Kat no.7 was designed for the spring Knitathon 2025. I wanted to create a top that would be appropriate for everything spring can be; warmer days, hot sunny days, and cooler nights. I wanted something elegant for an al fresco lunch with friends, but at the same time cozy enough that you would reach for it when preparing to curl up on the couch.

Kat no.7 is a simple top, worked top down, mostly in the round. First you work the neckline and shoulders, shaping them with increases and short rows. The you split the work to knit flat until you reach the bottom of the narrow, fitted sleeve openings, where you again join to work in the round. Stitches are picked up for the sleeves, which are then worked top down, in the round. The pattern gives instructions for both short and long sleeves, so you choose between an early-spring top or a spring/summer top.

Sizes
1 (2) 3 (4)

Chest circumference
124 (144) 164 (180) cm / 48.8 (56.7) 64.6 (70.9) inches

Length
Short version: 50 cm / 19.7 inches
Long version: 55 cm / 21.7 inches

Fit
Kat no. 7 is designed to be worn with a lot of positive ease; 40-50 cm / 15-20 inches in the smaller sizes, and approximately 30 cm / 12 inches in the larger sizes, all depending on your personal preferences. The sleeves are fitted to balance out the large amount of positive ease on the body.

Suggested yarn
I recommend a yarn with a smooth and somewhat heavy fiber, so the finished garment will drape around your body, rather than standing out in the boxy shape it is knit in. The short sleeve sample is knit in Yak/Silk fingering weight from A Knitters World; the long sleeve sample is knit in Drops Alpaca.

Yardage
Striped version, short body, short sleeves (sample knit in Yak/Silk fingering weight from A Knitters World):
C1 (undyed white): 60 (80) 120 (160) meter
C2 (Guld og Grønne Skove): 220 (240) 280 (320) meter
C3 (undyed dark): 560 (620) 740 (840) meter
For longer body, add 160 (200) 240 (280) meters of C3
For long sleeves, add 240 (280) 320 (360) meters of C3

One-color version, longer body, long sleeves (sample knit in Drops Alpaca, color 0506):
985 (1020) 1270 (1380) meter

Yardage is estimated and may vary between knitters. The striped version is estimated to use a lot more, just to make sure you don’t run out of any of the colors.

Suggested needles
3 mm circular needles, 80 cm for ribbing and rolled over hems (use magic loop for smaller circumferences)
3 mm circular needles, 80 cm for the body (use magic loop for smaller circumferences)

Gauge
23 stitches x 28 rounds on larger needles = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4 inches after blocking. Always use the needle size that will give the correct gauge!

Pay extra attention to your gauge when working the sleeves. Many knitters will tend to have a tighter gauge when working in a smaller circumference. If this is true for you, please adjust your needle size accordingly, by going up one or two sizes!

When working flat, pay attention to your gauge. Our purls are often looser than our knit stitches. You may want to use a smaller needle tip for the purl rows!