From the second I saw the Hotness Top I thought it would be an excellent top to summer-ify with Red Heart’s Creme de la Creme cotton yarn. This top would be a perfect knitted to the pattern or as a bathing suit cover up, if you elongated the torso and used a very large needles.
The yarn for the Hotness Top has been discontinued, but Creme de la Creme will save the day!
The Hotness Top is knit in pieces from the bottom up. If you’re a little wary about knitting in pieces, do not be! It’s a lovely opportunity to gain knowledge and skills. Practicing skills you don’t get to use that often will keep them sharp as well. I use mattress stitch seams — something I only utilize when I’m putting a garment together which has been made in separate pieces. I know when you read the instructions it might look quite complex, but if you’re looking at the knitting while reading the instructions, it’ll all make sense.
Seaming up the sides with my trusty mattress stitch. A photo from the wrong side so you can see the waist shaping.
I have learned, garments that include seams tend to sit more securely and wear a lot better. All the weight of the garment sits on the seams in the shoulders and the side seams are what keep the garment in shape if you get it wet. This is really important for when you’re working with cotton yarns. The cotton fabric is going to absorb water for sure, and seams will prevent it from sagging. Just remember that there are benefits to a more complex assembly and there are always trade-offs for the greater good.
The hem of the Hotness Top in Brite Green
Another beneficial thing about making this top in Creme de la Creme, is the color selection. The website has about 6 pages of colors you can use. If you’re trying to put an outfit together with a hard-to-match color, I’m sure there will be something that works in Creme de la Creme yarn.
The direct translation of crème de la crème is “the cream of the cream”, which means the best of the best; a saying coined in 1805. Cream was incredibly rich and without the awesome power of refrigeration it was preserved in wells and cold cellars. The cream always rises to the top of the milk, and is considered better than the milk, so the “cream of the cream” is the best cream you can get!
I have a personal aversion to things with sleeves, so I left them off my sample sized version of the Hotness Top. Feel free to make alterations to your own! Just to note the yoke stitching will look a lot more detailed in a life-sized version.
Do yourself a favor this summer and make this pretty classic top in Creme de la Creme cotton yarn. You’ll be able to stay cool and look even cooler; smiling like butter would not melt in your mouth.
