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Find the free crochet pattern for this lacy, ruffled top below! Made with cotton and perfect for spring and summer.
I’m so happy to share with you my first ever top I’ve designed! This pattern is actually fairly easy with just a few seams! It’s mostly just rows with a handful of increases/decreases.
We seem to be having a very long winter and I have worked this up in March on one of our ‘snow days’. I was willing the warm spring days to come soon!
I had an idea in mind that I wanted something with ruffles that would flatter my body, and it came out just like I imagined! (That doesn’t happen too often on the first try.)
Being short and having more of a belly than I’d like, it’s really hard for me to find clothing that flatters my body. Being able to make my own garments is truly incredible! I can customize it exactly how I like and be super proud of it!
From top to bottom, I love everything about this top. It’s fitted at the top and flows out nicely with a lacy stitch that makes it so pretty and feminine.
I also love the neckline on both sides of the top. It’s the same on both sides, which makes it easier to make as well!
Using I Love This Cotton!, it’s nice and airy and has great stitch definition. This brand of yarn from Hobby Lobby also has a great variety of colors to choose from! I used a warm blush and paired it with white for a pretty, feminine feel.
I hope you enjoy making this top! Please share with me on Social Media (Facebook or Instagram), I would love to see the colors you choose!
If you’d like the ad-free, printable version of this pattern – you can purchase the inexpensive PDF file on Ravelry. (Thank you! Every purchase helps keep my blog running!)
Want to make it for later?
PIN it to your Pinterest boards for safe keeping.
Pattern
Materials:
I Love This Cotton! (~180 yards per skein)
I used two colors: warm blush(color A) and white(color B)
S/M/L: 2 skeins color A, 3 skeins color B
XL: 3 skeins color A, 3 skeins color B
2X/3X: 3 skeins Color A, 4 skeins color B
H/5.00mm hook
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Notes:
The top portion will be made by making two panels. We will start by working from the bottom up for the panels.
Chain in the beginning of each row/round will not count as a stitch unless stated.
I will refer to colors as Color A and Color B. Color A is the top portion (I used pink) and Color B is the bottom portion of the top (I used white).
Abbrevations (US terms)
Ch = chain, sc = single crochet, hdc = half double crochet, dc = double crochet, st = stich(es), sk = skip, sl st = slip stitch, dec = decrease
Gauge: 4” x 4” in half double crochet ~ 14 stitches x 12 rows
Sizes
Small: 32-34″ bust
Medium: 36-38″ bust
Large: 40-42″ bust
XL: 44-46″ bust
2X: 48-50” bust
3X: 52-54” bust
Pattern
Starting with Color A
Row 1: Ch 38 (48, 58, 68,78, 88), hdc across, turn (36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86)
Row 2: Ch 2, hdc across, turn (36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86)
Row 3: Ch 2, 2hdc, hdc until last st, 2hdc in last st, turn (38, 48, 58, 68,78, 88)
Row 4: Repeat Row 3 (40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90)
Row 5: Repeat Row 3 (42, 52, 62, 72, 82, 92)
Row 6: Repeat Row 3 (44, 54, 64, 74, 84, 94)
Repeat Row 2 until you have a total of 15 (18, 21, 24, 27, 30) rows
Do not fasten off, we will start working on the neckline.
Row 1: Ch 2, hdc in next 16 (21, 25, 31, 36, 41) st, dec, turn
Row 2: Ch 2, hdc across, turn
Row 3: Ch 2, hdc across until last 2 st, dec over last 2 st, turn
Repeat Row 2&3 3 times
Repeat Row 2 8 times
Fasten off
Flip over your piece, attach yarn to other side of the main portion of the top and repeat the neckline pattern.
Make two panels.
Assemble two panels together by putting them together and sewing up the top portions and the sides. For sizes Small & Medium sizes, leave about 7” opening, for sizes Large & XLarge leave about 8.5” opening, and for 2X & 3X leave about 10″ opening.
Attach Color B yarn to bottom of the top portion you just sewed together. We will now be working in rounds.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as st), (dc, ch 1, 2dc) in same space as ch 3, *sk st, (2dc, ch 1, 2dc) all in next st, repeat from * around, join to beginning ch 3 and sl st 2 times to get to the ch 1 space from the previous round
Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as st), (dc, ch 1, 2dc) in same space as ch 3, *(2dc, ch 1, 2dc) all in next ch 1 space from previous row, repeat from * around, join to beginning ch 3, sl st 2 times to get to the ch 1 space from the previous round
Repeat Round 2 for 23(23, 27, 27, 31, 31) rounds
*Make the top as long/short as you’d like by adding/removing rows
How would I make it a 3x. I love the top and want one.
Hi Janice! I just added additional sizes to the pattern 🙂 Happy Crocheting!
I just found this on Pinterest. I absolutely adore it, but I'm Aussie. We don't have a 10ply cotton here. Do you think it would still work using 8pl acrylic yarn?
Would that be like a DK yarn? I'm not too familiar with the number of ply. I suggest making a gauge swatch with the yarn you want to use and you may have to go up a hook size or so. If it's not too "hole-y" for the half double crochet, I think it would work!
Hey! 8ply is DK yarn. I'm using a 4ply (fingering) yarn because that's roughly the same thickness as 10ply cotton. I also had help from a friend to make the pattern fit a 4x and a 5x. In the beginning, just +10 chains (88 for 3x so 98 for 4x and 108 for 5x) and add 3 rows to the amount of rows needed after row 6 (3x is 30, so 4x is 33 and 5x is 36). Going off that it should be able to fit. My bust is 57" so I'm a 4x haha.
I hope that will help anyone that has a larger bust like myself to be able to make this amazing top.
How can I tag it on social media so you'll be able to see it?
Thank you, this is really darling
How do you make the sleeves?
Debbie, the way the top is made, you won't need to add/crochet on sleeves. The main portion of the top will hang over a bit for the short sleeves
For a little extra length on the sleeves you could add a crocheted lace either in the main colour or the skirts contrast colour – start with a chain the same length as the sleeve hole, increase on each end by a couple of extra stitches, a few extra through the length of the lace if you want it ‘frilly’.
First off, amazing pattern!! I can't wait to make a few shirts. I did notice that right when it starts to give the pattern for the second half of the shirt, it cuts off (I'm viewing from my phone so not sure if that's a factor). Is it just a basic shell/cluster stitch?
Hello Maria, thank you so much for sharing this amazing pattern. I have 2 questions about row 3 for color A: ''Ch2, 2hdc, hdc until last st, 2 hdc in last st, turn''.
Question 1: What does it mean: ''2hdc, hdc until last st''? Does it simply mean that only hdc until last st?
Question 2: I noticed that your piece is straight on the borders, but you wrote: ''2hdc in last st''. If 2hdc in last st, I thought that the piece is getting wider on each row.
I'm a beginner in crochet. Please help me. Thank you Maria in advance.
It is a mistake.It should read “ch2, 2 hdc in next st, then hdc up to last st. then 2 hdc in last st. Hope this helps.
Is there a way to make the sleeves longer, like elbow length? I want to wear it by itself and not over a longer sleeve shirt. This length just makes big arms look bigger. TIA
DavetteB
In my browser the directions for the bottom part of the pattern is cut off. Can anyone tell me what those directions are?
Hi! What size did you do for your body type? Thank you for an amazing pattern!
Hi Maria! This is a beautiful top & I am working on it now in brown & peach. I’m wondering about the bottom part though – mine is VERY ruffley. Which leads me to wonder about the stitch instructions, is there a way to make it less ruffley now that I’m on row 5?
Im currently in the middle of making this top, and already I have used up the one out of two skeins of colour A. Ive followed the directions carefully, so I know I didn’t do anything wrong. Did this happen to anyone else ??