Sweet Nothings Crochet: SHIFA’S TOP

Today's crochet top has a plain yoke and then a very lacy base with a lovely even lacier pattern that makes the border. I think this particular top needs to be worn with a contrast inner (especially if you're using a thin yarn and a darker color - hence the two photos above) to show off all the work we're putting into it's creation.
I was working on a skirt and just as I was completing that and wondered what I’d make next.. and blam ! (and a lovely blam at that!) .. this lovely pattern fell straight into my lap (or laptop?). Thank you Rajeshwari for sharing this.

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So before you wonder, I've just made only one top in black - but to show off the stitch detail, I've had my model wear it with a black as well as white undershirt.

Inspired by this pattern, I’ve written down my notes, and I’d like to share that with you.

Skill level : Intermediate to advanced.

The body of the top is easy skill level, but as we go past the 1st and then 2nd border patterns, it needs some advanced skills.

Materials used : For today’s lovely project, I’ve used about 3 (100 gm) balls of the lovely Indian Red rose knitting cotton yarn, with a 2.5 mm crochet hook to make a 34-36” sized top.

For Non-Indians : I have used a regular knitting cotton that technically uses a 2 – 2.5 mm crochet hook (recommended). I use a larger hook as I like the extra stretch it affords the end product. Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn.

Abbreviations used : (Using U.S terminology)

dc : Double crochet

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat

trc : Treble / Triple crochet
fdc : Foundation double crochet

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot : https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

INSTRUCTIONS : (Using U.S terminology)

Quick analysis of what we’re going to do here today.

There are two parts to this top – the vest and then the lovely ornate, lacy border.

(The “border” part has two patterns).

So depending on how long you want this, measure yourself (or the person for whom this top is intended) around the waist (or just slightly above waist) where we will be starting with the trc rows for the vest.

We will work upwards (bottom up) to the neck and shoulders in simple plain trc rows.

Once the top of the vest is complete, we will come back down to this start fdc row / round and then work out border.

Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.

Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.

In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement.

This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project.

CALCULATIONS : So the usual quandary, how do I calculate how many rows I need to get the desired length.. so here’s what I suggest.

Work one trc row, calculate the “height” / width of this row and then see if you’d manage to reach the armhole by say 7 trc rows (going by the picture below).

If you do, then you’re vest / top is going to be like that in the picture below, and if that’s what you intended .. then we’re home free.

Widths of the two border parts : Now what I’ve done is divide my project into 3 from the armhole down (to the length I need for the vest), and then worked an equal 1/3^rd per pattern. i.e the plain trc part is 1/3^rd, then the Border Pattern 1 is the next 1/3^rd and finally that lovely pineapple Border Pattern 2 makes up the last 1/3^rd.

Now the top part of the vest is this simple trc, and then we have that lovely pineapple border Border 2) , and that bit has a stitch count of 28.

So now you have all the numbers we need.

This pattern is worked the same way for front and back, so we need to work 2 similar parts.

Now usually to get a good fit, one should work 2 parts and the neatly join along the sides – this way one can also decrease neatly to get a good side shape. However, I know crocheters who have worked in rounds and managed neatly to decrease along the sides and get as good a shape too. So let’s get started. I am assuming though that we’re working two parts and joining them so we’ll be turning at the end of each row.

Foundation double crochet (fdc) : This is a unique way of starting a project directly with a row of double crochet stitches. Here is an easy video tutorial https://youtu.be/hjNUYVvyU9k

Row 1 : Start with a multiple of 28 fdc. Turn.

Triple Crochet : trc : wrap yarn twice around hook, insert hk into st ; yo (4 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] three times. One trc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/A0y4BbgDTbs

Chainless start for Triple / Treble Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of trc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/f42MO0cGYC0

Row 2 : trc in the 1^st fdc ; trc in each fdc till end. Turn.

Row 3 : trc in the 1^st trc ; trc in each trc till end. Turn.

Rep Row 3 till your project reaches the armhole.

Now there is no chart for the arm hole decrease… so here’s what I am planning on doing.. I’m going to sl-st into the first 9 trc and then trc all the way till the last 9 trc and then turn.

In the next row, I will once again reduce 2 trc each end, and thereafter continue till you reach the neckline.

For the neckline, I’ve worked from the armhole side till the centre, dividing for neck after say 15 trc (or as many sts needed for the width of the strap). I then worked a few rows just on these few sts, till I had a strap and neckline of the length needed.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Join your yarn at the other edge of the neckline row, and then mirror the strap bit for that end too. Fasten off and weave in ends again.

The top bit of your vest is complete. We now have two more pattern bits to complete the bottom part of your vest. So for the bottom border, I will divide it into Border Pattern 1 and Border Pattern 2.

BORDER PATTERN 1 :

This part of the pattern is made up of ch-5 spaces. Its just the first row that needs calculations to determine where the ch-5 sts go.

For this part, we will be going back to our 1^st fdc row, and turning our work, we will be now working on the underside of the fdc row (so the neck / shoulder bits will now face away from you).

Now just a thought.. (and just to tweak and add a few choices / decisions and added *complications* ??), what we could also do is complete the two top halves of the top – then join these two bits up and then work the two border parts in a round .. hmm. Just throwing an idea out there…

But as it looks like the designer has done it in two parts all through, this is how I am going to write out the pattern.

Single Crochet : Sc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (2 lps on hk); yo, draw through both lps. One sc made. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/ghACqBpA-3k

First stitch for Single Crochet : This is how I like to start my row of sc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_M

What is a chain stitch ? https://youtu.be/pXx5ukBjKkY

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Row 1 : sc in the 1^st fdc ;

*ch 5, sk 2 fdc, sc in the next fdc* ;

rep *to* till last 2 fdc ;

ch 2, dc into the 1^st sc.

(This ensures that you are now in the centre of that last ch-5 sp). Turn.

Row 2 : sc in the 1^st ch-5 sp ;

*ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp* ;

rep *to* till last ch-5 sp ;

ch 2, dc into the 1^st sc.

(This ensures that you are now in the centre of that last ch-5 sp). Turn.

Rep Row 2 till you have a lacy 2^nd border till desired. The white photograph is the one done by the designer (or my inspiration) and the black one is mine. So as you can see, you just adjust this section till you get the length / height you desire. Of course this will also depend on the thickness of the yarn you're using.

Note : I’d advise here that you once again recalculate the length /width you will get with that last portion of border. One can always add to the length needed in this easy section – as that last border section will be fixed (in length addition I mean).

Right so away we go.. and we’ll catch up soon for that last border section.

BORDER PATTERN 2 :

Now we come to the last and final part of our lovely top which starts with a row of sc. At this point, you need to ensure that you have the pattern count repeat of 28 sts.

Note : In the chart below, Row 1 has not been shown, so if you’re following the chart as well as the written pattern below, the chart will be one row different from the write up.

Row 1 : 3 sc in the 1^st ch-5 sp ; *sk next sc , 3 sc in the next ch-5 sp* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Row 2 : dc in the 1^st sc ; ch 1, sk next sc, dc in the next sc ;

*ch 2, sk next 2 sc , dc in the next sc* ;

rep *to* till end ;

ch 1, dc in the last sc. Turn.

Row 3 : dc in the 1^st dc ; dc in the next ch-1 sp ; dc in the next dc ;

*ch 5, sk next 2 dc and ch-sps , 2 sc in the next ch-2 sp ;

(sc in the next dc, 2 sc in the next ch-2 sp) ;

rep (to) 2 times {i.e a total of 11 scs} ;

ch 5, sk next 2 dc and ch-sps ,

[dc in the next dc, 2 dc in the next ch-2 sp ; dc in the next dc]* ;

rep *to* till 2^nd last dc ;

dc in that 2^nd last dc ; dc in the ch-1 sp ; dc in the last dc. Turn.

Row 4 : dc in the 1^st dc ; ch 1, dc in the next dc ; 2 dc in the next dc ;

*ch 5, sk 1^st sc , sc in next 9 sc ; ch 5, sk next sc ,

[2 dc in next dc , dc in next dc ; ch 1, dc in next dc ; 2 dc in next dc]* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

Row 5 : dc in the 1^st dc ; ch 5, dc in the next 3 dc ;

*ch 5, sk 1^st sc , sc in next 7 sc ;

[ch 5, dc in the next 3 dc ; ch 5, dc in the next ch-1 sp ;

ch 5, dc in the next 3 dc]* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

Row 6 : sc in the 1^st dc ; ch 4, sc in the next ch-5 sp ; ch 3, dc in next 3 dc ;

*ch 5, sk 1^st sc , sc in next 5 sc ; ch 5, dc in the next 3 dc ;

ch 3, sc in the next ch-5 sp ; ch 7, sc in the next ch-5 sp ;

ch 3, dc in the next 3 dc* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

{In last rep, do ch 4 and sc in last dc as you did with start of this row}

Now in the chart below, the stitch looks like a dtr (double treble stitch), but in the project made, it looks like a trc has been used. As in the following rows, there is a trc 2-tog (and a dtr 2-tog is a pretty confusing stitch), I am going to opt for the trc all through. That said, you have a choice of stitches for the rows that follow.. either the dtr or the trc.

Row 7 : ch 5, 8 trc in next ch-4 sp ; ch 3, dc in the next 3 dc ;

*ch 5, sk 1^st sc , sc in next 3 sc ; ch 5, dc in the next 3 dc ;

ch 3, 16 trc in the next ch-7 sp ; ch 3, dc in the next 3 dc* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

{In last rep, do ch 5 and 8 trc in last ch-sp , ending with trc in the last st ; as you did with start of this row}

Row 8 : trc in the 1^st st ; ch 1, [trc 2-tog over the next 2 trc ; ch 3,] ;

rep [to] 3 times over the next 6 trc ; dc in the next 3 dc ;

*sk next 3 sc , dc in the next 3 dc ;

rep [to] 8 times over the next 16 trc ; dc in the next 3 dc* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

{In last rep, rep [to] 4 times over the last 8 trc ; ch 1, ending with trc in the last st ; as you did with start of this row}

In this row, we will have 2 sets of trc 2-tog that works as one st and as this is a little complicated, please follow with the pattern chart below.

Triple / Treble crochet 2-tog : trc 2-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp ; yo and draw through 2 lps] 3 times (4 lps on hk) ;

{yo, draw through 2 lps on hk} 3 times. One trc 2-tog made.

This video tutorial at https://youtu.be/fA0nG__FNug

shows you how to use the trc 2-tog to decrease

And this video shows you how to use it as a decorative stitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCQOBc83Vxo

Row 9 : trc in the 1^st st ; ch 2 , 2 trc 2-tog over the next 2 ch-sps ;

ch 5, [2 trc 2-tog over the same last ch-s and the next ch-sp] ;

(ch 5, rep [to] once) ;

sk next 2 ch-sps and 2 sets of 3 dc’s , rep (to) once ;

*rep (to) 6 times ;

sk next 2 ch-sps and 2 sets of 3 dc’s , rep (to) once* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

{In last rep, rep (to) 3 times over the last 4 trc 2-tog ;

ch 2, ending with trc in the last st ;

as you did with start of this row}

Last row : sc in the 1^st st ; 2 sc in the next ch-2 sp ;

*sk next trc 2-tog , 3 sc , ch 3, 3 sc* ;

rep *to* till end ; 2 sc in the last ch-2 sp ; sc in the last sc.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Superb. You’ve completed one side of your top.

Rep for the other side and then join sides.

Here are some easy video tutorials for joining - Choose the one that works for you.

Whipstitch to join : https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : at https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

FINISHING : It is always better to do one round of sc or hdc around the armholes and neckline – so go ahead and do just that. You could also add a row of picot all round, if you like.

How to work a picot stitch : Traditionally for a ch-3 picot, you work (ch 3, sl-st in 3rd ch from hook). For a ch-5 picot, you will do (ch 5, sl-st in 5th ch from hook).

Here’s a great video https://youtu.be/8s3zVaBcn4s

… and we’re done ! You’ve created something beautiful.

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Here are some of my older creations. Have fun with these free patterns too

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2017/10/lacy-cropped-sweater.html

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2017/10/clouds-jacket.html