Isa Catepillán For Purl Soho: Terra-Madre Top in Picnic Cotton
Isa Catepillán had just planted her first garden when she began to design her Terra-Madre Top, and she discovered a beautiful connection between working with yarn and working in the soil: The joy is in the process as much as the result.
Beginning with a ribbed strip you sew into a loop for the neckband, you crochet this piece from neck to hem and then return to complete the sleeves.
Isa’s Terra-Madre Top leans into bucolic details while keeping an eye on the overall elegance of the garden. It has a playful, laid-back silhouette, that includes voluminous sleeves tied with charming drawstring tassels.
Our beautiful Picnic Cotton creates a fabric with just the right amount of earthy charm for Isa’s design. Made in Peru from 100% Peruvian Pima cotton, this yarn features a colored thread (in this case, a pearly gray) wrapped around a fluffy white core, which is reminiscent of the cotton bolls that started it all and a beautiful reminder with each stitch of Isa’s garden and the many gifts of “Terra-Madre”!
Designed for Purl Soho by Isa Catepillán. Born in Chile, Isa is a textile artist, designer, and maker who now lives and works in Australia. Her designs combine modern style with ancient technique and are inspired by the natural beauty of feminine strength.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoTerraMadreTop, and #PurlSohoPicnicCotton. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 7 (7, 9, 10, 11, 12) (12, 14, 14, 15, 16) skeins of Purl Soho’s Picnic Cotton, 100% Peruvian Pima cotton. Each skein is 164 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 1080 (1140, 1320, 1505, 1730, 1915) (1950, 2165, 2225, 2440, 2600) yards required. We used the color Birch Wood.
- A size D (3.25 mm) crochet hook
- 2 removable stitch markers
- A Terra-Madre Top pattern
GAUGE
23 dcs and 9 rounds = 4 inches in double crochet in back loop only, after blocking
SIZES
31 (32½, 36, 38¾, 42½, 45) (47¼, 49¾, 52, 55¾, 61)
To fit actual high hip circumference of approximately 27–29 (28–31, 32–34, 34–37, 38–40, 41–43) (43–45, 46–48, 48–50, 51–54, 55–59) inches with 2–4 inches of ease
NOTE: This design is very roomy through chest. Choose size based on high hip measurement (below waist, about level with tops of jeans’ back pockets).
- Finished High Hip Circumference: 31 (32½, 36, 38¾, 42½, 45) (47¼, 49¾, 52, 55¾, 61) inches
- Finished Length From Shoulder To Bottom Edge: 15½ (15½, 16¼, 17, 17¾, 18½) (18½, 19¼, 19¼, 19½, 20) inches
Sample: The sweater shown here is size 36, worn with 4 inches of ease at the high hip.
PATTERN
The Terra-Madre Top pattern is available for purchase exclusively as a PDF download.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Wish there was a knit version. It is adorable.
Hi Krista!
Thank you for sharing your interest in a knit version of this top! We will note your interest with our team, and in the meantime, you can browse our collection of knit tops here!
All the best,
Margaret
This sweater is absolutely adorable and I agree with Krista and hope you will provide the option for a knitted version in the future.
Thank you so much for your sweet words, Gayle, and we will be sure to note with our team that there is continued interest in a knit version!
All the best,
Margaret
Thanks for creating this terrific pattern! I am hoping to add some length to the piece and am wondering the best way to do that? I am worried about the body getting too narrow if I just continue adding rows at the bottom (each row has a small decrease).
Hi Holly,
That’s a great question! I’d recommend first figuring out exactly how many extra rounds you’d like to add. Then, you can distribute the decreases as evenly as possible between this new number of rounds! Some rounds will end up not having any decreases, and this will create a nice taper to the body without it getting narrower than the original design does. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
This is lovely! Please more crochet patterns for clothes!!
Hi Allie,
I’m glad to hear that this pattern has caught your eye! Our design team is in the process of developing some new crochet designs, so we’re happy to hear that there’s interest! I’d recommend keeping an eye out for those in the future when they get released.
All the best,
Lili