Yoke Crop Top

Yoke Crop Top by Jo Sharp

What is Being Made

The Yoke Crop Top is a lightweight, cropped pullover sweater designed by Jo Sharp. This garment features a contemporary silhouette with raglan sleeve shaping that tapers to a fitted yoke at the top of the bodice. The design is worked seamlessly in the round from the bottom up, creating a modern, minimalist aesthetic suitable for layering or wearing as a standalone piece.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its structure and fit. The primary construction method involves working in the round using circular needles, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates a seamless garment. The raglan sleeve shaping technique is used to create tapered sleeves that smoothly transition into the yoke section at the shoulders. Underarm shaping is incorporated to define the silhouette and ensure proper fit. The pattern uses two strands of yarn knitted together throughout the main body, which adds texture and creates the desired fabric weight and drape for this lightweight sweater.

Stitches Used

The Yoke Crop Top is constructed primarily using Stocking Stitch, the foundational stitch for this design. When working in rows, Stocking Stitch is created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side. When working in the round (as this pattern does for most of the garment), Stocking Stitch is simplified to knitting every round, which creates the characteristic smooth, V-patterned fabric. This classic stitch choice provides an elegant, versatile base that showcases the yarn's qualities while remaining accessible to beginner knitters.

Materials

The Yoke Crop Top is designed to be worked on 9.00mm circular needles measuring 60cm (approximately 24 inches) in length. The pattern calls for Jo Sharp Alpaca Kid Lustre and Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Kid Mohair yarns, which are worked together as two strands throughout the project. For the smallest size, approximately 3 balls of 50g each are required in the Poppy colorway, with larger sizes requiring 3 to 4 balls depending on the finished measurements. The use of these premium blended yarns—combining alpaca and kid mohair—creates a luxuriously soft, lightweight fabric with excellent drape and breathability, making this an ideal choice for a crop top silhouette.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as beginner-friendly, making it an excellent project for knitters new to circular needle work and seamless garment construction. The straightforward Stocking Stitch pattern and clear abbreviations guide knitters through the process, while the raglan shaping and yoke construction provide valuable learning opportunities without overwhelming complexity.