#83 – AGAPE Crop Top

It’s a bit of a reach this week, but the Canadian connection is the red and white colours! My friend, Renée, actually asked me if I could make a custom crop top for her friend, and I jumped at the opportunity!

  • 1 skein of Premier Yarns Cotton Fair — a fine weight (2) yarn (above colour A: Cream)
  • 1/50 skein of Red Heart Soft – a medium weight (4) yarn (above colour B: Really Red)
  • Size G (4.00 mm) hook

Pattern by tick-tock hobbies

(abbreviations: SC = single crochet; DC = double crochet; INC = two single crochet into one stitch; DC2tog = double crochet two stitches together)

BODY

  1. Using colour A, foundation single crochet eighty-five stitches. (85 stitches)
  2. Chain-three and turn. The chain stitches will count as a stitch in each row. DC2tog in the fourth and fifth stitches from the hook. Starting in the same stitch that you finished the previous DC2tog in and finishing in the next stitch, carry out another DC2tog. Each DC2tog in this row should share a stitch with another DC2tog. Continue this across the row. When there is only one stitch left, do one DC in it. (85 stitches)
  3. Repeat step 2 sixteen more times.
  4. Chain-one and turn. Starting in the second stitch from the hook, slip stitch in the next ten stitches. Do a total of sixty-five DC2tog in this row in the shared-stitch style. (75 stitches)
  5. Chain-three and turn. DC2tog starting in the fourth and fifth stitches from the hook. Do a total of sixty-five DC2tog in this row in the shared-stitch style. (65 stitches)
  6. Chain-three and turn. DC2tog in the fourth and fifth stitches from the hook. In the next two stitches, without sharing a stitch with the previous or following DC2tog. Starting in the following two stitches, do fifty-seven DC2tog in the shared-stitch style. In the next two stitches, do an isolated DC2tog. Repeat an isolated DC2tog for the next two stitches as well. (61 stitches)
  7. Repeat step 6 nine more times, decreasing the number of DC2tog in the shared-stitch style by four each progressive row. (57 / 53 / 49 / 45 / 41 / 37 / 33 / 27 /23 stitches)
  8. Chain-three and turn. DC2tog in the fourth and fifth stitches from the hook. Continue the DC2tog in the shared-stitch style across the row. When there is only one stitch left, do one DC in it.(23 stitches)
  9. Repeat step 8 one more time.

HEART

  1. Using colour B, chain-two and INC in the second stitch from the hook. (2 stitches)
  2. Chain-one and turn. Starting from the second stitch from the hook, INC in each stitch across the row. (4 stitches)
  3. Chain-one and turn. Starting from the second stitch from the hook, INC in each stitch across the row. (8 stitches)
  4. Chain-one and turn. In the second stitch from the hook, INC. INC in the next stitch as well. In the next eight stitches, do one SC each. In the last two stitches of the row, INC in each. (12 stitches)
  5. Chain-one and turn. In the second stitch from the hook, INC. INC in the next stitch as well. In the next twelve stitches, do one SC each. In the last two stitches of the row, INC in each. (16 stitches)
  6. Chain-one and turn. In the second stitch from the hook, INC. INC in the next stitch as well. In the next sixteen stitches, do one SC each. In the last two stitches of the row, INC in each. (20 stitches)
  7. Chain-one and turn. In the second stitch from the hook, INC. INC in the next stitch as well. In the next twenty stitches, do one SC each. In the last two stitches of the row, INC in each. (24 stitches)
  8. Chain-one and turn. In the second stitch from the hook, INC.  In the next twenty-two stitches, do one SC each. In the last stitch of the row, INC. (26 stitches)
  9. Chain-one and turn. In the second stitch from the hook, INC. In the next eleven stitches, do one SC each. In the last stitch of the row, INC. (14 stitches)
  10. Chain-one and turn. In the second and third stitch from the hook, do a DEC. Do another DEC over the next two stitches. In the next six stitches, do one SC each.Do two more DC over the last four stitches. (10 stitches)
  11. Chain-one and turn. In the second and third stitch from the hook, do a DEC. Do another DEC over the next two stitches. In the next four stitches, do one SC each.Do two more DC over the last four stitches.(8 stitches)
  12. Using SC, work down the side of the last three rows so that you are back in the middle of the heart. You are now done one lobe.
  13. Repeat steps 9 – 11 to finish the other lobe of the heart.

I personally chose to finish the top with a corset-style lace-up back in red yarn, but honestly buttons or ties would work just as well! It’s completely up to you.

The exciting thing is that Uyen, Renée’s friend, actually asked me to make two crop tops, so I’ll be releasing another pattern soon! Anyways, since the other one is a bit more detailed, she asked me to keep this one simple, without any lace or fringe. Because of that, I wanted to make sure that the stitch of the top was a bit more distinctive. I chose a double crochet cluster stitch, as I really liked the little horizontal rows that developed. The downside was that this top used a lot more yarn than I was expecting.

Something that I really liked about this crop top is how easily it can be adapted with different appliques. If hearts aren’t your thing, you can easily stitch up something that is, without having to redesign your whole top. I actually did consider working the heart into the top as a form of tapestry crochet, but I decided that would limit the ways the top could be used.

I chose the name “agape” because it’s the Greek word (ἀγάπη) for an unconditional love. It’s typically used to describe God’s love for us, which I think is a beautiful thing. Besides, we could all use a little more love in our lives, right?

Until next time, happy crafting!

This pattern is an original pattern by June Cheung at Tick-Tock Hobbies – please do not claim this pattern as your own or reprint it on another site or any other format. If you want to share this pattern (and I’d love it if you do!), just link to this pattern and give me the proper credit. You may keep a copy of the pattern for your own personal use, but please DO NOT sell this pattern. Permission is NOT granted for any finished products to be sold for profit, or for mass production, or for factory manufacturing of any kind. Thank you so much for your respect and understanding! 

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