VALERIE CROP TOP

Collared Ribbing Crop Top

Hello! Thank you very much for purchasing my pattern.

Valerie Crop Top is suitable for advanced beginners or intermediate-level crocheters. This design
uses aran/worsted cotton yarn and the alternation of BLO HDC and BLO sl st to create a solid yet
soft fabric with an amazing ribbing effect. The ribbing, the collar, and the 80's vibe together create
a perfect retro look for Valerie.
I would love to see your WIPs and finished projects so please don't hesitate to tag me on Instagram
@iwillcrochet or use the hashtag #iwillcrochet or #valeriecroptop

* The sizing guide follows XS/S(M, L, XL, XXL). Eg. “Ch 44(48,52,58,62) means 44 for X-Small/Small,
Ch 48 for Medium, Ch 52 for Large, Ch 58 for X-Large, and Ch 62 for XX-Large.
* This pattern uses US crochet terms.

Please do not distribute, share, alter, rewrite or sell this pattern. The copyright of this pattern and supporting documentation remains with the author (iwillcrochet).

1 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
 o Hook size 4.5 mm/7
MATERIALS
o Drops Paris - C Group / 10 ply / aran / worsted 100% cotton
approx. 460m – 700m depending on your size
But you can use any other aran yarn as long as you achieve the right gauge :)
o Darning needle and scissors

STITCHES
o BLO = back loop only o inc = increase
o FLO = front loop only o rep = repeat
o ch = Chain o sc = single crochet
o dec = decrease o sl st = slip stitch
o hdc = half double crochet o st = stitch

o 17 sts X 18 rows = 10cm

GAUGE
o Worked over alternated (1 BLO HDC row, 1 BLO Sl st row) with 4.5mm hook

o
NOTES
This design consist of two main pieces, the front and back piece.
o Check gauge carefully and adjust your tension/hook size/yarn to achieve the desired gauge.
o Color change is optional.

CUSTOMIZING TIPS
1. Feel free to add more chains in the beginning to make the top longer.
2. You can then either add more HDC or Sl st to the first row to make either the upper body or the
band longer (Remember to count the additional stitches)
3. If you want to have a less wide top than the XS/S size:
- Skip 4 last rows in the Back Panel.
- Skip 2 last rows in the Left Front Side of the Front Panel.
- Skip 2 last rows in the Right Front Side of the Front Panel.
4. If you want to have a wider top than the XXL size:
- Add a multiple of 4 rows in the Back Panel. (Ex: 4, 8, 12,…). Let’s say you add n rows.
- Add n/2 rows to the Left Front Side of the Front Panel
- Add n/2 rows to the Right Front Side of the Front Panel
Ex: If you add 4 more rows (1 sl st, 1 combi /HDC+sl st/, 1 sl st, 1 combi) in the back panel,
- Add 2 more rows (1 combi, 1 sl sl) to the Left Front Side of the Front Panel
- Add 2 more rows (1 sl st, 1 combi) to the Right Front Side of the Front Panel.

2 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
 BACK PANEL
*The Back Panel consists of the upper part (using BLO HDC) and the under bust ribbing (using BLO
sl st).
Foundation Chain: Ch 60(64,68,71,74), ch 1 more, turn.
Row 1: Insert hook into the 2nd chain from the hook. Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), HDC 46(49,52,54,56),
ch1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>

Tips: Place a sitch marker in the first HDC at every OOD row so that you could easily keep track of
the stitch count.
Row 2: BLO Sl st 60(64,68,71,74), ch 1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>
Row 3: BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 46(49,52,54,56), ch1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>
Row 4: BLO Sl st 60(64,68,71,74), ch 1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>

NOTE: At this point, you should be able to try the piece on your body to see if the length is good
enough! The BLO Sl st band should be right underneath your bust, and the BLO HDC band should
be long enough to cover from the bust to your shoulder.
If it appears to be too short, you could start it again and add either more HDC or more Sl st to fit
with your body. But REMEMBER ADDITIONAL STITCHES and do the same thing for the front Panel.

3 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
How to count additional stitches: Make sure that the additional stitches stays where the Sl st and
HDC meets.
Ex: BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18) + extra BLO Sl st, extra BLO HDC + BLO HDC 46(49,52,54,56), ch1, turn.
<60(64,68,71,74) + extra Sl st + extra HDC>
Row 5-70(5-74,5-78,5-82,5-86): Rep Row 3 – 4 for 33(35,37,39,41) times
Row 71(75,79,83,87): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 46(49,52,54,56), fasten off
<60(64,68,71,74)>
*See the customizing tips to know how to make the top less wide or wider.

FRONT PANEL
LEFT FRONT SIDE
*The Front Panel is quite similar to the Back Panel, except for a V-neckline in the middle.
*If you have altered the length of your top in the back panel, REMEMBER TO DO THE SAME for the
Front Panel.

Foundation Chain: Ch 60(64,68,71,74), ch 1 more, turn.

4 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
Row 1: Insert hook into the 2nd chain from the hook. Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), HDC 46(49,52,54,56),
ch1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>
Row 2: BLO Sl st 60(64,68,71,74), ch 1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>
Row 3: BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 46(49,52,54,56), ch1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>
Row 4: BLO Sl st 60(64,68,71,74), ch 1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>
Row 5-24(5-24,5-26,5-28,5-28): Rep Row 3 - 4 for 10(10,11,12,12) times
*See the customizing tips to know how to make the top less wide or wider.

1st HALF NECKLINE

*If you have altered the length of your top, make sure that the additional stitches ONLY stays
where the Sl st and HDC meets. THE NECK-LINE SHOULD BE FOLLOWED!
*We will shape the V-Neck line here. You could opt to change the color for this part if you want to
achieve a stripe pattern like the model. Change to color [2] from the next row

Row 25(25,27,29,29): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 33(35,37,38,39), dec BLO HDC 3 (as 3BLO
HDC together), leave 10(11,12,13,14) st undone, ch 1, turn. <48(51,54,56,58)>

Row 26(26,28,30,30): BLO Sl st 48(51,54,56,58), ch 1, turn. <48(51,54,56,58)>

Row 27(27,29,31,31): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 31(33,35,36,37), dec BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<46(49,52,54,56)>
Row 28(28,30,32,32): BLO Sl st 46(49,52,54,56), ch 1, turn. <46(49,52,54,56)>

5 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
Row 29(29,31,33,33): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 29(31,33,34,35), dec BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<44(47,50,52,54)>
Row 30(30,32,34,34): BLO Sl st 44(47,50,52,54), ch 1, turn. <44(47,50,52,54)>
Row 31(31,33,35,35): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 27(29,31,32,33), dec BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<42(45,48,50,52)>
Row 32(32,34,36,36): BLO Sl st 42(45,48,50,52), ch 1, turn. <42(45,48,50,52)>
Row 33(33,35,37,37): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 25(27,29,30,31), dec BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<40(43,46,48,50)>
Row 34(34,36,38,38): BLO Sl st 40(43,46,48,50), ch 1, turn. <40(43,46,48,50)>
Row 35(35,37,39,39): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 23(25,27,28,29), dec BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<38(41,44,46,48)>
Only: M,L,XL,XXL
Row -(36,38,40,40): BLO Sl st -(41,44,46,48), ch 1, turn. <-(41,44,46,48)>
Row -(37,39,41,41): BLO Sl st -(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC -(23,25,26,27), dec BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn. <-
(39,42,44,46)>
Only: XXL
Row -(-,-,-,42): BLO Sl st -(-,-,-,46), ch 1, turn. <-(-,-,-,46)>
Row -(-,-,-,43): BLO Sl st -(-,-,-,18), BLO HDC -(-,-,-,25), dec BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn. <-(-,-,-,44)>

NECK SPLIT
Row 36(38,40,42,44): BLO Sl st 10(11,12,13,14), (place a stitch marker to the next stitch), ch
10(11,12,13,14), ch 1 extra, Sl st 1 into the 2nd chain on the hook, sl 9(10,11,12,13) into the new
chain, BLO Sl st into the stitch marker, BLO Sl st till the end of the row, ch 1, turn. <38(39,42,44,44)>

6 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
 2nd HALF NECK LINE

Only: XXL
Row -(-,-,-,45): BLO Sl st -(-,-,-,18), BLO HDC -(-,-,-,25), inc BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn. <-(-,-,-,46)
Row -(-,-,-,46): BLO Sl st -(-,-,-,46), ch 1, turn. <-(-,-,-,46)>
Only: M,L,XL,XXL
Row -(39,41,43,47): BLO Sl st -(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC -(23,25,26,27), inc BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn. <-
(41,44,46,48)>
Row -(40,42,44,48): BLO Sl st -(41,44,46,48), ch 1, turn. <-(41,44,46,48)>
For all sizes:
Row 37(41,43,45,49): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 23(25,27,28,29), inc BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<40(43,46,48,50)>
Row 38(42,44,46,50): BLO Sl st 40(43,46,48,50), ch 1, turn. <40(43,46,48,50)>
Row 39(43,45,47,51): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 25(27,29,30,31), inc BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<42(45,48,50,52)>
Row 40(44,46,48,52): BLO Sl st 42(45,48,50,52), ch 1, turn. <42(45,48,50,52)>

7 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
Row 41(45,47,49,53): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 27(29,31,32,33), inc BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<44(47,50,52,54)>
Row 42(46,48,50,54): BLO Sl st 44(47,50,52,54), ch 1, turn. <44(47,50,52,54)>
Row 43(47,49,51,55): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 29(31,33,34,35), inc BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<46(49,52,54,56)>
Row 44(48,50,52,56): BLO Sl st 46(49,52,54,56), ch 1, turn. <46(49,52,54,56)>
Row 45(49,51,53,57): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 31(33,35,36,37), inc BLO HDC 3, ch 1, turn.
<48(51,54,56,58)>
Row 46(50,52,54,58): BLO Sl st 48(51,52,56,58), ch 1, turn. <48(51,52,56,58)>
*The next two row will have some color alternation for the strips version of the top.
Row 47(51,53,55,59): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 33(35,37,38,39), inc BLO HDC 3.
<50(53,56,58,60)> DO NOT FASTEN OFF.
(Change color to [1]) Ch 10(11,12,13,14), ch 1 extra, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>
Row 48(52,54,56,60): BLO Sl st 10(11,12,13,14), (change color to [2]) BLO Sl st 50(53,56,58,60), ch 1,
turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>

8 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
 RIGHT FRONT SIDE
*From this row onward, the color should be changed back to [1] til the end of the front panel.
Row 49(53,55,57,61): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 46(49,52,54,56), ch1, turn.
<60(64,68,71,74)>

Row 50(54,56,58,62): BLO Sl st 60(64,68,71,74), ch 1, turn. <60(64,68,71,74)>

Row 51-70(55-74,57-78,59-82,63-86): Rep the two previous rows for 10(10,11,12,12) times
Row 71(75,79,83,87): BLO Sl st 14(15,16,17,18), BLO HDC 46(49,52,54,56), fasten off.
<60(64,68,71,74)>
*See the customizing tips to know how to make the top less wide or wider.

9 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
 ASSEMBLING
SHOULDER SEAMING
*Sew the shoulder seam together from the sleeve ends to the beginning of the neckline.

SIDE SEAMING
*Sl st seam the sides together using Flat Slip Stitch Join technique with the ribbing side facing up.
*This part was made of 2 steps: seaming the sides, and along the sleeves.

Side Seaming:
Make a slip knot. Insert hook into the first space of the Right piece foundation chain, insert hook into
the FLO of the HDC of the Left piece, yarn over and pull through all loops. Continue to place flat sl st
until you have 30(32,34,35,37) sl st (Remember to count your additional st if applicable).

10 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
Sleeve:
FLO Sl st along the HDC of the Left piece until you reach the shoulder seam, then Sl st into the
foundation chain of the Right piece (which should be on your left now). At the end of the row, use
your darning needle to fasten off into the last sl st of seam the side seam.

More detailed instruction:

*Rep both steps for the other side.

11 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
 RIBBING COLLAR
Neck Row: Attach yarn into the left side of the split row, secure yarn, ch 1, sc along the neck-line
until you reach the other side of the split.

*Make sure that the tension was not too tight or too loose. You should place a sc in each HDC row
and each Sl st row.
Row 1: Ch 7 (you can add more chains if you want a wider collar), sc 6 starting from the 2nd chain
from the hook. <6>
Sl st into the 1 st next sc on the neck-line, then sl st into the 2nd next sc on the neck line, turn.

12 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET
Row 2: Insert hook into the 3rd stitch from the hook (skip the 2 sl st), BLO sc 6, ch 1, turn. <6>
Row 3: BLO Sc 6 into the previous row. <6> Sl st into the 1st next sc on the neck line, then sl st into
the 2nd next sc on the neck line, turn.
Row 4 – end: Rep row 2-3 until the end of the Neck-line row, fasten off.

FINISHING
*Weave in all end with a needle, and voila. You have finished your top!!!

13 © 2021 IWILLCROCHET