Introducing the Penelope Crop Top crochet pattern—a charming project perfect for beginners. What makes it ideal for those new to crochet is the straightforward construction with playful, easy to make detailing in the peek-a-boo section as well as the ruffled bordering. So if you’re looking for the perfect crochet crop top tutorial for your first project of the summer, you’re in the right place!

Crafted with care and designed with simplicity in mind, the Penelope Crop Top is a delightful addition to any crocheter’s repertoire. Whether you’re exploring crochet for the first time or seeking a fun and rewarding project that works up quickly, this pattern is sure to inspire creativity and confidence!

The decision to design this pattern was driven by a desire to create a project that is both accessible to beginners and satisfying for seasoned crocheters. I wanted to find the balance between simple and sophisticated, which I achieved by playing around with small details that elevate the otherwise rather simple crop top. By incorporating playful peekaboo detail and adorable ruffles, the Penelope Crop Top adds a touch of whimsy and charm to any wardrobe, making it a versatile and delightful addition to your handmade collection.

An ad-free version of this crochet pattern with helpful graphs and extra images of the crocheting process can be purchased on my  Pattern Store.

Redistribution and Selling

This pattern is copyrighted and for personal use only. Sharing or selling any part of, or information from this pattern, is prohibited. You cannot publish (whether its printed or online), reproduce, alter, swap or resell any part of this pattern or the pattern as a whole.

You can sell finished products created using this pattern. You may not use my photos of the finished product to advertise your listing, this is to avoid confusion as our work might differ slightly. When selling online, please link back to my original pattern listing or tag me where possible.

Notes

• The crop top is made up by crocheting top down in a long rectangular panel, leaving a peek-a-boo gap in between the bottom section of the top as detailing. A border is then added by crocheting along the edges of the crop top. The border creates the ruffles, straps and loops for straps to tie through.
• This pattern uses US terminology.
• This pattern is written in made to measure style, meaning there aren’t exact sizes or stitch numbers to follow. While stitches used to create the sample size are included, you should follow the measure-yourself style instructions and check the fit as you’re working on the piece. This allows you to create the top in literally any size and achieve the perfect fit every time!
• This pattern is for beginner level crocheters. The shape is worked up back and forth in rows, there is basic shaping involved when creating the peek-a-boo detail. The pattern uses the three basic stitches, SC, HDC, and DC. This makes it the perfect project for beginners wanting to venture into creating wearables.
• You can use any yarn and a matching hook of your choice to create this top. When choosing the yarn, remember that using thinner yarns means you might have to add more rows to reach the desired size. The reverse applies to thicker yarn as well, the rows will be taller and you’ll need less rows to achieve the desired size for your crop top.

Materials

• Crochet hooks that match your yarn
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle
• Yarn A – Your choice of yarn for the crop top.
• Yarn B – Your choice of yarn for the border.

For reference, I used about 50g of James C. Brett Fairground DK in Pink/Grey Mix or G12 and 20g of Stylecraft Special DK in A Hint of Silver with a 3,5mm hook.

Gauge

As this is a made to measure style pattern, matching gauge is not necessary.

Good to Know

• This is a beginner level crochet pattern.
• This pattern is written using US crochet terminology.
• Instructions are given as measurements compared to your body (ex. work until the hat fits around your head) to ensure perfect fit. If working the pattern for someone else, I recommend following measurements in Craft Yarn Council’s size chart.
• CH at the start of the row does not count as a ST.

Stitches & Abbreviations

• CH – chain
• ST – stitch
• SL ST – slip stitch
• SC – single crochet
• HDC – half double crochet
• HDC2tog – half double crochet 2 together/HDC decrease
• DC – double crochet
• *…* x times – repeat instructions written in between asterisks specified number of times.
• (…) – instructions written between brackets are to be worked into the same stitch.

Penelope Crochet Crop Top Pattern

Start of the Crochet Crop Top

Using Yarn A and a matching hook, CH an even number until the string of CHs is long enough to fit horizontally across your chest from side to side, then + CH1. You’ll be working into the 2nd CH from the hook. The sample has 58 CH + 1 for a total of 59 CH total.

Row 1. HDC across, CH1 and turn

Repeat Row 1 until the panel is long enough to cover your chest, then attach Yarn B and repeat Row 1 once more and change back to Yarn A. The sample has 18 rows of HDCs before the row done with Yarn B.

When counting ST, you should have the same amount of ST total as you had CH in the beginning. For the sample, this meant 58 HDC per row.

Peek-a-boo Detail of the Crochet Crop Top

To find how many ST you’ll need to do in Row 1 of peek-a-boo detailing, you’ll want to divide the initial number of CH or ST per row by 2 and then remove 2 from that number, we’ll call this number X. In the sample, X = 58:2-2 = 27ST in the 1st Row.

Note: You’ll still be working into every single stitch, the “remove 2” in the equation is the decrease.

You’ll be working with Yarn A.

Row 1. HDC X times, HDC2tog, CH1 and turn.
Row 2. HDC2tog, HDC across, CH1 and turn.
Row 3. HDC until you have 2 ST left to work into (these should be HDC and HDC2tog), HDC2tog, CH1 and turn. Row 4. Repeat Row 2.

If you want the peek-a-boo detailing to be a bigger cutout than it is on the sample, you can continue working Row 3 and Row 4 until the cutout is big enough.

Move on to Row 5.

Row 5. HDC until you have 1 ST left to work into, into next ST (2HDC), CH1 and turn. Row 6. Into next ST (2HDC), HDC across, CH1 and turn.
Row 7. Repeat Row 5.
Row 8. Repeat Row 6, fasten off.

If you added extra rows of decreases before, you’ll have to add the same number of rows of increases before fastening off.

Turn your work so the panel you just finished is on the right side of the top, the empty side should be on the left. Attach yarn to the left of the last ST of Row1 of the right side of peek-a-boo detailing. You’ll be working with Yarn A.

Row 1. HDC2tog, HDC across, CH1 and turn.
Row 2. HDC until you have 2 ST left to work into (these should be HDC and HDC2tog), HDC2tog, CH1 and turn. 
Row 3. Repeat Row 1.
Row 4. Repeat Row 2.

If you added extra rows of decreases when working the other side of the peek-a-boo detailing, you’ll need to work the same number of rows on this side as well.

Move on to Row 5.

Row 5. Into next ST (2HDC), HDC across, CH1 and turn.
Row 6. HDC until you have 1 ST left to work into, into next ST (2HDC), CH1 and turn. Row 7. Repeat Row 5.
Row 8. Repeat Row 6, do NOT fasten off.

If you added extra rows of increases when working the other side of the peek-a-boo detailing, you’ll need to work the same number of rows on this side as well.

Note: If you added increase/decrease rows, you might end Row 8 in the middle of the work rather than on one of the sides. In this case, fasten off, turn your work so the wrong side of the last row is facing you and attach yarn to the rightmost stitch.

Move on to Row 9.

Row 9. HDC across both panels, CH1 and turn.

Repeat Row 9 until the top is your desired length, then fasten off. The sample has 3 repeats of Row 9 in total.

When counting ST, you should have the same amount of ST total as you had CH in the beginning. For the sample, this meant 58 HDC per row.

Border of the Crochet Crop Top

Turn your work so the right side is facing you and the top is upside down. Attach Yarn B to the rightmost ST and CH2 (counts as first DC).

Bottom ruffles. DC into the same ST, *into next ST (2DC)* repeat between * across.

First side of the top. Work 2SC into the side of the last DC to turn. Into next ST (SC, CH3, SC), this creates a loop for the long straps to tie through. SC into the side of every row until you reach the HDC row done with Yarn B, into the side of the HDC done with yarn B (SC, CH3, SC). SC into the side of every row across.

First strap. SC into the corner ST, then CH until the string of CHs is long enough to act as a long strap, then SL ST all the way back down the CHs and SC into the same corner ST again. The sample has 201 CH and 200 SL ST in the straps.

Top border the top. SC into every CH across.

Second strap. SC into the corner ST, then CH the same number you did for the other strap, SL ST all the way back down the CHs and SC into the same corner ST again.

Second side of the top. SC into the side of every row until you reach the HDC row done with Yarn B, into the side of the HDC done with yarn B (SC, CH3, SC). SC into the side of every row until you reach the last row, into the side of that HDC (SC, CH3, SC). Work 2 SC into the side of the CH2 that acts as the first DC of the ruffles, SL SL into the top of the CH2.

Fasten off.

Attach Yarn B to any of the ST around the peek-a-boo detailing cutout. Work a SC into every row around, SL ST into the first SC once you reach back to it, fasten off.

You can leave the top as is or weave a string of yarn through the middle and pull it tight to create ruched detailing in the middle of the chest panel.

Weave in the ends and….

Congrats! You’ve done it! ❤