The perfect top for summer, the Blue Sky Crochet Tee is a lightweight easy-to-crochet warm-weather staple featuring lovely open stitchwork at the top and sleeves. Made with a cotton/linen blend yarn, this soft and textured top looks cute any way you wear it and is available in sizes XS-3X!
Scroll down for the free crochet pattern for The Blue Sky Crochet Tee and click here to PIN this for later!
Summer crochet at its best!
Guys, it’s hot. We are at the end of July and I am not going to lie, I am over summer and I want to skip ahead to fall. This is always that time of year when I am SO grateful for air conditioning. And being a yarn enthusiast is not always ideal when it’s 95 degrees outside!
I usually take a yarn break in the hot months of summer, but since I have been designing it’s pretty much crochet all the time. And I have found that I really enjoy crocheting warm-weather things that can actually be worn or used in summer. So, what do we crochet in the summer? Summer tops like the Blue Sky crochet tee!
Purchase the ad-free PDF digital download version from my Etsy and Ravelry shops here!
Design thoughts for this summer crochet top . . .
This crochet tee is a simple design, with two identical panels that are seamed together at the shoulders and short sleeves that are worked in turned rows with no decreases. Half double crochet clusters are stacked on each other with a simple v-stitch that gives this top such great texture without being too clunky. This stitch combination is reminiscent of the iris stitch, which is used for my Luminescence Scarf. Open-stitch edging finishes the tee with beautiful detail at the neckline that is mirrored in the sleeves.
The tee is designed to fit fairly true to size with about three inches of positive ease across the shoulders, and I found that my version fits just about perfectly. I am wearing the size medium here, and if I don’t stop eating chocolate chip cookies at 10:00 at night, I might have to make myself a large. I also decided not to seam the panels all the way to the hem so as to be more forgiving across the hips. Easily customizable and written for seven sizes!
I LOVE COTTON YARN!
It’s been said many times here on this blog . . . I adore cotton yarn and cotton blends. The Blue Sky Crochet Tee features Cotlin DK from WeCrochet in the colorway Raindrop. This is a cotton linen blend yard that was very easy to work with and gave this project incredible drape and stitch definition. The linen component of this yarn did worry me because linen is not particularly soft and can be splitty. And while there are distinctive bits of the linen that are evident in the yarn, this did not take away from the overall feel of the finished top and I loved working with it. Cotlin DK is a definite recommendation for any warm weather projects and was the perfect choice for this tee – and the color choices are incredible!
Purchase the ad-free PDF digital download version from my Etsy and Ravelry shops here!
It’s not too late in the summer season to get started on the Blue Sky Crochet Tee and I can’t wait to see your color choices for this easy-wearing top! Happy crocheting, friends!
Scroll down for the free crochet pattern for The Blue Sky Crochet Tee and click here to PIN this for later!
BLUE SKY CROCHET TEE – Free Crochet Pattern
SKILL LEVEL: Advanced Beginner
MATERIALS:
US Size H/8 5.00 mm crochet hook
WeCrochet Cotlin: Weight: #3/DK (70% Tanguis Cotton, 30% Linen – 123 yards/50 grams)
- Raindrop – 6 (6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9) skeins, 738 (738, 861, 984, 984, 1107, 1107) yards needed.
SIZES:
| SIZES | FITS ACTUAL BUST* | LENGTH (FULL LENGTH OF PANELS INCLUDING TOP EDGING)** | FINISHED BACK WIDTH (shoulder to shoulder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 28-30” | 22.5” | 17.5” |
| S | 32-34” | 24” | 18” |
| M | 36-38” | 25.5” | 19” |
| L | 40-42” | 27” | 20” |
| XL | 44-46” | 28” | 20.75” |
| 2X | 48-50” | 29” | 21.5” |
| 3X | 52-54” | 29” | 21.5” |
*This top is intended to have an easy fit with 3 inches of positive ease. In order to customize the length of the front and back panels, add or remove rows.
**Make sure to purchase enough yarn if you are adding rows or lengthening the sleeves.
The model shown is 5’4″ with a 38″ bust and is wearing the size medium.
GAUGE: 6 hdc v-stitches (18 stitches) X 10 rows = 4 inches
Hdc v-stitch = (1 hdc, 1 chain, 1 hdc) worked in one space = three stitches
ABBREVIATIONS:
ch(s) – chain(s)
hdc – half double crochet
hdc-v – half double crochet v-stitch cluster: (hdc, ch 1, hdc) in indicated st/sp
sk – skip
st(s) – stitch(es)
sl st – slip stitch
ch-sp – chain space
tch – turning chain
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
OVERALL PATTERN NOTES:
- This crochet tee is worked in two identical panels for the main body that are then seamed together at the shoulders and sides, and short sleeves are then worked from the armholes.
- The half crochet clusters are created with a foundation chain in multiples of two and then working (one half double crochet, one chain and one half double crochet) into the same stitch as indicated across the row.
- The clusters will be stacked on top of each other, with each cluster being worked into the chain space of the cluster below.
- Pattern is written in smallest size with larger sizes following in parentheses as XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X).
- Beginning ch 2 DOES NOT count as a stitch unless otherwise indicated in the pattern.
- Right side rows are even rows, wrong side rows are odd rows.
- In order to prevent curling at the bottom of your crochet tee, the foundation chains for the panels should be worked with loose tension.
- One cluster (total of three stitches) is worked for every two stitches across the row; this will result in a larger number of overall stitches as compared to the foundation chain.
- Please make sure to purchase additional yarn if you plan on making your crochet summer top longer or adding length to the sleeves.
PANELS (make two)
Foundation Chain: Ch 56 (58, 60, 64, 66, 68, 68)
Row 1: Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and each ch across. Turn. [54 (56, 58, 62, 64, 68, 68) hdc]
Row 2: Ch 2 (does NOT count as a st), sk 1 st, (hdc, ch 1, hdc) in next st (Hdc-v made),*sk next st, hdc-v in next st.* Repeat from * to * across until one st and tch remain. Sk last st, hdc in top of tch, turn. [26 (27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 32) total hdc-v sts plus one hdc]
Row 3: Ch 2, hdc-v in each ch-1 sp across, hdc in top of tch. Turn. [26 (27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 32) total hdc-v sts plus 1 hdc]
Row 4 – 48 (52, 56, 60, 62, 64, 64): Repeat Row 3.
In order to create additional length, continue to repeat Row 3 prior to moving on to top edging below, making sure to end with a RS (even) row.
Beginning of top edging rows – Stitch count at the end of each row will remain the same as indicated: [54 (56, 58, 62, 64, 68, 68) hdc]
Row 1: (WS) Ch 2, hdc in same st as ch. *Hdc in ch-sp, sk next st, hdc in next st.* Repeat from * to * until last hdc-v cluster remains. Hdc in ch-sp, hdc in last st, turn.
Row 2: (RS) Ch 2, hdc in same st as ch. *Ch 1, sk next st, hdc in next st.* Repeat from * to * until two st remain. Ch 1, sk next st, hdc in last st, turn.
Row 3: (WS) Ch 2, hdc in first ch-sp. *Sk next hdc, 2 hdc in next ch-sp.* Repeat from * to * until one hdc and tch remain. Hdc in last st, hdc in top of tch, turn.
Row 4: (RS) Ch 2, sk st at base of ch, hdc in next st. *Ch 1, sk next st, hdc in next st.* Repeat from * to * until one st and tch remain. Ch 1, sk last st, hdc in top of tch, turn.
Row 5: (WS) Ch 2, hdc in first ch-sp. *Sk next hdc, 2 hdc in next ch-sp.* Repeat from * to * until one hdc and tch remain. Hdc in last st, hdc in top of tch, turn.
Row 6: (RS) Ch 2, hdc in same st as ch. *Ch 1, sk next st, hdc in next st.* Repeat from * to * until two st remain. Ch 1, sk next st, hdc in last st, turn.
Row 7: (WS) Ch 2, hdc in first ch-sp. *Sk next hdc, 2 hdc in next ch-sp.* Repeat from * to * until one hdc and tch remain. Hdc in last st, hdc in top of tch, turn. Fasten off and leave a long tail for seaming.
SEAMING THE PANELS TOGETHER
Lay one panel flat with the right side facing up and place the other panel on top with the wrong side facing up; you are seaming the panels together with what will be the inside of your finished top facing out. Using stitch markers, pin the across the top of the shoulders and down the outside of the top, leaving your preferred amount of neck opening.
Try your top on at this point to determine your neck opening, and to ensure the fit is as desired.
Leave approximately 6.5 (7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5) inches for each armhole.
Using the yarn tail, seam the shoulders with your preferred seaming method and fasten off. Attach yarn at the armpits and seam down the sides of the top. For my finished project, the sides were not seamed all the way to the bottom of the hem so as to create slits on each side.
SLEEVES
- Sleeves are worked directly onto the arm holes in turned rounds and do not decrease. You will work one foundation round of half double crochet, working this round with loose tension to prevent puckering. The sleeves can be lengthened if desired by repeating Rounds 3 and 4 until the desired length is reached, ending with a Round 3 repeat.
- You will evenly work half double crochets into the edge of each row end so that there is no puckering (too few stitches) or rippling (too many stitches) around the armhole.
- You will work approximately two half double crochet stitches per row. Make sure to count your stitches after round 1 to ensure you have an even number of stitches; add or remove stitches at the end to achieve this.
- You will turn your top right side out to work the sleeves, joining the yarn in the armpit and working first up the side of the arm that is farthest away from you. In reality, you are working the sleeve from the wrong side when you start your first round. (SEE PHOTO).
Photo reference for sleeves
Joining your yarn at the armpit, you will work your first round of hdc up the side of the top that is farthest away from you. 
Joining with a slip stitch to the first hdc worked to complete the first round of sleeves. 
Completing the second round, with two stitches remaining. 
Working the last stitch in round 2 before joining to the turning chain. 
This is the base of the chain 2, where you will work a stitch if indicated in the pattern. This reads as “hdc in same st as ch” in the pattern. 
Beginning of round 3. 
Completing round 3 before joining to the tch. 
Completing round 4 before joining to the tch. 
The finished sleeve!
FIRST SLEEVE: With the right side of the body panel facing you, join yarn at the right armpit (at panel seam) and begin stitching a wrong side row up the panel that is farthest away from you:
Round 1: Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch here and throughout sleeve rounds), evenly (see note above) work hdc into edge of rows up to shoulder seam and back around to first st. Sl st to first hdc, turn. See note re: sleeve st count above.
Round 2: Ch 2, sk st at base of ch, hdc in next st. *Sk next st, ch 1, hdc in next st.* Repeat from * to * until two st remain. Ch 1, sk next st, hdc in last st. Sl st to top of tch, turn.
Round 3: Ch 2, hdc in same st as ch. *Sk next st, 2 hdc in ch-sp.* Repeat from * to * until one ch-sp remains. 2 hdc in last ch-sp, sl st to top of tch, turn.
Round 4: Ch 2, hdc in same st as ch. *Ch 1, sk next st, hdc in next st.* Repeat from * to * until two st remain. Ch 1, sk next st, hdc in last st. Sl st to top of tch, turn.
Rounds 5-10: Repeat Rounds 3 and 4.
Round 11: Repeat Round 3. Fasten off.
SECOND SLEEVE: Lay your top flat with the sleeve you just finished on the left. Join yarn at the right armpit that is facing you (at panel seam) and begin stitching a wrong side row up the panel that is farthest away from you. Repeat Rounds 1-11 as for first sleeve.
Weave in all your ends and ENJOY!!
Purchase the ad-free PDF digital download version from my Etsy and Ravelry shops here!
