Crochet Crop Top, Shiny Cotton and a Pattern Review
I’ve made a lot of blankets and amigurumi animals over the years, but my recent birthday beach bag project inspired me to step outside my comfort zone. So, I tackled the Boho Crop Top by Hands of Zeal.
The stakes always feel higher with wearables. What if she doesn’t like it? What if it doesn’t fit? But this is a loose-fitting shirt made with large, unique granny squares, and I genuinely enjoyed making it. I know I’ll return to this pattern again and again.
The Pattern Itself
Okay, let's talk pattern! I’d say this is good for beginners. The instructions are super clear – always a huge win! There are a few less common stitches used (Begcl and Tr4tog), but steps for those are included, too.
What really drew me in were the granny squares. Instead of basic squares, they had flowers in the center, and because they’re about six inches across, you only need to make a handful to complete the shirt. After the first square or two, I was churning them out in 45 minutes or less.
The pattern includes instructions for multiple sizes, which is brilliant. I appreciate when designers consider inclusivity and it gives easier options for future projects (no guesswork).
Assembly was a breeze, though I admittedly made it harder than it needed to be! I accidentally sewed all the stitches together instead of just the corner pieces as shown in the diagram. Luckily, the shirt still looked perfect!
My very unofficial rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
It’s a well-written, visually appealing pattern.
It’s challenging enough to be interesting, but not so difficult that it sent me launching my hook across the room.
The granny square design is unique and beautiful.
I definitely recommend this pattern to beginners who want to make something practical and try out new stitches.
Mercerized Cotton and a Local Yarn Store Discovery!
Now, let's talk yarn! The pattern recommends 100% cotton, and I read that mercerized cotton is even better for clothes because a chemical process makes it more durable and gives it a sheen, but I’d never heard of mercerized cotton before. I've made tons of dishcloths with regular cotton, so I loved the idea of using a more luxurious material for a shirt.
The biggest challenge? Actually finding the mercerized cotton – specifically, in yellow! Apparently, everyone and their mom wants yellow mercerized cotton these days. It was out of stock everywhere I checked.
During my frantic search, I discovered a couple of small yarn shops near me. One had what I was looking for listed on their website, so I contacted them, but I wasn't getting a response. Ultimately, I odrdered Cascade Yarns Nifty Cotton in color 22 online and it turned out perfectly!
A couple of months later, I had a surprise afternoon off and decided to pop into that yarn store. I wasn't even thinking about mercerized cotton at the time, but I saw a few hanks on the shelf!!
Turns out, it’s glorious. Seriously. The sheen gives the yarn a luxurious look, and it’s incredibly soft. I bought the last four hanks on the shelf. While chatting with the sales associate, she she did tell me that yellow has been a very popular color this year.
Back to Boho Bliss
I’m currently working on another time-sensitive project: a colorwork baby blanket that's taking exponentially longer than I anticipated. I also severely underestimated how much yarn I needed! While I wait for my yarn delivery, I decided to pick up that dusty rose mercerized cotton and make another Boho crop top (for me this time)!