Shell shell shell, that’s what’s up!

I’ve been into shell crochet stitch design lately.

This top is made using DMC Natura Just Cotton.

Let’s talk a bit about this yarn

I purchased mine from Loveknitting.com.

Here is how the yarn is describe on loveknitting site:
“A stunning cotton yarn, DMC Natura Just Cotton is a fantastic combed cotton yarn with a mattee finish that is perfect for knitting and crochet!  Gorgeous to wear and so comfortable to knit – there are 50 fabulous shades to choose from, and all designed to work tonally with one another, so this is a yarn that is perfect for crocheted blankets, granny squares and ripple patterns as well as striped projects!  Knits on US 1.5 (2.5mm) – US 4 (3.5mm) needles, crochets on a C (3.00mm) hook depending on project tension. Machine washable”

My experience:

This is not the first time I’ve used this yarn, but it’s the first time I made a garnment with it. From past experience I knew the best way to enjoy working with this yarn is to use a bigger hook size than recommended. The yarn is loosely twisted which causes the strands to seperated while you crochet, having a bigger hook size helps. I used a 3.5 mm hook in this project, on other project I have used up to 4.5 mm hook.

Pro: this a 100% cotton yan, ideal for warmer weather wear. The colors are so vivid. The yarn is soft to the touch, feels so good against the skin. No pillings ever, if you have allergic reaction to wool or yarn that pill, you will love his yarn.

con: the strands can seperate while you crochet (nothing that a bigger hook size won’t fix). 170 yard in a skein, It takes a lot of skeins to make an adult top. I made this one for my daughter who is 11 years old and you can see below how many skein I used.

Let’s get into the making of the Seashell Crochet Top

Crochet Sweater Dimension

Length from shoulder to hem: 19 inches long

chest circumfernce: 30 inches

sleeve length from armpit: 9.5 inches

Material

color A Ivory (about 2 skeins)

color B Prussian (about 2 skeins)

color C Prune (about 4 skeins)

hook size 3.5 mm

Abbreviation

beg beginning

ch chain

cross dc 1 dc on left of sc, ch 1, 1 dc on right of same sc

dc double crochet

sc single crochet

sc2tog single crochet 2 stitches together (insert hook in first designated stitch, pull yarn thru, insert hook in 2nd designated stitch, pull yarn thru, yarn over pull thru all 3 loops

sk skip

sl.st. slip stitch

sp space

Crochet Top Constuction

• Make the yoke
• Separate for armhole opening
• Continue working sweater to desired length
• Add sleeves
• Add ribbing to sleeves and hem
• finish neckline border

Crochet Yoke

with color A – Ch 96, sl. st. to form a ring

round 1: ch 1, 1 sc in same sp, sk 2 ch, 5 dc in next ch, (sk 2 ch, 1 sc in next ch, sk 2 ch, 5 dc in next ch) 3 times, *sk 2 ch (1 sc, ch 1, 1 sc) in next ch (corner made), sk 2 ch, 5 dc in next ch, (sk 2 ch, 1 sc in next ch, sk 2 ch, 5 dc in next ch) twice, sk 2 ch, (1 sc, ch 1, 1 sc) in next ch, sk 2 ch, 5 dc in next ch*, repeat from * to * once, sk 2 ch, sl.st to beg. sc (16 groups of 5 dc made)

Round 2 (with next color): Attach yarn to the left of any sc (between a sc and the 1st dc of any group of 5 dc), ch 4, 1 dc to the right of that sc (cross dc made), ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc, (ch 1, cross dc at next sc, ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc) three times, *ch 1, 1 dc in ch 1 sp between next 2 sc, ch 1, 1 dc on right of 1st sc, ch 1, 1 dc on left of 2nd sc, ch 1, again 1 dc on ch 1 space between the 2 sc, ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc*, (ch 1, cross dc at next sc, ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc) 4 times, repeat from * to * once, (ch 1, cross dc at next sc, ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc) twice, repeat from * to * once (ch 1, cross dc at next sc, ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1 sc on next dc…. ch 1, sl.st. to 3rd ch of beg. 4 ch

round 3: sl.st. to ch 1 sp, between cross dc, ch 3, 4 dc in same sp, *ch 1, 1 sc in next sc, ch 1, 5 dc in next ch 1 sp between cross dc, repeat from * to corner (2 sets of cross dc), ch 1, 1sc, ch 1, 1 sc between the 2 sets of cross dc, continue working from * in pattern end with ch 1, sl.st. to 3rd ch of beg ch 3. fasten off

Round 2-3 is the repeat round for this pattern. Those 2 round are worked with the same color then fasten off and attach next color yarn to the left of any sc

For my daughter Leyla’s sweater I repeated round 2- 3 six times

Separating for armhole to sweater hem

armhole separation is done on a round as round 2

round 1: work as round 2 to corner. Do not increase at the corner, instead work this way:

when you reach the 2 sets of 5 dc seperated by (1sc, ch 1, 1 sc)

ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1sc in next dc, ch 1, 1dc on left of 2nd sc, ch 1, 1dc on right of 1st sc, ch 1, sk 2dc, 1 sc2tog between the next dc and the 3rd dc of the 1st group of 5 dc of next corner (armhole opening made), work as round 2 to next corner, join the next 2 corners the same way as the first 2 corners

round 2: work in pattern with no corner increase.
sl.st. to ch 1 sp, between cross dc, ch 3, 4 dc in same sp, ch 1, 1 sc in next sc, *ch 1, 5 dc in next ch 1 sp between cross dc, ch 1, 1 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, end sl.st.to 3rd ch of beg. ch 3

round 3:
Attach next color yarn to the left of any sc, ch 4, 1 dc to the right of that sc, ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc, *ch 1, cross dc at next sc, ch 1, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc, repeat from * around, end with ch 1, sl.st. to 3rd ch of beg ch 4

round 4 as round 2

repeat round 3 -4 sixteen times

sleeves

My daughter is very slim, to get fitted sleeves I used a 3 mm hook for the sleeves.

work sleeves as round 3-4 of previous section

I repeated round 3-4 eight times

Hem and sleeve ribbing

I used the ribbing as you go method. for how to make ribbing as you go check out the crochet K Sweater pattern

start with 8 ch, sc in 2nd ch from hook, so the ribbing is done with 7 back loop sc

https://hookoflove.com/2018/11/19/the-k-sweater/

Neckline border (optional)

To close the neckline opening a little I added a border. If you prefer a more open neckline skip this part

round 1 with yarn A: 1 sc in each st, finish last sc with yarn color C

round 2: ch 1, 1 sc in same sp, *, ch 1, sk 1 sc, 1 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, sl.st. to 1st sc with yarn color B

round 3: ch1, 1 sc in same sp, *ch 1, sk next ch, 1 sc in next sc, repeat from* around, sl.st.to 1st sc, with yarn color A

round 4 as round 3

Voila! you just finished making your Seashell Crochet Top