This crocheted top begins with lace panels for the back and front. Then, after joining the shoulders, the sides of the top are worked in double crochet along the sides of the panels, with easy shaping at the shoulder line. Side seams for the body are created with slip stitches, and short sleeves are worked in turned rounds. A few rounds of single crochet trim the neck and hem edges.

I named this pattern for one of my jazz heroes, Esperanza Spaulding. While writing this pattern, I listened to her 2021 release, Songwrights Apothecary Lab, a project in which she and her collaborators explored how musicians might work with practitioners of diverse therapeutic modalities to promote radical healing. It is a beautiful album, and the intention behind it brings me hope.

Recently a new knitting student of mine told me that she didn’t feel at all guilty for telling her boss that she was leaving work early to go to a therapy appointment (when in fact she was coming to her knitting lesson), because handcrafts really ARE her therapy. I think a lot of us feel that way!

SIZE
Women’s XS(S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X)
Shown in size L with approximately 4 inches/10 cm of ease at underarm; 2.5 inches/6.5 cm of ease at largest part of chest.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest/Bust: 35.5(40, 44.5, 47, 51.5, 56.5, 59.5, 63.5, 68) inches / 90(102, 113, 120, 131, 143, 151, 162, 173) cm
Length: 21.75(21.75, 21.75, 21.75, 21.75, 24.75, 24.75, 24.75, 24.75) inches / 55(55, 55, 55, 55, 63, 63, 63, 63) cm

MATERIALS
Yarn
Miss Babs Damask (65% cultivated silk, 35% bleached linen; 420 yd/380 m per 3.5 oz/100 g skein); color: Cordovan; 2(3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5) skeins
Approximately 840(940, 1050, 1110, 1210, 1520, 1600, 1700, 1830) yd / 765(855, 955, 1010, 1100, 1385, 1455, 1545, 1665) m

Yarn Characteristics
The sample shown uses a fingering-weight silk/linen blend single. The fiber blend provides a nice balance of drape and body. A solid color (as opposed to a variegated yarn) will work best with the lace panel patterns, though a subtle tonal color could work well. (As always, make a swatch to ensure that you like the look of the fabric as well as to meet gauge!)

Recommended hook size
3 mm hook

Notions
removable stitch markers
tapestry needle

GAUGE
24 sts/11 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in double crochet
32 sts (2 pattern repeats) / 17 rows in lace pattern repeat measures 5.375 inches /13.5 cm wide and 6 inches / 15 cm long

Note: gauge is always taken after blocking.