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
attach yarn to left of sc, ch 4 
dc to right of sc (cross dc made) 
1 sc to middle dc of group of 5 dc 
cross dc at corner – 1 dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1 
1 dc at right of 1st sc, ch 1 
1 dc at left of 2nd sc, ch 1
1 dc again in ch 1 space between the 2 sc, ch 1 
sk 2 dc, 1 sc on next dc which is the middle dc of the group of 5
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
