Crochet Crop Top Pattern With Stitch Counts 

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Key Takeaways

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• Four sizes: XS (210 foundation stitches), S (240), M (270) and L (300).
• Every size is a multiple of 30, so the lace rounds, the 2-dc group round and the shell round all come out even.
• Swatch first. The sizes assume about 3 stitches per cm, and your gauge decides the real fit.
• Four passes of Rounds 2-8 match the photos. Buy 2 skeins for XS and 3 for S to L.
• The straps are 5 stitches wide and about 48 rows long. Measure them on the wearer before you sew.

The pattern that looked perfect until you started counting

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You find a gorgeous black lace crop top online. The photos are great, the yarn is listed, and the pattern is only a page long. Then you start working the rounds, and somewhere around the shell edge the numbers refuse to close.

That’s what happens with the original version of this pattern. It starts with 220 foundation stitches, which works for the 5-stitch lace repeat. But 220 doesn’t divide evenly by 3 (the 2-dc group round) or by 8 (the original shell round). So I rebuilt the sizing around numbers that work for all three, and I checked every round for every size.

Why these sizes work

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The top uses three repeats. The lace mesh rounds repeat every 5 stitches, the Round 6 group repeats every 3 stitches, and the shell round repeats every 6 stitches. The smallest number divisible by 5, 3 and 6 is 30. So every foundation count in this pattern is a multiple of 30, and every round ends exactly where it began.

One change from the original: the shell repeat is 6 stitches (skip 2) instead of 8 stitches (skip 3). That’s the only way to make it fit the other two repeats, so it’s my change, not the original designer’s.

What you need

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• Yarn: Nako Comfort Stretch (90% microfiber, 10% polyester, 211 yd / 50 g), or any stretchy fingering-weight yarn. XS: 2 skeins. S, M, L: 3 skeins, all from the same dye lot.
• Hook: 2.0 mm
• Stitch markers, a yarn needle, scissors and pins
• Optional: thin non-stretch cotton thread to reinforce the straps

Abbreviations (US terms): ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, sc = single crochet, dc = double crochet, fdc = foundation double crochet, st(s) = stitch(es).

Counting rules: A starting ch 3 counts as a dc. On rounds worked into Round 8 (Round 2 of every later pass), a ch-1 space counts as 1 stitch.

Swatch before you commit

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The original gives no gauge, and that’s a real problem for a fitted top. Here’s the fix. Make a small tube: fdc 30, join with a sl st into a ring without twisting, then work Rounds 2-8 once. Wash and dry it the way you’ll wash the top, lay it flat unstretched, and measure the flat width.

• Swatch circumference (cm) = flat width x 2
• Stitches per cm = 30 divided by that circumference
• Pass height = the height of Rounds 2-8 on your swatch

The sizes below assume about 3 stitches per cm. If your swatch says otherwise, use this: N = finished circumference in cm x your stitches per cm, rounded to the nearest multiple of 30. Aim for a finished circumference 5-8 cm smaller than the bust, since the fabric stretches.

Size chart

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Size	N (foundation sts)	Finished circumference at 3 sts/cm	Fits bust approx.
XS	210	70 cm	76-78 cm
S	240	80 cm	85-88 cm
M	270	90 cm	95-98 cm
L	300	100 cm	105-108 cm

Step-by-step instructions

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Work in the round, and join every round with a sl st. Check each round’s stitch count against the stitch count table further down before moving on.

Step 1: Foundation round (Round 1)

Fdc N. Check that the row isn’t twisted, then join with a sl st to the first dc.

Why this matters: a twisted foundation row can’t be fixed later without ripping back. Place a marker every 30 stitches now and you’ll catch counting slips early.

Step 2: Lace mesh (Round 2)

Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 4, skip the next 4 sts. *Sc in the next st, ch 4, skip the next 4 sts.* Repeat from * to the end of the round, so the last 4 skipped sts are the last 4 sts of the round. Join with a sl st to the first sc.

Why this matters: this is the round that needs N divisible by 5.

Step 3: Two more mesh rounds (Rounds 3-4)

Sl st into the first ch-4 space. Ch 1, sc in the same space. *Ch 4, sc in the next ch-4 space.* Repeat from * until every space has an sc. Ch 4 and join with a sl st to the first sc.

Step 4: Turn the mesh into dc (Round 5)

Sl st into the first ch-4 space (the one right after the joining sc). Ch 3, 3 dc in the same space (4 dc in total). Dc in the next sc. *4 dc in the next ch-4 space, dc in the next sc.* Repeat from * until every ch-4 space is used. The last dc goes in the first sc of Round 4. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch-3. You now have N dc.

Why this matters: if you end up with fewer or more than N dc, one space got skipped or doubled, so fix it now.

Step 5: Open groups (Round 6)

Ch 3, dc in the same st. *Ch 1, skip the next 2 sts, 2 dc in the next st.* Repeat from * until 2 sts remain. Ch 1, skip the last 2 sts, and join with a sl st to the top of the ch-3.

Why this matters: this round needs N divisible by 3. It’s the one the original 220 count couldn’t satisfy.

Step 6: Finish the pass (Rounds 7-8) and repeat

Ch 3, dc in the next dc. *Ch 1, skip the next ch-1 space, dc in each of the next 2 dc.* Repeat from * to the last ch-1 space. Ch 1, skip it, and join with a sl st to the top of the ch-3. Work this round twice (Rounds 7 and 8).

Rounds 2-8 make one pass. Work four passes in total (the first pass plus three repeats), ending on Round 8, which matches the photos. For a shorter or longer top, work fewer or more passes. Each pass ends at N stitches, so Round 2 always fits.

Step 7: Top edge shells

Ch 1, sc in the same st. Skip the next 2 sts, 5 dc in the next st, skip the next 2 sts. *Sc in the next st, skip the next 2 sts, 5 dc in the next st, skip the next 2 sts.* Repeat from * to the end of the round. Join with a sl st to the first sc and fasten off.

Step 8: Hem shells

Turn the piece to the bottom edge. Join the yarn in the first base loop of the foundation row. Work the same shell round across all N base loops, join with a sl st to the first sc, and fasten off.

The original only says “make a row of shells around the top part.” The photos show a scalloped hem too, so this is my reading of them.

Step 9: Straps (make 2)

Row 1: fdc 5. Row 2: ch 3 (counts as a dc), turn, dc in each of the next 4 dc (5 sts). Repeat Row 2 until the strap is the right length. The original uses 48 rows in total, which I estimate at roughly 30-34 cm. Fasten off, leaving a 40 cm tail for sewing.

Why this matters: the original used a ch 2 turning chain, which is too short for a dc. Ch 3 sits at the right height.

Step 10: Assembly

Try the top on. Pin the front straps at the bust points and the back straps slightly closer together, symmetrically. Stretch yarn grows with wear, so keep the straps slightly short, or work a thin cotton thread through them. Sew the straps to the inside of the top edge with backstitch and weave in all ends.

Stitch count check

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Round	XS	S	M	L
Round 1: fdc	210	240	270	300
Round 2: sc and ch-4 spaces	42	48	54	60
Rounds 3-4: ch-4 spaces	42	48	54	60
Round 5: dc	210	240	270	300
Rounds 6-8: 2-dc groups (each with one ch-1)	70	80	90	100
Top and hem shells	35	40	45	50

Practical tips

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• Wear something under it. The lace is semi-sheer and the neckline is a plain tube. The original photos show it worn with a bra.
• Wash the swatch first. Microfiber stretch yarn can grow after washing, so measure after the wash and not before.
• The ch-1 space is a stitch. Forgetting that on Round 2 of passes 2 to 4 is the most likely way to end up one repeat off.
• Skip the ch-1 space on Rounds 7-8. You chain over it, you don’t work into it.
• Mark the round start. A sl st join leaves a slight seam line, and a marker keeps you from losing it.

Frequently asked questions

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