Get ready for spring with my newest pattern the She Sells Sea Shells top! This fun crochet top pattern is the perfect piece to add to your spring wardrobe, and it goes with just about everything. It’s both fun an functional while being super easy to make. This design was my first raglan design, and I’m so excited to be share it now!
Pattern Inspiration
Growing up I never felt comfortable with my fashion sense. Jeans and sweatshirts were my go to, and I was to afraid to venture out into taking time to do anything else. Have you ever been like that? I also never thought that I would actually be able to make my own clothes. How could someone who wasn’t confident in fashion make something of her own? I thought that crochet garments were extremely difficult and my skill would never be at the point where I could design. Guess what? I did and you can too! I decided that it was time for me to create my own wardrobe and make my own style.
I grew up by the beach and often take my inspiration for some of my designs from the ocean. Maybe that’s why the shell stitch is one of my favorite stitches to use. As I thought about walks along the beach in the summer, and finding sea shells by the water, I was inspired to create a crochet top that used shell stitches as the accents. Walking along the beach is a simple thing to do, and so I wanted to create a simple crochet top pattern.
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Construction & Skill Level
My goal with this free crochet top pattern was to create a top that anyone could make. It has a raglan construction so that there is no seaming, which is always a plus. One of the other perks of it being a raglan is that it works up super quickly. The pattern uses double crochets for most of the body, with shell stitches as accents on the sleeves and a band of them on the bottom. Overall, it uses simple crochet stitches and crochet techniques so that a beginner or any skill level would be able to make it. Simplicity really can create something that is beautiful!
Pattern Fit & Sizing
With this pattern I also wanted to make sure that any body type would be able to wear it. The pattern has 2″ of positive ease so that it fits nicely on the top, and then flows out more on the bottom. It has a nice and airy design so that in the summer you don’t have anything too snug. I sized the pattern from sizes XS-5X because inclusive sizing is the best!
Time to make this top so you can wear it as a fun layering piece or on VACATION!
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(The rest of the post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full affiliate disclosure here.)
The Yarn
Now let’s talk about the yarn that I used for this project! One of my closest friends that I’ve made on Instagram is Christine from Buttercup Creates. She is one of the sweetest and creative people that I’ve met, and she is such a talented yarn dyer! Her DK weight yarn has become one of my favorite yarns to crochet with, and when I saw her Toes in the Sand yarn it was the perfect yarn to fit the theme of my top. It’s such a soft yarn, and paired with her Johnny Silver yarn, it created a gorgeous top that I wear all the time. You can check out her beautiful yarn and get some in her Etsy store here.
If you don’t want to invest in indie dyed yarn, some other affordable options for making this top are Lion Brand Baby Soft, Lion Brand Mandala, or Bernat Softee Baby. All of these can be bought through Joann’s for a great price! Here are some of the links and colors I love of those yarns:
Where to get the pattern:
Materials Needed:
- Yarn Weight 3 (DK) yarn (I used 3 skeins of Buttercup Creates DK weight yarn)
- Main Color:
- XS-S 550 yards
- M-XL 825 yards
- 2X-5X 1100 yards
- Secondary Color:
- XS-S 275 yards
- M-XL 550 yards
- 2X-5X 825 yards
- Main Color:
- I/9 5.5mm hook
- Yarn needle
- scissors
- stitch markers
Supplies Recommendations:
Abbreviations:
- St = Stitch (s)
- R = Row
- SR = Sleeve Row
- Ch = chain
- dc = double crochet
- FDC = Foundation Double Crochet
- ( ) = stitch amounts for different size
- ** = do all that’s between two *
- [ ] = stitch count at end of round for each size
Sizes: XS-5X
Bust Measurements:
– XS = 28″, S = 32″, M = 36″, L = 40″, XL = 44″, 2X = 48″, 3X = 52″, 4X = 56″, 5X = 60″
Pattern is made with 2″ of positive ease that is added to each of these measurements
Pattern Notes:
- For an easier way to keep track of your size, I’ve color coated each size in the PDF version of this pattern. Click here to get your pdf copy of the pattern.
- I recommend reading through the entire pattern before starting to make sure that you fully understand the pattern.
- Ch 2 at beginning of rows does not count as a stitch.
- Pattern uses U.S. Stitch terminology
- Pattern is worked in a raglan style
- ch 2 space at beginning of round and at the corners of the raglan neckline square do not count as stitches.
Sizes are listed in pattern from XS-5X with reference to the stitch amounts.
xs (s, m, l, xl, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x)
For example “dc 10 (10, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17)” the first 10 being the XS, the the first number in parentheses being S and so forth. These are all highlighted in different colors for each size in the PDF version.
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Pattern
Neckline:
Rnd 1: FDC 76 (76, 84, 92, 100, 108, 116, 124, 132), join with sl st to first st [76, 76, 84, 92, 100, 108, 116, 124, 132]
Rnd 2: ch 2 (does not count as dc for the rest of the pattern), starting in first dc 10 (10, 11, 11, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15), dc 2 in next st, ch 2, dc 2 in next st without skipping any, dc 19 (19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33), dc 2 in next st, ch 2, dc 2 in next st without skipping any, dc 15 (15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29), dc 2 in next st, ch 2, dc 2 in next st, dc 19 (19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33), dc 2 in next st, ch 2, dc 2 in next st without skipping any, dc 5 (5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) sl st to join to the ch 2 at the beginning of the round (does not count as a stitch from now and throughout the rest of the pattern)[84, 84, 92, 100, 108, 116, 124, 132, 140]
Rnd 3: ch 2, *dc in each dc to ch 2 space, in ch 2 space (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2,)* repeat 3 more times, dc in each dc to end, sl st to join [100, 100, 108, 116, 124, 140, 148, 156]
Repeat Rnd 3 until you finish Rnd 11(11, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16) [228, 228, 268, 292, 300, 324, 332, 356, 364]
Join for Body:
When you get to where you join the body, your piece will be a square like this.
Rnd 12 (12, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16, 17, 17): ch 2, *dc in each dc to ch 2 space, in ch 2 space dc 2, ch 3 (counts as 3 stitches), sk 59 (59, 69, 75, 77, 83, 85, 91, 93) to next ch 2 space, dc 2 in ch 2 space,* repeat 1 more time, dc in each dc to end, sl st to join [124, 124, 144, 156, 160, 172, 176, 188, 192]
Body Increase Rows
Rnd 13 (13, 15, 16, 16, 17, 17, 18, 18): ch 2, *dc 16 (16, 19, 21, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26) dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 3(3, 4, 2, 6, 4, 1, 6, 3) join [129, 129, 151, 163, 167, 179, 183, 195, 199]
Rnd 14(14, 16, 17, 17, 18, 18, 19, 19): ch 2, *dc 17 (17, 20, 22, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27), dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 3(3, 4, 2, 6, 4, 1, 6, 3), join [136, 136, 158, 170, 174, 186, 190, 202, 206]
XS Begin working in continuous rounds (written below). Sizes S-5X keep increasing.
Rnd 15 (17, 18, 18, 19, 19, 20, 20): ch 2, *dc 18 (21, 23, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28), dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 3 (4, 2, 6, 4, 1, 6, 3), join [143, 165, 177, 181, 193, 197, 209, 213]
Sizes S-L begin working in continuous rounds. Sizes XL-5X keep increasing.
Rnd 19 (20, 20, 21, 21): ch 2, *dc 24, (26, 27, 28, 29), dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 6 (4, 1, 6, 3), join [188, 200, 204, 216, 220]
Rnd 20 (21, 21, 22, 22): ch 2, *dc 25, (27, 28, 29, 30), dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 6 (4, 1, 6, 3), join [195, 207, 211, 223, 227]
Sizes XL-2X begin working in continuous rounds. Sizes 3X-5X keep increasing.
Rnd 22 (23, 23): ch 2, *dc 29 (30, 31), dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 1 (6, 3), join [218, 230, 234]
Rnd 23 (24, 24): ch 2, *dc 30 (31, 32), dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 1 (6, 3), join [225, 237, 241]
Size 3X begin working in continuous rounds. Sizes 4X-5X keep increasing.
Rnd 25 (25): ch 2, *dc 32 (33), dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 6 (3), join [243, 248]
Size 4X begin working in continuous rounds. Size 5X keep increasing.
Rnd 26: ch 2, *dc 34, dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 3, join [255]
Rnd 27: ch 2, *dc 35, dc 2 in next st* repeat 6 more times, dc 3, join [262]
Size 5X begin working in continuous rounds.
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Body Working in Continuous Rounds
Begin working in continuous rounds, marking first stitch in round with a stitch marker.
Rnd 15-36 [16-38, 18-39, 20-40, 21-40, 22-41, 24-41, 26-42, 28-42]: dc 136, (143, 165, 177, 195, 200, 225, 243, 262) in each dc around
On last of the continuous rounds, for sizes XL & 2X dec 2 at the end of the round, and sizes 3X and 4X dec 1 at the end of the round
Shell Stitch Bottom
Continue working in continuous rounds with no joining for this part of the pattern.
Switch yarn color and sl st into first st of next round
Rnd 37 (39, 40, 41, 41, 42, 42, 43, 43): *sk 1, dc 5 in next st, sk 1, sc 1* repeat 31 (33, 40, 43, 46, 49, 51, 56, 59) more times, on last repeat skip to the sl st at the beginning of the round and sc 1 [32 shell stitches & 33 sc, 34 shell stitches & 35 sc, 41 shell stitches & 42 sc, 44 shell stitches & 45 sc, 47 shell stitches & 48 sc, 50 shell stitches & 51 sc, 52 shell stitches & 53 sc, 57 shell stitches & 58 sc, 60 shell stitches & 61 sc]
Rnd 38 (40, 41, 42, 42, 43, 43, 44, 44): dc 5 in first st, *sk 2 to center stitch of shell stitch in previous round, sc 1 in center stitch, sk 2 to the sc in the middle of the shell stitches in the previous round, dc 5 in sc* repeat 33 (34, 41, 44, 47, 50, 52, 57, 60), sk 2 to center stitch of shell stitch in previous round, sc 1 in center stitch of shell [32 shell stitches & 33 sc, 34 shell stitches & 35 sc, 41 shell stitches & 42 sc, 44 shell stitches & 45 sc, 47 shell stitches & 48 sc, 50 shell stitches & 51 sc, 52 shell stitches & 53 sc, 57 shell stitches & 58 sc, 60 shell stitches & 61 sc]
Rnd 39 (41, 42, 43, 43, 44, 44, 45, 45): *sk 2 to the sc in the middle of the shell stitches in the previous round, dc 5 in sc, sk 2 to center stitch of shell stitch in previous round, sc 1 in center stitch of shell* repeat 33 (34, 41, 44, 47, 50, 52, 57, 60), sk 2 to middle of last shell stitch, sc in middle st between shells (you’ll be skipping 2 st in the next round to dc 5 in first st) [32 shell stitches & 33 sc, 34 shell stitches & 35 sc, 41 shell stitches & 42 sc, 44 shell stitches & 45 sc, 47 shell stitches & 48 sc, 50 shell stitches & 51 sc, 52 shell stitches & 53 sc, 57 shell stitches & 58 sc, 60 shell stitches & 61 sc]
Rnd 40-45(42-47, 43-48, 44-49, 44-49, 45-50, 45-50, 46-51, 46-51)): repeat rounds 38 and 39
If you would like your top to be longer, just keep repeating rounds 38-39 (the row numbers for the XS size) till you get the desired length.
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Shell Stitch Sleeve Edging
Once you’ve finished with the main part of the sweater, it’s time to add trim to the sleeves to finish off the piece.
To begin sleeves, sl st in first double crochet before the ch 3 that joined the body, sc 1 in that same st, *sk 1, dc 5 in next st, sk 1 sc 1* repeat 13 (14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22) more times
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Now you’re all done!
I hope you love you brand new crochet top! You’ll love wearing this top to the beach or on all of those fun spring and summer outings you’ll be going on. This will soon become a staple in your wardrobe! I’d love to see your finished top! Use the hashtag #eclairemakery or tag me @eclairemakery on Instagram and Facebook, and I’d love to share your finished top. I can’t wait to see what you’ve made!
Happy stitching,
~Claire
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