Cleo Crochet Top

cleo summer top free crochet pattern

A news summer crochet top pattern, the Cleo Top, is a free crochet pattern here on the blog! Read all about the inspiration and easy construction or scroll down for the free pattern and photo tutorial.

No time right now? Pin this striped summer crochet top pattern for later!

Free summer top crochet pattern

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If anything completes an outfit, its something that you made yourself (or that one of your favorite people made for you)?! Everyday tops don’t have to be ordinary. The Cleo summer crochet top pattern is a beautiful and comfortable top that will make any dreary day one to remember. Grab your favorite colors of fine weight yarn and a hook and make some magic!

side view of the free cleo summer crochet top pattern

An Everyday Summer Top Crochet Pattern

I love making everyday garments so I get a ton of opportunities to actually wear them. I know I’m too lazy to dress up most of the time so a simple everyday tee you can wear over any jeans or shorts is an easy addition to wardrobe that I’ll actually wear.

I used 4 of my favorite shades of pink and bleus for my Cleo Top, those are the colors I wear most. Take a look at your wardrobe and make yours with colors you wear often, you’ll wear your crochet summer top more often!

Seamless Construction

The entire summer crochet top pattern is worked seamlessly in one piece. First you will start at the collar, working in the round increasing down to the sleeve separation. Then you’ll work the entire body before going back to finish the sleeves.

Some shaping is given to this simple striped tee by changing crochet hook sizes which also adds more drape to the bottom of the top and sleeves.

Downloadable PDF Cleo Summer Top Crochet Pattern

click here to purchase the convenient printable PDF of the Cleo Summer Top Crochet Pattern

Grab the printable PDF of the Cleo summer crochet top pattern now in my Etsy shop or on Ravelry.

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Before you Start your Summer Top Crochet Pattern

Materials

Size

The crochet summer top pattern is available in following sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL. Sizes are written as XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL) throughout the pattern. Pictures illustrate the M size.

The top is designed with a close fit, 0 – 2 cm / 0” to 1” ease at the bust.

Below are the final top measurements for the different sizes.

  • XS: bust 82 cm / 32.25”, length 61 cm / 24”, upper arm 31.5 cm / 12.25”
  • S: bust 87 cm / 34.25”, length 63 cm / 24.75”, upper arm 33 cm / 13”
  • M: bust 94 cm / 37”, length 63 cm / 24.75”, upper arm 34 cm / 13.5”
  • L: bust 106 cm / 41.5”, length 65 cm / 25.5”, upper arm 37 cm / 14.5”
  • XL: bust 116 cm / 45.5”, length 66 cm / 26”, upper arm 40 cm / 15.75”
  • 2XL: bust 124 cm / 49”, length 68 cm / 26.75”, upper arm 44 cm / 17.5”
  • 3XL: bust 140 cm / 55”, length 68 cm / 26.75”, upper arm 50 cm / 19.5”
  • 4XL: bust 148 cm / 58.25”, length 70 cm / 27.5”, upper arm 54 cm / 21”
  • 5XL: bust 160 cm / 63”, length 72 cm / 28.25”, upper arm 56 cm / 22”

To adjust the length, add/remove repeats at the end (don’t forget to adjust your yarn quantity accordingly).

Gauge

The gauge for this pattern, in alternating rows of sc and dc, is 23.5 st by 20 rows for a 10 cm by 10 cm / 4” by 4” square.

Abbreviations

This pattern uses US notations.

  • st = stitch
  • ch = chain
  • sc = single crochet
  • dc = double crochet

Notes

Work instructions between [] the indicated number of times or until the end of the row / round.

The final number of stitches is indicated at the end of the row / round between < >.

The turning ch 1, ch 2 don’t count as stitches throughout the pattern except if mentioned otherwise.

The pattern is written in crochet shorthand.  For example:

  • “sc 1” means to single crochet in the next stitch,
  • “sc 2” means to single crochet in each of the next 2 stitches,
  • and “2 sc” means to single crochet twice in the next st.

Construction

The top is worked from the top down in the round (seamless). Rounds are not worked continuously, turn your work after each round to keep your junction neat and straight. After increases, the body is split from the sleeves and worked separately. The sleeves are then worked in the round. The entire top is worked seamlessly in one piece.

detailed view of the sleeve and circular yoke of the summer crochet top pattern

The entire summer top is worked in alternating rounds of sc (in white) and dc (in contrasting color). The contrasting colors are alternated: A, B, C, D throughout.

Different crochet hook sizes are used for the body and sleeves to add shaping and drape to the crochet top.

The Actual Summer Top Crochet Pattern

With your 3 mm / US D-3 hook and white color yarn, ch 140 (160, 160, 160, 160, 180, 180, 200, 200) + 1.

Round 1: Sc in 2nd st from hook, sc across, join with a sl st in the ch-1, turn.

First round of the top joined in the round

Switch to color A.

Round 2: Ch 2, [dc 6 (7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9), 2 dc] across, join with a sl st in the 2nd ch, turn. <160 (180, 180, 180, 180, 200, 200, 220, 220) st>

Note: place a stitch marker in the 2nd stitch of each increase (20 markers for each size)

added stitch markers to mark increase stitches and avoid counting moving forward

Yoke Increases

Switch to white color yarn.

Round 3: Ch 1, sc around, join with a sl st in the ch-1, turn.

Switch to color C.

Round 4: Ch 2, [dc until marker, 2 dc in marked st] across, join with a sl st in the 2nd ch, turn. <180 (200, 200, 200, 200, 220, 220, 240, 240) st>

Repeat Round 3 and 4 another 0 (0, 0, 0, 2, 2, 6, 8, 10) times alternating colors for Rounds 4 as follows: D, A, B, C. Rounds 3 are always worked in white <180 (200, 200, 200, 240, 260, 340, 400, 440) st>

Round 5: Ch 1, sc around, join with a sl st in the ch-1, turn.

Note: Move stitch markers up to the corresponding stitch on rounds with no increases.

Switch to color B.

Round 6: Ch 2, dc around, join with a sl st in the 2nd ch, turn.

Switch to white color yarn.

Work Rounds 3 to 6 another 8 (8, 9, 11, 11, 12, 10, 10, 10) times alternating colors for Rounds 4 and 6 in pattern. <340 (360, 380, 420, 460, 500, 540, 600, 640)>

Note: you can now remove the stitch markers

Work Rounds 5 and 6 another 3 (6, 4, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1) times alternating colors for Rounds 6 in pattern.

Split for sleeves

Finished yoke, ignoring stitches to start working the body of the striped crochet top pattern

To separate the sleeves from the body of the top, skip the sleeve stitches while working the next round. You will go back to these stitches later to finish off the sleeves.

  • XS: Ch 2, skip 74, dc 102, skip 74, dc 90, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <192 st>
  • S: Ch 2, skip 78, dc 108, skip 78, dc 96, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <204 st>
  • M: Ch 2, skip 80, dc 120, skip 80, dc 100, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <220 st>
  • L: Ch 2, skip 86, dc 132, skip 86, dc 116, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <248 st>
  • XL: Ch 2, skip 94, dc 140, skip 94, dc 132, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <272 st>
  • 2XL: Ch 2, skip 104, dc 154, skip 104, dc 138, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <292 st>
  • 3XL: Ch 2, skip 116, dc 160, skip 116, dc 148, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <308 st>
  • 4XL: Ch 2, skip 126, dc 180, skip 126, dc 168, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <348 st>
  • 5XL: Ch 2, skip 132, dc 196, skip 132, dc 180, sl st in 2nd ch, turn. <376 st>

Body

Switch to white color yarn.

Round 1: Ch 1, sc around, join with a sl st in the ch-1, turn.

Switch to next color in alternation pattern.

Round 2: Ch 2, dc around, join with a sl st in the 2nd ch, turn.

Repeat Round 1 and 2 until you reach 10 cm / 4” from sleeve separation.

Switch to 3.5 mm / US E – 4 hook.

Repeat Round 1 and 2 until you reach 20 cm / 7.75” from sleeve separation.

Switch to 4 mm / US G – 6 hook.

Repeat Round 1 and 2 until you reach 38 cm / 15” from sleeve separation.

Note: If you want to adjust your crochet top length, add or remove repeats here. You can try on your top to see the fit.

Sleeves

With your 3.5 mm / US E – 4 hook, go back to the armhole and join yarn at the armhole with next color in alternation pattern.

Note: Leave a tail when joining the yarn, you can use this tail to sew the little hole that will be created when you join in the round.

Round 1: Ch 2, dc around, join with a sl st in the 2nd ch, turn.

Switch to white color yarn.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc around, join with a sl st in the ch-1, turn.

Switch to next color in alternation.

Switch to 4 mm / US G – 6 hook.

Repeat Round 1 and 2 seven times.

Finish with one more white Round 2.

Bind off and weave in the end.

Repeat for the other sleeve.

Blocking

finished cleo summer crochet top

You’re done with the crocheting part. Make sure to weave in all the ends.

To make your crochet top even prettier and help even your stitches block your project.

Don’t skip this step as it can make a huge difference. Read my detailed tutorial on why block, how-to, and all my tips and tricks if you need help.

free knitting and crochet cheatsheets

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