Summer Chain Top

Free Crochet Top Pattern

This airy summer top is a showcase of what you can do with just two crochet stitches - the chain and the double crochet (dc). Those are the only two stitches used in the whole of the pattern!

The top is crocheted from the top down, in rounds, without seams. It features a round yoke and raglan-style shoulders. The body is mostly mesh, so it uses a surprisingly small amount of yarn. I used cotton sock yarn, which I think is just the right weight for such a garment. The top is very lightweight and looks good without adding too much bulk -- perfect for the summer.

If you prefer, you can skip the sleeves: the top looks great without them, as well.
Only one size (M) is described in the pattern. However, it's very easy to adjust the fit of the top by changing the length of the chains between the 3-dc clusters. One of the nice things about this pattern is because it's crocheted from the top down, it's easy to try on as you're working it, which lets you tailor it exactly to the shape you want.

Size: 8/10 (38/40)

Materials:

Plymouth (affiliate link) Yarn Sockotta fingering weight yarn (45% cotton, 40 % wool, 15% nylon), 414 yd / 379m 100 g color 08 - 2 skeins.

Hook: E (3.5 mm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge:

3 dc, ch 10 - 2" (5 cm)

Directions:

Top crocheted as one piece, top down, without seams (see drawing). The shaping of the round yoke is made by increasing the number of chains between 3 dc groups.

Round Yoke:

Crochet chain 154, join with sl st to form a ring.

Round 1: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 4, *3 dc, ch 4*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 2: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 5, *3 dc, ch 5*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 3: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 6, *3 dc, ch 6*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 4: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 6, *3 dc, ch 6*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 5: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, *3 dc, ch 7*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 6: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, *3 dc, ch 7*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 7: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, *3 dc, ch 7*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 8: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 8, *3 dc, ch 8*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 9: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 9, *3 dc, ch 9*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 10: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 9, *3 dc, ch 9*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 11: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 10, *3 dc, ch 10*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 12: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 10, *3 dc, ch 10*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 13: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 11, *3 dc, ch 11*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 14: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 11, *3 dc, ch 11*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

Round 15: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 12, *3 dc, ch 12*, repeat to the end of the round, total 22 repeats.

End of the yoke.

Place markers on the 1st, 7th, 12th and 18th groups of 3 dc. Those will be raglan lines.

Between 1st and 7th markers - back

Btw 7th and 12th markers - right sleeve

Btw 12th and 18th markers - front

Btw 18th and 1st markers - left sleeve.

Crochet 6 rows back and forth between the 1st and the 7th markers as follows:
ch 2, 2 dc, ch 12, *3 dc, ch 12* repeat 5 times, 3 dc, turn.

Bodice (Front and Back):

Worked in rounds

Round 16: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 12, *3 dc, ch 12* repeat 5 times, 3 dc, ch 42, *3 dc (on the 12th marker), ch 12* repeat 6 times, 3 dc, ch 42, join with sl st to the ch 2 at the beg of the round.

Rounds 17-28: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 12, *3 dc, ch 12* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Rounds 29-31: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 11, *3 dc, ch 11* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Round 32: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 10, *3 dc, ch 10* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Round 33: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 9, *3 dc, ch 9* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Round 34: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 8, *3 dc, ch 8* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Rounds 35-37: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 9, *3 dc, ch 9* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Rounds 38-41: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 10, *3 dc, ch 10* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Rounds 42-46: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 11, *3 dc, ch 11* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Rounds 47-51: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 12, *3 dc, ch 12* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats.

Rounds 52-59: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 13, *3 dc, ch 13* repeat to the end of the round, total 18 repeats. Tie off.

Left Sleeve:

Sleeve crocheted in rounds, without seams.

Start from the 3-dc, which is the 1st to the left of the 1st marker (the right one of the two 3-dc groups under the left arm, crocheted on the ch 42).

Round 1: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 9, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 8, 3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc on outer edge of the 3rd row of the 6 back-and-forth rows (see above) of the back, ch 5, 3 dc on the side of the 1st marker 3-dc group, ch 8, join to the ch 2 with sl st to form the 1st round.

Round 2: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 8, 3 dc, ch 8, 3 dc, ch 6, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 8, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Round 3: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 5, 1 dc on th 2nd dc, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Round 4: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 9, skip 1 dc, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Round 5: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 9, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Rounds 6-8: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc, ch 9, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 8, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Rounds 9-24: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc, ch 9, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round. Tie off.

Right Sleeve:

Sleeve crocheted in rounds, without seams.

Start from the 3-dc, which is the1st to the right of the 7th marker (the left one of the two 3-dc groups under the right arm, crocheted on the ch 42).

Round 1: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 8, 3 dc on the side of the 7th marker 3-dc group, ch 5, 3 dc on outer edge of the 3rd row of the 6 back-and-forth rows (see above) of the back, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 8, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 9, join to the ch 2 with sl st to form the 1st round.

Round 2, ch 2, 2 dc, ch 8, 3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 6, 3 dc, ch 8, 3 dc, ch 8, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Round 3: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 5, 1 dc on the 2nd dc, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Round 4: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 9, skip 1 dc, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10 , 3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Round 5: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 9, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Rounds 6-8: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 8, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 9, 3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round.

Rounds 9-24: ch 2, 2 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 10, 3 dc, ch 9, 3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc, ch 7, 3 dc, ch 7, sl st to the beginning of the round. Tie off.

The top is ready.

Enjoy!