Sweet Nothings Crochet: MARGA’s FLORAL TOP

MARGA’s FLORAL TOP

When I saw this pattern on some Pinterest board, I just loved it.. and I had a laugh as I recall, not too long ago, telling my friend that I disliked motifs and that I steered clear of them.. that said off late, I’ve done so many projects with motifs, that it’s pretty funny. Guess this is what they mean when they say ‘never say never?’

That said, just look at this top.. I mean, how can one resist it.. I rest my case!

This is not my original pattern. I found this photograph and a convenient chart on the internet. As I work on this pattern, I’ve written down my notes that I share with you.

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Materials used : Today I’ve used our superb Indian Anchor knitting cotton yarn, with a 3 mm crochet hook

For Indians : You could use Red rose knitting cotton as well

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.

Skill level : Intermediate to Advanced

Abbreviations used : (Using U.S terminology)

dc : Double crochet

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat
st(s) : Stitch(es) yo : Yarn over
sl-st : Slip stitch hk : Hook

fsc : Foundation single crochet
sc : Single crochet

Stitches used : (Using U.S terminology)

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)

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.

Quick analysis of what we’re going to do here today.
This is a lovely pattern using motifs.
So we’ll make our first motif, measure it and then figure out how many one needs to fit the person for whom this top is intended. Simple, right.. so let’s get on with it.

Please note that these are my notes, and sometimes as I am making the motif or pattern, I tend to tweak it to suit either my yarn or pattern, and the chart may differ.. so you may see, say a ch-5 and I’ve written do a ch 4.. so do feel free to choose either.
Just thought I’d add this in, as I am changing the chain spaces and distances between stitches.

Now our motifs make up the top yoke of the top and once we’ve got the yoke done, we’ll work on the lower part of our top.
So we’re working this top from the shoulders down.

MOTIF PATTERN

Magic circle : https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

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 crochet slip stitch : https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

Start with a magic circle and 16 sc in that circle. Join to the 1^st st.

You are now in the corner ch-4 sp, just where we need to be for the next round.

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

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

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

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

rep *to* all around ;
ch 5 and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 2 : sc in the 1^st dc ;
(ch 3, 2 dc ; ch 5, 2 dc) all in the same ch-5 sp ;

*ch 3, sc in the next dc ;
[ch 3, 2 dc ; ch 9, 2 dc] all in the same ch-5 sp ;
ch 3, sc in the next dc ;
rep (to) in the next ch-5 sp* ;

rep *to* all around ;
ch 3 and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

And just like that.. we’re done with our first motif.. how easy and beautiful is this? Love it.

So let’s get calculations for our top.

Measure this motif you’ve made, and work out how many you’d need to work the width of your top.

For the next motifs, we will attach in our following Round 2 and we will join-as-we-go with the ch-sps of Round 2.
Now in Round 2, we have a ch-5 sp and a ch-9 sp.

So let me write out the instructions just for that round.

For all following Round 2, I will label this round as Round 2 A

Round 2A : sc in the 1^st dc ;
(ch 3, 2 dc ;
ch 2, join to the ch-5 sp of earlier motif ;
ch 2, 2 dc) all in the same ch-5 sp ;
*ch 3, sc in the next dc ;
[ch 3, 2 dc ; ch 4, join to the ch-9 sp of earlier motif ;
ch 4, 2 dc] all in the same ch-5 sp ;
ch 3, sc in the next dc ;
rep (to) in the next ch-5 sp* ;
rep *to* all around ;
ch 3 and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

So this is pretty and pretty easy too, right.

So go ahead and join up your motifs till you work the yoke part of your top.

Remember that you need to keep an opening for the neck portion of the top.

There is a chart given for the attachment of the motifs for the yoke, which is a great guide. Working along these lines, join the motifs till you have your yoke worked out.

Once you’ve done the yoke part of the top, we’ll work our way down the top to the base of our top.

We will start with a row / round of dc.

Now we can either join our two sides and work in a round, or we can work in rows, and one side at a time, joining the sides at the end.

I will write the instructions row-wise (as if we’re working sides separately) and you decide how you want to work this out.

Part 2 : Lower part of the top

In the following row, we will be using only the ch-5 or ch-9 sps. Now besides the corner ch-9 sps, all the other ch-9 sps are the ones that join two motifs together. So it is that sc that joins these two ch-9 sps that we will use.

Row 1 : ch 3, sc in the 1^st corner ch-9 sp ;
ch 9, sc in the next ch-5 sp ;
ch 9, sc in the next ch-9 sp-join ;

*ch 3, sc in the next ch-9 sp-join ;
ch 9, sc in the next ch-5 sp ;
ch 9, sc in the next ch-9 sp-join* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

Row 2 : ch 3, dc in the 1^st sc ;

*8 dc in the next ch-9 sp ; dc in the next sc* ;

rep *to* till end. Turn.

From our next row on, we’ll start with our “V”-st which is (dc ; ch 3, dc) all in the same st or ch-sp.

Row 3 : sk 1^st 8 dc , ch 3, sk next 6 dc, “V”-st in the next dc ;

*sk next 4 dc, ”V”-st in the next dc* ;

rep *to* till last 14 dc ,
ch 3, sk next 6 dc, sc in the next dc. Turn.

In this row, we will work on the 1^st dc (or 1^st leg) of the 1^st “V”-st, so when we say 1^st dc, it’s that 1^st leg of the 1^st “V”-st.

Row 4 : sk all sts till the 1^st“V”-st , dc in the 1^st leg of the 1^st “V”-st ; 3 dc in the ch-3 sp ; 1 dc in the next dc (which is the 2^nd leg of the “V”-st) ;

*dc in the next dc ;
3 dc in the next ch-3 sp ; dc in the next dc* ;

rep *to* till the last “V”-st ;
dc in the last dc of the last “V”-st. Turn.

Row 5 : ch 3, sk next 6 dc, “V”-st in the next dc ;

*sk next 4 dc, ”V”-st in the next dc* ;

rep *to* till last 6 dc ;
ch 3, sk next 5 dc, sc in the last dc. Turn.

Row 6 : sk all sts till the 1^st“V”-st , dc in the 1^st leg of the 1^st “V”-st ; 3 dc in the ch-3 sp ; 1 dc in the next dc (which is the 2^nd leg of the “V”-st) ;

*dc in the next dc ; 3 dc in the next ch-3 sp ; dc in the next dc* ;

rep *to* till the last “V”-st ;
dc in the last dc of the last “V”-st. Turn.

The designer has not stopped the decrease and is going to work in straight rows from the 1^st dc.

Row 7 : dc in the 1^st dc ; ch 1, dc in the same dc ;

*sk next 4 dc, ”V”-st in the next dc* ;

rep *to* till last 5 dc ;
ch 3, sk next 4 dc, (dc ; ch 1, dc) all in the last dc. Turn.

Row 8 : dc in the 1^st dc ;
dc in the next ch-1 sp ; dc in the next dc ;
3 dc in the ch-3 sp ; 1 dc in the next dc (which is the 2^nd leg of the “V”-st) ;

*dc in the next dc ; 3 dc in the next ch-3 sp ; dc in the next dc* ;

rep *to* till the end.Turn.

Rep Rows 7 and 8 till your project is of the length desired ; ending with a Row 8.

Now for our final row, you could end like Row 8, or do a variation with picots. So in case you decide on the picots, then every alternate dc will have a picot at the end of it. Simple enough, right?

We will use the 3-ch picot which is (ch 3, sl-st in the 1^st ch).

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

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

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Repeat all instructions of Part 2 for the other side of your top as well.

Finishing :

Fasten off and weave in ends. Give yourself a big pat on the back as this one has really been a great project – but totally worth it, I’m sure you’ll agree.

And that’s done.. yet another project brilliantly executed !

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I have a few tops already made, and just in case you want a dekho at some of those free patterns … here you go

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2019/08/gulabi-top.html

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2019/08/vibhinna-top.html