Kat; And, I Write a Crop Top Manifesto

Don't doubt my love of crop tops and my determination to make them season-spanning.

Witness Kat!

Yarn
Blue Sky Alpaca Sport, 100% baby alpaca, 110 y / 100 m per hank, Natural 6 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8) hanks

Needles
3.25 mm (US 3) or size to obtain gauge

Gauge
22 sts and 26 rows = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette

Sizes
Waist size 24 (26, 30, 34, 38, 42)” / 60 (66, 76, 86, 96.5, 106.5) cm
Choose the size that is within +/- 2” / 5 cm of your actual waist measurement. Kat is designed to have approximately 0” / 0 cm of ease at

This fun little sweater is knit from side-to-side and features a boat neckline, mesh, drapey sleeves, short rows to gently shape the waist, and rolled hems (perfect for that 100% alpaca fibre!)

I've styled Kat in a number of ways that you can check out on its Ravelry page. Personally, my favourite way to wear it ss what you see above. (Though I do quite like it with a high-waisted pencil skirt too).

This sweater is so lovely as a light fall layer. The mesh means you're likely going to want to wear a cami beneath it; the elbow-length sleeves mean you won't have extra bulk, but will have extra warmth when you throw on that jacket and head outdoors.

My Crop Top Manifesto
If I ever impart anything on any of you dear readers, I hope it is this: wear what you want.

Something's not your style? That's cool!

But if in your heart you want to wear something, but are held back by fear of other people's judgement, please consider embracing your fashion desires. It's such a bummer that we let our joy get squashed by societal dictation.

My vociferous crop top love is my own statement of embracing that joy. I know it's super subjective: I'm sure there's LOADS of people who don't care and wouldn't bat an eye, but my internal dialogue was "you can't wear that for X, Y, Z negative body-shame reasons!" and the my heart would say"... but I wanna! I'm not hurting anyone!"

The rest of this post is me giving you the joys of embracing this style if, in your fashion heart, you really want to:

• crop tops are fantastic with high waisted skirts! (you don't have to show any more skin with a crop top than with any other sweater
• crop tops can be fitted (like Kat), or have plenty of room! Let your taste dictate. The knitting pattern world has choice for you!
• crop tops are FASTER to knit because, of course, they're smaller!
• crop tops also take less yarn; have too many hanks for a cowl, but not enough for a full length sweater?! Crop tops are your answer!