Sweet Nothings Crochet: FLORAL MOTIF TOP

FLORAL MOTIF 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.

That said, just look at this top.. I mean, how can one resist it.. I rest my case ! I should also add that this I had just this one ball of yarn, and thought it would be ideal for this.. and (even if I say so myself), I am right

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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, and here's the inspirational photograph that got me kick-started on this project.

Materials used : Today I’ve used Hilaza Rustica Eclat (made in Mexico), which is a cotton yarn with some iridescence / shiny metallic-like addition in it, with a 3.5 mm crochet hook.

I used almost the whole ball and made a top that fits a Size 34” bust

For Indians : May I suggest that our Indian Anchor knitting cotton as well as our Red Rose knitting cotton are of the same thickness as the yarn I’m using. I’ve found, however, that some of our Red Rose yarns are a little thinner – so the white and off-white are of this thickness, where as the black Red Rose yarn I’ve used was a little thinner.

For a size 34" bust, I'd say you'd need about 150 gms of this yarn.

Skill level : Intermediate

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot : Here’s how you start with a slip knot. https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : This is a neat new way to start your work without a slip knot. https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a chain stitch ? Here is an easy video tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXx5ukBjKkY

What is a slip stitch : Here is a neat video tutorial at https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

Magic circle : To refresh your skill, please view this easy video https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

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

Abbreviations used :

lp(s) : Loop(s) sc : Single crochet

dc : Double crochet sp : Space

sl-st : Slip stitch ch : Chain

st(s) : Stitch(es) hk : Hook

yo : Yarn Over

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 specially here, as I am changing the chain spaces and distances between stitches.

Round 1 : Start with a magic circle.

(4 dc, ch 4) in the magic circle ;

rep (to) 3 times ;

ch 1, dc and 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.

Round 2 : (4 dc ; ch 4, 4 dc) in the 1^st ch-4 sp ;

*ch 2, sk next 4 dc ;

rep (to) in the next ch-4 sp* ;

rep *to* all around ;

ch 2 and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 3 : dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

ch 2, (dc ; ch 4, dc) in the next ch-4 sp ;

*[ch 2, dc in the next 4 dc] ;

rep [to] once ;

ch 2, rep (to) once* ;

rep *to* all around ;

ch 2 and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

In the following round, we will use our dc 4-tog.

Double crochet 4-tog as a decrease stitch : dc 4-tog : Here is an easy video tutorial for working a dc 4-tog over 4 sts at https://youtu.be/WjSNi7ithIU

Round 4 : dc 4-tog over the 1^st 4 dc ;

ch 4, (4 dc ; ch 4, 4 dc) in the next ch-4 sp ;

*[ch 4, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc] ;

rep [to] once ;

ch 4, rep (to) once* ;

rep *to* all around ;

ch 2, dc and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

You are now in the centre of that last ch-4 sp.

Round 5 : dc ; ch 1, dc the 1^stch-4 sp ;

*ch 5, sk next dc 4-tog , dc in the next 4 dc ;

ch 2 , (dc ; ch 4, dc in the next ch-4 sp) ;

ch 2, dc in the next 4 dc ;

ch 5, sk next dc 4-tog , [dc ; ch 1, dc in the nextch-4 sp]* ;

rep *to* all around ;

ch 5, and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 6 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-1 sp ; dc in the same ch-1 sp ;

[ch 1, dc the same ch-1 sp] ;

rep [to] 2 times ;

*(ch 4, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc) ;

{ch 4, 4 dc in the next ch-4 sp ;

ch 4, 4 dc in the same ch-4 sp} ;

sk next dc, rep (to) once ;

ch 4, dc in the next ch-1 sp ;

rep [to] 3 times* ;

rep *to* till end ;

ch 4 and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

In the following round, we will use our dc 3-tog.

Round 7 : dc in the 1^st dc ;

ch 2, dc in the same dc ;

[dc in the next dc ; ch 2, dc the same dc] ;

rep [to] 2 times ;

*ch 7, sk next dc 4-tog, dc in the next 4 dc ;

(ch 2, dc 3-tog in the next ch-4 sp ;

ch 4, dc 3-tog in the same ch-4 sp) ;

ch 2, dc in the next 4 dc ;

ch 7, sk next dc 4-tog and rep [to] 4 times* ;

rep *to* all around ;

ch 7, sk last dc 4-tog and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 8 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-2 sp ;

dc 3-tog in the same 1^st ch-2 sp ;

(ch 4, dc 3-tog in the next ch-2 sp) ;

rep (to) 2 times ;

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

ch 5, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc ;

[ch 5, dc 3-tog in the next dc 3-tog ;

ch 5, dc 3-tog in the next ch-4 sp ;

ch 5, dc 3-tog in the same ch-4 sp ;

ch 5, dc 3-tog in the next dc 3-tog) ;

ch 5, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc ;

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

rep (to) 4 times* ;

rep *to* all around ;

ch 2, dc and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

You are now in the centre of that last ch-7 sp.

Round 9 : sc in the 1^st ch-5 sp ;

(ch 5, sc in the next ch-sp) ;

rep (to) 7 times till the 1^st corner ;

[dc 3-tog in the corner ch-4 sp ;

ch 5, dc 3-tog in the same ch-4 sp] ;

*rep (to) 12 times ;

rep [to] once* ;

rep *to* all around

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 beautiful is this? Wow!

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 add a Round 9, which is just all ch-5 sps all around and we will join-as-we-go with the ch-sps of Round 8. So we will work ch 2, join with the earlier motif, ch 2, and work back on this motif. We will work similarly for the corners as well.

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

Round 9 : sc in the 1^st ch-5 sp ;

(ch 2, sc in the ch-sp of the earlier motif Round 8 ;

ch 2, sc in the ch-sp of this motif Round 8) ;

rep (to) 7 times till the 1^st corner ;

[sc in the corner ch-4 sp ; sc in the ch-sp of the earlier motif Round 8 ;

ch 2, sc in the ch-sp of this motif Round 8, sc in the same ch-4 sp] ;

*rep (to) 12 times ;

rep [to] once* ;

rep *to* all around

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Now as we work our motifs, the only thing you need to work out is which motif attaches or joins up where. So ensure that you lay your work down and check it every time you reach this Round 8.

The beauty of this top is that one motif will just work out for the shoulder – with one side of the motif being the neckline and the other side just making the neat edge of the sleeve (of sorts).

Using the yarn that I have, and for the size that I am making, I only needed four motifs across, so I thought I’d work a half motif as well.

Here’s how I’ve worked my half motifs.

Yet again, when joining the motifs, I’ve used the join as you go method.

Half motif :

Start with a magic circl ;

(dc ; ch 4, 4 dc ; ch 4, dc ) all in the magic circle. Turn.

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

Row 1 : dc in the 1^st dc ;

(4 dc ; ch 4, 4 dc) in the next ch-4 sp ;

ch 2, sk next 4 dc ;

rep (to) in the next ch-4 sp ;

dc in the last dc. Turn.

Row 2 : dc in the 1^st 5 dc ;

ch 2, (dc ; ch 4, dc) in the next ch-4 sp ;

[ch 2, dc in the next 4 dc] ;

rep [to] once ;

ch 2, rep (to) once ;

rep [to] once ;

dc in the last dc. Turn.

In the following round, we will use our dc 4-tog.

Row 3 : dc in the 1^st dc ;

ch 2, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc ;

ch 4, (4 dc ; ch 4, 4 dc) in the next ch-4 sp ;

[ch 4, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc] ;

rep [to] once ;

ch 4, rep (to) once ;

rep [to] once ;

ch 2, dc in the last dc. Turn.

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

*ch 5, sk next dc 4-tog , dc in the next 4 dc ;

ch 2 , (dc ; ch 4, dc in the next ch-4 sp) ;

ch 2, dc in the next 4 dc* ;

ch 5, sk next dc 4-tog , [dc ; ch 1, dc in the nextch-4 sp] ;

rep *to* once ;

ch 5, sk next dc 4-tog ,

dc ; ch 1, dc in the last dc. Turn.

Row 5 : dc in the 1^st dc ; dc in the next ch-1 sp ;

[ch 1, dc the same ch-1 sp] ;

*(ch 4, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc) ;

{ch 4, 4 dc in the next ch-4 sp ; ch 4, 4 dc in the same ch-4 sp} ;

rep (to) once* ;

ch 4, dc in the next ch-1 sp ;

rep [to] 3 times ;

rep *to* once ;

ch 4, dc in the last ch-1 sp ;

rep [to] once ; dc in the last dc. Turn.

In the following round, we will use our dc 3-tog.

Row 6 : dc in the 1^st 2 dc ; ch 2, dc in the same 2^nd dc ;

[dc in the next dc ; ch 2, dc the same dc] ;

*ch 5, sk next dc 4-tog, dc in the next 4 dc ;

(ch 2, dc 3-tog in the next ch-4 sp ;

ch 4, dc 3-tog in the same ch-4 sp) ;

ch 2, dc in the next 4 dc* ;

ch 5, sk next dc 4-tog and rep [to] 4 times ;

rep *to* once ;

ch 5, sk next dc 4-tog and rep [to] 2 times ;

dc in the last dc. Turn

Row 7 : dc in the 1^st dc ; dc 3-tog in the 1^st ch-2 sp ;

(ch 4, dc 3-tog in the next ch-2 sp) ;

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

ch 5, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc ;

[ch 5, dc 3-tog in the next dc 3-tog ;

ch 5, dc 3-tog in the next ch-4 sp ; ch 5, dc 3-tog in the same ch-4 sp ;

ch 5, dc 3-tog in the next dc 3-tog] ;

ch 5, dc 4-tog over the next 4 dc ; ch 5, sc in the next ch-7 sp ;

rep (to) 4 times* ;

rep *to* once ;

ending with a dc in the last dc. Turn

Row 8 : sc in the 1^st dc ;

(ch 5, sc in the next ch-sp) ;

rep (to) 4 times till the 1^st corner ;

[dc 3-tog in the corner ch-4 sp ;

ch 5, dc 3-tog in the same ch-4 sp] ;

*rep (to) in each ch-sp till next corner ;

rep [to] once in the next corner * ;

rep (to) till the end,

and sc in the last dc. Turn

Finishing :

After all your motifs are neatly joined up, I’d suggest we do a neat edging all around the neckline and armhole.

I first ran a round of sc all around, and then followed it with a round of dc.

This gives it a neat finish and holds up the otherwise floppy edges.

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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