Beginner Crochet Crop Top - Free Pattern + Video Tutorial

Learn how to turn a crochet rectangle into a crop top! The Skylar Crop Top is a stylish ribbed singlet and the easiest crochet garment you’ll ever make!

Scroll down for this free crochet crop top pattern and step-by-step video tutorial or purchase the ad-free, printable PDF here.

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Are you looking for your first crochet garment project? Well, look no further as the Skylar Crop Top is as easy as it gets! If you can crochet a rectangle, you can make this top 🙂

Featuring, a ribbed body and braided tie straps, the Skylar Cami effortlessly matches any outfit. Pair it with high waisted jeans, denim skirts or wear it underneath a cropped cardi for a cute, summer look.

Construction

The construction of this crop top is super simple. We’ll crochet a rectangle, sew the edges together and then braid straps on the edge of the crop top.

The rectangle is made up entirely of half double crochets and we’ll work into the back loops in all stitches until the last stitch of the row.

Half double crochets are my favourite basic crochet stitch because they have a knit-like look and are quite fast to crochet.

Working into the back loops will give you the signature ribbed texture of this design and it helps the top be more stretchy so that its easy to wear on and off, over your head.

For the last stitch of every row I’ve crocheted a normal HDC to keep the edges straight and tidy. For the most ‘professional finish’ to your top don’t forget this step!

Once you’ve finished crocheting your rectangle, we’ll sew the short sides together to form a tube. At this point I recommend, trying on your top and using stitch markers, safety pins or bobby pins mark where you’d like your straps to go.

To create strong crop top straps, braid 6 strands of yarn together. In this pattern, I’ve purposely made the straps extra long so that you can use them to tie bows and adjust the fit for your body.

Once you’ve crocheted your 4 straps you’re all done!

Looking for more summer top patterns?

1. Blair Crop Top / 2. Terrazzo Tank Top / 3. Sagebrush Tank Top

The Skylar Crop Top is a bit different to traditional crochet garments. This project is worked lengthways - not widthways. When a crochet project is worked lengthways, the foundation chain runs the length of the garment - not the width.

This means that it’s very easy to change the width of this garment. As you crochet more rows, you can wrap the rectangle around your body to find the perfect fit.

However, if you want to alter the length of your top, you can only do so at the beginning by adding chains to your foundation chain. In general, if you’re not too sure about the length, remember that crochet projects tend to stretch out, so its generally better for your garment to be a *bit* small rather than too big.

If you’re new to crocheting garments, check out this blog post - 5 Tips for Perfect Fitting Crochet Garments!

Print and Crochet

You can always find a low-cost printable PDF version of all my free patterns. Perfect for printing out or viewing offline on your tablet or phone. This nicely-formatted pdf contains 7 pages, a link to the video tutorial and photo tutorial. The pictures are also separated from the written pattern so you can save on ink! This is a super useful upgrade that makes it even easier to crochet.

How to crochet a crop top for any size!

This best part about the Skylar Crop Top is how easy it is to alter and adjust to perfectly fit your body.

If you prefer longer tank tops over crop tops? Simply add chains to your foundation chain to create more length.

Want a loose fitting crochet singlet? Add more rows until you have positive ease (positive ease means that your top is larger than your actual measurements).

You can also decrease your chains to make a super cropped crochet bralette / bikini style top. If you want your crop top to be super form fitting you can remove rows to make your top fit snug around your bust.

Crop Top Yarns

The secret to having a crop top with great fit?

Choose a yarn with stretch! This is especially important if you want your top to be fitted at the bust and at your waist.

For fitted crop tops, I always recommend using acrylic, cotton-acrylic blends or cotton-merino blends.

If you want your top to fit snugly at your bust and your waist, I would not recommend using a 100% cotton yarn. Even though cotton yarns are super light and great for summer, once a cotton yarn stretches out it never regains its original shape!

Use a cotton yarn if you want a more relaxed and loose fit.

For this project I used Drops Merino Extra Fine in the colour Ice Blue. I love how this merino yarn is so soft and smooth, with just the right amount of stretch. Also I find that merino yarn is great in any season!

Since it’s a natural fibre, its super breathable and it keeps you warm in the winter but doesn’t make you overheat in warmer weather. I think this crochet singlet also makes such a great layering piece and I’m already working on a longer version in cream for autumn and the cooler months!

WeCrochet’s Swish DK is a great merino substitute or Lion Brand’s Touch of Merino would work well too!

To be able to follow this pattern exactly, I’d recommend substituting Drops Merino Extra Fine with another DK/Light (3) yarn.

Some of my favourite crop top yarns are -

• Drops Cotton Merino
• Paintbox Yarns Simply DK
• Lion Brand Jeans (This is an acrylic yarn that’s classified as an aran/worsted/medium (4) yarn but it’s the thinner side so you should be able to meet gauge)

Can I use a different weight yarn?

Since the Skylar Crop Top has a super simple construction, you can also use Sport or Aran/Worsted/Medium (4) yarn in a pinch!

However, don’t forget to take into account that your gauge will probably not match the pattern. You can follow the written pattern as a guide, but you’ll need to experiment and adjust your stitch counts.

To crochet a crop top from a rectangle you’ll need to:

1. Crochet a foundation chain that’s roughly the length you want for your top.
2. Crochet rows of half double crochets until your top can wrap around your body. Remember fewer rows = tighter top, more rows = looser top.

If you want to crochet with a …

• Sport/Fine (2) yarn - you’ll need more stitches and rows
• Aran/worsted/Medium (4) yarn - you’ll need fewer stitches and rows.

If you’re like to learn more about crochet designing and altering patterns, you can learn how I design all my crochet patterns here.

Pin me for later!

Design Inspiration

Since the weather is warming up in the Northern Hemisphere and it’s still warm in New Zealand I thought this is the time to make crop top patterns before it gets to cold! I really wanted to create a crop top that followed more of a tutorial style rather than a normal crochet pattern so everyone could get the right fit. I was playing around with different necklines and shapes but ultimately, I loved how easy it was to make this easy straight neck crop top and it was giving me all the Reformation vibes 🙂

The straps are simply braided onto the crop top (following a normal 3 strand plait) and the tie straps mean that you can adjust the fit as necessary. I’ve also included instructions demonstrating how to create plain straps but I love the versatility of the tie straps and the cute bow detail. Since this design is a bandeau and wraps around your back you can easily wear a strapless bra underneath and it won’t show!

If you’d like thicker straps for more support (or so that you can wear a bra with straps underneath) I suggest checking out -

• Mya Crop Top - textured convertible crop top
• Blair Crop Top - square neck crop top with ribbed hem
• Easy Crop Top - basic crop top
• Leila Crop Top - Tie straps and scallop hem details

Skylar Crop Top Video Tutorial

Add the Skylar Crop Top to your Ravelry queue!

Purchase the ad-free, printable version of the Skylar Crop Top!

*Sample is a size XS shown on a 5’3” model with a 32” bust.

*The sizing guide follows size XS(S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL). E.g. “Ch 41(46, 51, 56, 61, 66, 71) means Ch 41 for XS, Ch 46 for Small, Ch 51 for Medium, Ch 56 for Large, Ch 61 for XL, Ch 66 for 2XL and Ch 71 for 3XL.” If there is only one number, it applies to all sizes.

*"HDC 10" means HDC into the next 10 stitches.

*The turning chain ch 1 does NOT count as a stitch.Total stitches are indicated between < >.

*This pattern uses US crochet terms.

*You can easily alter the length and width of the pattern for your preferred fit and ease for any size and body type 🙂This pattern is worked lengthways; the foundation chain runs the length of the crop top NOT the width.The number of rows determines the width of the crop top.

LEVEL: Beginner

Materials

Yarn – Drops Merino Extra Fine – DK/Light (3), 105m/50g, 155yds/1.8 oz, 100% Merino, Ice Blue (39)approx. 110(135, 165, 210, 250, 300, 350)g*I highly recommend using yarn with a good amount of stretch to e.g. merino, acrylic or cotton-acrylic blend. If you want to make your crop top shorter/longer, you’ll need less/more yarn.

5mm (US H) Crochet HookDarning NeedleScissorsSafety pins/stitch markers

*Measurements are just a general indication for sizing, follow the alteration instructions to make the perfect crop top/singlet for your body/bust.

Measurements cm:

To fit Bust: 76(86, 96, 106, 117, 127, 137)Width: 31(33, 38, 43, 48, 53, 58)Length: 21(23, 25, 28, 31, 33, 36)

Measurements inches:To fit Bust: 30(34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54)Width: 12(13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23)Length: 8(9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)

Stitches & Abbreviations

Ch = Chain

HDC = Half Double Crochet

BLO = Back LoopSt = Stitch

Gauge

10cm/4” square = 19 stitches wide x 11.5 rows tall in Back Loop Half Double Crochet*Gauge is not particularly important for this pattern, rather crochet the number of chains/stitches to fit your measurements.

MINI EXPLANATION:

Turn a crochet rectangle into a crop top. Constructed using back loop half double crochets, this crochet sweater is worked flat and with the body seamed together to form a tube and tie straps braided onto the body.

Skylar Ribbed Crop Top Crochet Pattern

Crop Top Body

FOUNDATION CHAIN: Ch 41(46, 51, 56, 61, 66, 71).*Alteration Note: The foundation chain runs the length of the crop top (measures down from over bust measurement until your desired length (e.g. under bust, belly button, hips).Crochet chains until you reach the desired length for your top.

ROW 1: HDC into 2nd ch from hook, HDC in each st until end, turn.<40(45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70)>

ROW 2: Ch 1, BLO HDC in each st until last st, HDC in last st, turn.<40(45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70)>

Repeat ROW 2 until your panel measures 61(66, 76, 86, 97, 107, 117)cm / 24(26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46”. Or as a starting point, repeat ROW 2 until your panel length = waist measurement.

Wrap your panel around your body.

If the edges (the foundation chain + last row) reach in the middle of your bust and you like the fit, fasten off leaving a tail of yarn (approx. 2 times longer than your foundation chain).

If you want your top to be looser, add repeats of ROW 2.

If you want to have a tighter top, remove repeats of ROW 2 until you reach your desired ease.

Please keep in mind that your top will stretch out slightly (depending on the type of yarn).

Fasten off, leaving a tail of yarn (approx. 2 times longer than your foundation chain).

Assembly

Sew the ends of your body panel together. For a more ‘seamless’ look, only sew into the back loops.

Try on your top and using stitch markers or safety pins, mark where you would like your straps to fall. (I placed mine 7cm/2.5” in from the outside edges).

Straps

Cut 3 strands of yarn measuring 150(150, 157, 157, 165, 165, 172)cm / 59(59, 62, 62, 65, 65, 68)”.

Insert hook along the edge of the top – where you placed a stitch marker.

Pull through 3 strands of yarn, pull the ends to make sure the centre of the strands are in the crop top.

You should now have 6 strands of yarn. Create 3 sets of 2 strands of yarn.

Plait the right 2 strands over the centre 2 strands, plait the left 2 strands over the centre 2 strands (this is a normal 3 strand plait/braid).

Repeat plait instructions, until your plait/braid measures approx. 50(50, 55, 55, 60, 60, 65)cm / 19.5(21.5, 21.5, 23.5, 23.5 25.5)” or you have 5cm/2” of yarn left.

Holding all 6 strands together, tie a knot at the end of your braid. Trim off excess at base of knot or leave a tassel.

Repeat ‘STRAND’ instructions for the 3 remaining strands.

*Alteration Note: If you’d like to have 2 plain straps (instead of tie straps), create the 2 front strands and then tie the 2 straps to the back of your top. Please reference the video.

Finishing

Weave in all of your ends.Voilà! You’ve finished your Easy Ribbed Crop Top 🙂

Ready for your next crochet project? Find more free patterns here!

• Summer Crochet Patterns
• Crochet Top Patterns

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