Shake and shimmy

Whip up a festival-ready crochet crop top that oozes Coachella appeal. Designed by Simone Francis.

YOU WILL NEED

DMC Petra Cotton 3 (100% cotton, 100g/280m), 2 balls of Yellow (5742) for all sizes with fringe For a Halter Top without fringe, 1(1: 1: 2) 100g balls are required A 3.5mm (US E/4) hook 53 ( 56: 59: 65) x 2cm (¾in) diameter gold sequins 2 stitch markers 4 small beads for ties (optional)

For yarn stockists contact DMC 0116 275 4000 www.dmc.com

TENSION

18 sts and 10 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over treble crochet using a 3.5mm hook or size needed to obtain stated tension

ABBREVIATIONS

2 treble cluster (2-tr cl) (Yrh, insert hook into next stitch, pull up a loop, yrh, pull through 2 loops) twice, yrh, pull through all 3 loops on hook Place Sequin (PS) Pull up sequin to hook, ch1 loosely For a full list, see page 92 If boho chic’s your thing and you’ve already memorised this year’s Glasto line-up, this cropped halter top is what’s been missing from your wardrobe. It’s embellished with fringing and sequins and fastens at the neck and back with ties.

NOTES

The Halter Top is worked from the top down. Extra rows are worked onto each side at the bottom to increase the width of the Back piece. A border and ties are added once complete. The sequins are threaded onto the yarn before starting and are pulled up behind the hook and fastened with a loose chain. Ties are added to the neckline and a long tie is criss- crossed through eyelets at the back to tighten to size.

HALTER TOP

Thread 53 ( 56: 59: 65) sequins on to yarn. With 3.5mm hook, ch29.

Foundation row (WS) 2-tr cl into 4th ch from hook, ch2, 2-tr cl into the same st, [skip 2 ch, (2-tr cl, ch2, 2-tr cl) into the following ch] 8 times, tr into last ch, turn. [18 clusters, ch3 and tr]

Row 1 (RS) Ch3 (counts as tr throughout), [(2-tr cl, ch2, 2-tr cl) into following ch-2 sp] 9 times, tr into t- ch, turn. In the following pattern rows, the first tr of the row is always replaced by ch3.

Row 2 Tr in each st to first cluster, 2tr in top of first cluster, 2-tr cl into following ch-2 sp, PS, (2-tr cl, ch2, 2-tr cl) in each ch-2 sp to last ch-2 sp, 2-tr cl in following ch-2 sp, PS, 2tr in top of next cluster, tr in each st to end, turn. [16 clusters, 6 tr]

Row 3 Tr in each st to first cluster, 2tr in top of first cluster, (2-tr cl, ch2, 2-tr cl) in each ch-2 sp, 2tr in next cluster, tr in each st to end, turn. [14 clusters, 10 tr] Rows 2 and 3 set pattern.

For sizes XS and S only

Rows 4-8 Repeat (Rows 2-3) two more times, then Row 2 once more. [4 clusters, 30 tr]

For sizes M and L only

Rows 4-5 Repeat Rows 2-3. Rows 6-7 Repeat Rows 2-3 but increase by 1 st at the beginning and the end of each row by working (ch3, tr) into first st and 2tr into last st. [6 clusters and 30 tr]

For size M only

Row 8 Repeat Row 2. [4 clusters and 34 tr]

For size L only

Row 8 Repeat Row 2, increasing by 1 st at the beginning and the end of the row as before. [4 clusters and 36 tr]

All sizes

Row 9 Repeat Row 3, increasing by 1 st at the beginning and the end of each row by working (ch3, tr) into first st and 2tr into last st. [2 clusters and 36 ( 36: 40: 42) tr]

Row 10 Tr in each st to first cluster, 2tr in top of next cluster, 2-tr cl in next ch-2 sp, PS, 2tr into top of next cluster, tr in each st to end, turn. [1 cluster and 40 ( 40: 44: 46) tr]

Row 11 Ch3, tr in st at base of ch, tr in each st to last st with 2tr in top of cluster, 2tr in last st, turn. [44 ( 44: 48: 50) tr]

Row 12 Ch3, tr in st at base of ch, 20 ( 20: 22: 23) tr, (2tr in next st) twice, tr in each st to last st, 2tr into last st, turn. [48 ( 48: 52: 54) tr]

Row 13 Ch3, tr in st at base of ch, tr in each st to last st, 2tr in last st, turn. [50 ( 50: 54: 56) tr]

Repeat (Row 13) 8 ( 10: 10: 12) more times, do not fasten off. [66 ( 70: 74: 80) sts] Place a stitch marker into top of first and last st of last row.

LOWER EDGE

Work 2 ( 2:4: 4) rows in tr st without shaping, turn.

Sequin Panel

Row 1 (WS) Ch3, tr into next 4 ( 4:4: 3) sts, PS, (4tr, PS) 14 ( 15: 16: 18) times, tr in each st to end, turn. [66 ( 70: 74: 80) sts/15 ( 16: 17: 19) sequins placed] Row 2 Ch3, tr into each st to end, turn. Row 3 Ch3, tr into next 6 ( 6:6: 5) sts, PS, (4tr, PS) 13 ( 14: 15: 17) times, tr in each st to end, turn. [14 ( 15: 16: 18) sequins placed] Row 4 Ch3, tr into each st to end, turn.

Row 5- 6 Repeat Rows 1-2. Work 2 rows in tr st. Do not fasten off yarn, rotate work 90 degrees:

BACK EDGE

Left Side Foundation row (RS) Ch3, 2tr into each row end working to marker, turn. [20 ( 20: 24: 24) sts] Row 1 Ch3, tr in each st to end, turn. Row 2 Ch3, tr in each st to last 2 sts, tr2tog, turn. [19 ( 19: 23: 23) sts] Row 3 Ch3, tr in each st to end, turn. Rows 4-5 Repeat Rows 2-3, turn. [18 ( 18: 22: 22) sts] Row 6 Ch1 (does not count as st), dc into each st to end. Fasten off.

Right Side

With RS facing, join yarn at marker with a ss. Foundation row (RS) Ch3, 2tr into each row end working to lower edge, turn. [20 ( 20: 24: 24) sts] Row 1 Ch3, tr in each st to end, turn. Row 2 Ch1, tr in next st (counts as tr2tog), tr in each st to end, turn. [19 ( 19: 23: 23) sts] Row 3 Ch3, tr in each st to end, turn. Rows 4-5 Repeat Rows 2-3, turn. [18 ( 18: 22: 22) sts]

Eyelet Row

Row 6 (RS) Ch1 (does not count as st), dc in first st, dc in next st, *ch3, skip next st, dc in next 3 sts; rep from *3 ( 3: 4: 4) more times. [4( 4: 5: 5) eyelets made] Rotate work 90 degrees and continue along lower edge as follows:

LOWER BORDER

Next row Ch1 (does not count as st), dc in corner st, *(2-tr cl, ch2, 2-tr cl) in next row end, skip next row end;** repeat from * to ** twice more along Back section, [(2-tr cl, ch2, 2-tr cl) in next st, skip 2 sts] repeated evenly along Front section; rep from * to ** twice along Back section, (2-tr cl, ch2, 2-tr cl) in last row end along Back section, (dc, ch1, dc) into corner st, rotate work 90 degrees:

Eyelet row Dc in next 2 sts, (ch3, skip next st, dc in next 3 sts) 3 ( 3:4: 4) times, ch3, skip next st, dc in last 2 sts.

TOP BORDER

Turn work 45 degrees:

Border Ch1, dc in same st, dc in first row end, *ch3, tr in first of these 3 ch, dc in next row end; rep from * working up side edge to top corner, dc in corner st, (ch3, tr in first of these 3 ch, dc in top centre of next cluster) 9 times, ch3, tr in first of these 3 ch, (dc, ch1, dc) in corner st, turn work 45 degrees, continue making edging into each row end down side edge and along back edge, dc in corner st. Fasten off.

TIES NECK TIES !MAKE 2"

Measure one strand of yarn 380cm long and fold in half, insert hook into top corner dc of neck and pull the halfway loop of yarn through, ch130 using both strands of yarn. Fasten off. Repeat for opposite side.

BACK TIE

With 2 strands of yarn held together, ch330 (350: 380: 400). Fasten off. Slot through eyelets of Back in a criss- cross motion.

TO FINISH

Trim all ties to size. Add bead to ends of ties and secure with a knot. Cut 4 strands of yarn 84cm long, fold in half and slot through lower edge to make fringe. Add 3 fringes to each Back section and 1 fringe to each cluster along lower Front edge. Trim fringe to size and weave in all ends.