In this pattern I’ll show you how to make this top. The start takes some calculations, but once you have done that, it is no longer difficult and it goes nice and fast. We start with a square yoke with a V in the front which you can make less deep if you want. The used stitch is the knit stitch also known as the waistcoat stitch and the pattern is in US terms.

Materials

  • 2.5 skeins of Ice Yarns Baby AntiBacterial in the color hunter green (or other number 2 yarn)
  • 5 mm crochet hook
  • 4 stitchmarkers
  • Scissors
  • Tapestry needle

Terms used/abbreviations

Ch                  chain
Sl st                slip stitch
Sc                   single crochet
Kn st               knit stitch

Special stitches

Knit stitch/ waistcoat stitch: insert the hook in between the posts of each sc, yarn over and pull through, yarn under and pull through two. See picture below.

Notes

Pattern

We start the pattern with some calculations. First measure loosely around your neck. Write that number down. Take your yarn and hook and chain the length you wrote down. Count the stitches you’ve made to reach that length. Write that number down and divide it by 4. For example I measured around my neck and I have 52 cm. or 20 inches. I make a chain for that length. I needed 80 stitches to get that length. Divide 80 by 4 and that is 20.
For the sides subtract 5. So 20-5=15. You need 15 stitches at each side. You subtracted 2×5=10. Those 10 stitches we use for the 4 corners, 10-4=6. The remaining 6 stitches we add to the back. That is the 20 stitches from the beginning +6=26 stitches for the back. For the 2 front pieces we have to decide how deep we want our V-neck. If you want the deepest V then you count 1 stitch at each front side. When you want a little less deep V then you take 2 at each side or even 3. I want a bit deeper V so every side at the front gets 1 stitch.

When you place the numbers in the picture then it looks like this.

Add all the numbers together and you have the number of chains you need to start with and add one more. For me that is 62 stitches +1.

Square yoke

Start with the number of chains you calculated in the last step and add one more.

Row 1: Make a sc in the 2nd chain from the hook (and if you had 2 or 3 in the front also a sc in the amount of stitches you wrote down for the front piece) the next stitch will be a corner stitch and gets 3 sc in one stitch. Mark the middle stitch with a stitch marker so you know where to place the corner stitch in the next row. Make 15 sc in the next 14 stitches (or the amount of stitches you wrote down for the side piece) the next stitch will be a corner stitch again, so 3 sc in the same stitch. Mark the middle one with a stitch marker. Make 26 sc in the next 26 stitches (or the amount of stitches you wrote down for the back piece) the next stitch will be a corner stitch with 3 sc and mark the middle one with a stitch marker. Now we work our way back, so 15 sc in the next 15 stitches (or the amount of stitches you wrote down for the side piece) and make a corner stitch of 3 sc, mark the middle one. We end the row with 1 sc in the last stitch or in the last 2 or 3.

Row 2: ch 1 and turn your work, the ch 1 doesn’t counts as a stitch. Make 2 sc in the first stitch to increase, sc in every stitch until you reach a stitch marker. In the stitch with the stitch marker you make a corner stitch (3 sc) and mark the middle one with the stitch marker again. Then work 1 sc in every stitch across until you reach another stitch marker and place a corner stitch in that stitch.

Repeat row 2 until the 2 front pieces touches each other in the middle like you see in the picture. I’ve made 14 rows to accomplish that. If you need more or less rows than do so and then continue with round 1.

From now on we don’t turn our work anymore, just keep working in rounds.

Round 1: Kn st in the first stitch of the other side of the V. Kn st in every stitch across until you reach a stitch with a stitch marker, make a corner stitch in this stitch just like you did in the previous rows. Repeat working on your round and when you reach the V at the front just work over it making 1 kn st in every stitch. Don’t close your rounds but keep working in the round.

Repeat until when you fold your work and put it over your head, the 2 stitch markers touch each other under your arms. For me that was after round 12. Including the 14 rows from the beginning I now have 26 rows/rounds in total. If you need more rounds then make more.

Body

If the work fits under your armpits then it is time to make the rest of the body. Fold your work so that your front part is on top of your back part and the armholes are at the sides.

Round 1: work kn st until you reach the first stitch marker. Make a kn st in the last stitch before the stitch marker. Turn your work kn st in the first stitch after the stitch marker. Work kn st until the next stitch marker. Turn your work and kn sc in the stitch after the stitch marker. Kn st until the end of the round.

Round 2: Work a kn st in every stitch around (no longer 3 sc in every corner).

Repeat round 2 until your work is just above your bellybutton or the length you like. Keep in mind that the border adds 2” or about 5 cm. to the bottom.

Border

For the border at the bottom of your top, you start with a round of normal sc. Keep making sc in every stitch without closing your rounds. When your border is 2”or about 5 cm. then you can cut your yarn and bind off.

Weave in your ends and you are good to go.