How to Crochet a Half Double Crochet Crop Top

This oversized crocheted top pattern is yet another simple, beginner friendly, free project for everyone to enjoy. It’s simply two panels sewn together. It’s a project for absolutely everyone.
It can fit a wide variety of body shapes and styles, it can be customized in several ways easily, like the color combinations, and most importantly, it fits everyone’s skill level and budget.

YARN: DROPS LOVES YOU 7 (100% cotton, yarn group A); color 36;
Hook: 4 mm/G-6
Yarn Needle, Scissors, Measuring Tape, Stitch Markers

Small/Medium

ch = chain
st = stitch
sts = stitches
slst = slip stitch
slsts = slip stitches
hdc = half double crochet
INC = 2 half double crochet in the same stitch
hdc2tog = half double crochet two stitches together
fhdc = foundation half double crochet

Foundation half double crochet:

Chain 2, yarn over, insert hook into the second chain from the hook and pull up a loop.
Yarn over and pull through the first loop on the hook to make a chain stitch.
Yarn over and pull through all three loops on the hook to make a hdc.
Yarn over and insert hook into the chain stitch and pull up a loop.
Yarn over and pull through the first loop on the hook creating another chain stitch.
Yarn over and pull through all three loops on the hook.
Continue working through steps 4-6 until your foundation row reaches the desired number of stitches.

Invisible half double crochet decrease:

Yarn over.
Insert your hook through the front loop of the next stitch, and then insert your hook through the front loop of the next stitch, without yarning over again. You should have 4 loops on your hook right now.
Yarn over.
Pull the yarn through the first 2 loops (they are the front loops). Now you should have 3 loops on your hook.
Yarn over.
Pull the yarn through all 3 loops on your hook to complete the half double crochet stitch.

The top is made of two panels (front and back).
It’s crocheted from bottom to top.
When you finish crocheting the body of the front panel, you start crocheting the right side of the neck hole and then the left side of the neck hole. For the back panel you repeat the instructions for the front panel. Sew the panel together on the shoulders and crochet the sleeves on body sides. You will sew the side of the body and sleeves and finish with neck hole edging.
If you want the top to be longer just add rows to the bottom of the front and back panel, but don’t add too many rows because the top is meant to be cropped and will lose its shape if you add too many rows.
Hdc2tog on the sleeve is an invisible hdc2tog.
I recommend you watch my YouTube tutorial, if there are any uncertainties.

Front panel

Fhdc 97

Row 1: ch 1, turn. Hdc in each st across.

Row 2: ch 1, turn. Hdc in each st across.

Row 3: ch 1, turn. INC, hdc across, INC in the last st.

Repeat rows 1 – 3 until row 44.

Neck hole

For the neck hole you will be making increases on the body side as you were from the beginning (so one increase every 3rd row) and decrease (hdc2tog) for the neck hole for every row until row 64.

Right side of the neck hole:

Row 45: ch 1, turn. INC, hdc across, hdc2tog in the last 2 sts.

Row 46: ch 1, turn. Hdc2tog, hdc across.

Row 47: ch 1, turn. Hdc across, hdc2tog in the last 2 sts.

Row 48: ch 1, turn. Hdc2tog, hdc across, INC in the last st.

Row 49: ch 1, turn. Hdc across, hdc2tog in the last 2 sts.

Row 50: ch 1, turn. Hdc2tog, hdc across.

Left side of the neck hole:

You will start in the middle of row 44 where you already made a hdc2tog for the right side. So attach the yarn in that st and ch 1.

Back panel

Repeat the instructions for the front panel, but you don’t need to leave a long tail for sewing this time.

Assembling

Shoulders:

Place the panels on top of each other with the right sides facing and sew the shoulders with a sl st.

Sleeves

You will make the sleeves by crocheting them onto the sides of the panels. So skip 18 rows from the bottom on the front and back panel and place stitch markers there to mark the beginning and the end of the sleeve.

How to Crochet a Half Double Crochet Crop Top - Loops Only (1)

Attach the yarn in 19th row, right side of the panel facing you:

Row 1: ch 1, hdc in each hdc row across, starting in the same row you just attached the yarn.

Row 2: ch 1, turn. Hdc across.

Row 3: ch 1, turn. Hdc in the 1st st, hdc2tog in the next, *hdc, hdc2tog*, repeat across.

Row 4: ch 1, turn. Hdc across.

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing the sleeve and the body sides.

Sew the sleeve and the body sides together with a sl st.

Neckline

Start where you started the decreases for the neck hole (the V): hdc2tog in the sides of the rows, where you started the decreases for the v neck, hdc evenly across. When you reach the other side (the V ): hdc2tog in the sides of the rows, where you started the decreases for the v neck, hdc evenly across. Sl st in 1st hdc of the row and finish off.

How to Crochet a Half Double Crochet Crop Top - Loops Only (2024)