)
• Cont: continue
• Rem: remaining
• Rev: reverse (work the other side in mirror image)
• Rnd(s): round(s)

Gauge

22 sts and 30 rows = 4" (10 cm) in Twisted Moss Stitch, unstretched, after blocking. Knit a swatch in the pattern, block it, and measure a 4" section; adjust needle size if needed to match.

Tips Before You Start

• Work a blocked swatch in Twisted Moss Stitch—the twisted stitches pull the fabric in slightly, so matching gauge after blocking is essential for the right fit.
• Keep your twisted stitches snug but not tight; consistent tension keeps the moss-stitch band even and prevents a wavy edge.
• Place a marker at the start of the Twisted Moss Stitch band (2" from cast-on) so you can easily track the 4" band depth on both front and back.
• When shaping armholes and necklines, work decreases one stitch in from the edge for a tidy, seaming-friendly finish.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notes: The tee is knitted flat in pieces and seamed. Twisted Moss Stitch (multiple of 2 sts + 1): Row 1 (RS): K1, *P1, K1tbl; rep from * to end. Row 2 (WS): P1, *K1, P1tbl; rep from * to end. Repeat Rows 1–2. Twisted Rib (multiple of 2 sts + 1): Row 1 (RS): K1tbl, *P1, K1tbl; rep from * to end. Row 2 (WS): P1tbl, *K1, P1tbl; rep from * to end. Repeat Rows 1–2.

Back

Row 1 (CO): With CC, CO 99 (111, 123, 135) sts.
Rows 2–8: Work in Twisted Rib for 1" (2.5 cm), ending on WS (99 (111, 123, 135) sts).
Next rows: Change to MC. Work in St st until piece measures 2" (5 cm) from CO, ending on WS.
Next row (RS): K1, [P1, K1tbl] to end (Twisted Moss Stitch).
Next rows: Work in Twisted Moss Stitch until piece measures 6" (15 cm) from CO, ending on WS.
Next rows: Change to St st. Work even until piece measures 16 (16.5, 17, 17.5)" / 40.5 (42, 43, 44.5) cm from CO, ending on WS.
Shape armholes: BO 5 (6, 7, 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
Next RS rows: Dec 1 st each side every RS row 3 (4, 5, 6) times (83 (91, 99, 107) sts).
Next rows: Work even until armhole measures 7 (7.5, 8, 8.5)" / 18 (19, 20.5, 21.5) cm, ending on WS.
Shape shoulders and back neck: BO 6 (7, 8, 9) sts at beg of next 4 rows, then 6 (7, 8, 9) sts at beg of next 2 rows. AT THE SAME TIME, when 2 rows of shoulder BO remain, BO center 35 (37, 39, 41) sts for back neck.

Front

Work as for Back until armhole measures 4.5 (5, 5.5, 6)" / 11.5 (12.5, 14, 15) cm, ending on WS.
Shape front neck (RS): Work 31 (34, 37, 40) sts, BO center 21 (23, 25, 27) sts, work to end.
Next RS rows: Cont on last set of sts, dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 5 times (26 (29, 32, 35) sts).
Next rows: Work even until armhole measures same as Back to shoulder.
Shape shoulder: BO 6 (7, 8, 9) sts at armhole edge 3 times, then 8 (8, 8, 8) sts once.
Other side: Rejoin yarn to rem sts and work other side rev.

Sleeves (make 2)

Row 1 (CO): With CC, CO 51 (55, 59, 63) sts.
Rows 2–8: Work in Twisted Rib for 1" (2.5 cm), ending on WS (51 (55, 59, 63) sts).
Next rows: Change to MC. Work in St st, inc 1 st each side every 6th row 6 times (63 (67, 71, 75) sts).
Next rows: Work even until sleeve measures 8" (20.5 cm) from CO, ending on WS.
Shape sleeve cap: BO 5 (6, 7, 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
Next RS rows: Dec 1 st each side every RS row 15 (16, 17, 18) times.
Next row: BO rem 23 (23, 23, 23) sts.

Neckband

Set-up: With RS facing, using 3.75 mm circular needle and CC, pick up and knit 100 (104, 108, 112) sts evenly around neck edge. Join for working in rnd.
Rnd 1: K1tbl, *P1, K1tbl; rep from * to end.
Rnd 2: P1tbl, *K1, P1tbl; rep from * to end.
Rnds 3–8: Repeat Rnds 1–2 until band measures 1" (2.5 cm).
Next rnd: BO in pattern.

Assembly and Finishing

Sew shoulder seams. Sew sleeves into armholes, matching the center of the sleeve cap to the shoulder seam. Sew side and sleeve seams. Weave in all ends on the wrong side. Block the finished tee to the measurements given, pinning the moss-stitch band flat and letting it dry fully before wearing.

Pro Tips and Variations

• For a longer, tunic-style tee, add 2–4" of stockinette above the hem before starting the moss-stitch band.
• Swap the caramel trims for a contrasting cream or charcoal for a different Scandinavian palette.
• Work the body in the round to the armholes and join sleeves for a seamless, faster knit—just remember to adjust the stitch counts for the missing seam allowances.