How to Crochet the Zinnia Top 🌸✨ | Free Written Pattern & Step-by-Step Tutorial

Hey! 

The Zinnia Off-Shoulder Top is a light and soft piece of clothing and has just the right touch of playful charm. The wide off-shoulder neckline gives it a breezy summer feel, while the simple stitches make it super comfortable to make. Best of all, it’s completely customizable... you can adjust the fit, length, or sleeves to match your style. It’s a project you’ll not only love working on but also love wearing and showing off. ✨

There is a detailed tutorial for the same on my YouTube Channel which you can check out here.

Materials:

• Yarn – Weight - 2 Acrylic Yarn (300 grams - depends on the size you’re making)
• Hook – 3.5mm (for most of the body) & 4.5mm hook (for the bottom portion)
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape
• Stitch Markers
• Yarn needle
• Safety Pins

You can use any yarn with the recommended hook size.

Abbreviations:

• st – stitch
• ch – chain
• hdc – half double crochet
• inc – increase (2 stitches into the same space)
• dc – double crochet
• dec - decrease
• sk st - skip stitch
• sc - single crochet
• sp - space
• sl st – slip stitch
• ch1-sp/ch2-sp - chain 1 space/chain 2 space

Pattern:

The Top Portion:

Use a 3.5mm hook.

Ch 41 (or any chain length that measures about 9 inches across your bust). Make a chain, hold it over your bust, and adjust the length to your preference. You can make more or less chains mased on how long you want this part to be.

Ch1 at the beginning of every row and it doesn’t count as a st.

Row 1:

• hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in every ch across - (40 hdc)
• The number of hdc at the end should be one less than the foundation ch you started with.

Row 2:

• ch1, turn
• hdc in each st across – (40 hdc)

Row 3 - Row 82:

• Repeat Row 2 until the piece is wide enough to wrap comfortably around your chest.
• Consider the stretchability of it the piece while deciding the final size. Try wrapping it around yourself, pinning the ends together, and adjusting to your desired fit. My panel measures approx. 27 inches wide after Row 82. Don’t fasten off.

Switch the hook to the 4.5mm hook.

Back Seam:

• Switch to a 4.5 mm hook.
• Fold your finished panel in half so the short edges meet.
• We will join the two sides with the same yarn which we didn’t fasten off.
• Using slip stitches, join the same stitch to the same stitch on both sides.
• Continue slip stitching up the side until you reach the other side. This creates a neat seam.

The Bottom Portion:

Make sure that the right side is facing out.

Continue with same hook (4.5mm) and yarn. Ch1.

Round 1:

Along the bottom edge of the panel, work 8dc between every 2 rows. (See the image below).

• Continue around until you reach the start again.
• (This creates the base round for the bottom section of the top.)

You can check out the YouTube video if you don’t understand how to do it.

Round 2:

• Join on top of the first dc with sl st.
• Ch1, dc in same st.
• dc in every st, sl st.
• Don’t turn, just continue in the side.

Round 3 - Round 16:

• Repeat R2

Round 2:

• Join on top of the first dc with sl st.
• Ch1, dc in same st.
• dc in every st, sl st.
• Don’t turn, just continue in the side.

Round 3 - Round 16:

• Repeat R2

You can repeat the Round 2 as many times as you want till you have the desired length for your top.

The Off Shoulder Sleeves:

Continue with the 4.5mm hook. Ch 16 (approx. 3"). Adjust ch length for wider or narrower sleeves.

Row 1: hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across - (15 hdc)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, hdc in each st across - (15 hdc)

Row 3– Row 104: Repeat Row 2 until strip is long enough.

This strip should be long enough to wrap around your arms – starting at center front, covering one upper arm, going across the back, covering the other upper arm, and meeting at the starting point. Mine measures about 38 inches.

Ch1, fasten off and sew the end part with the starting part with a tapestry needle. Pull it tight to scrunch it up, this will be in the front. Secure the tails.

Assembly – Attaching the Off-Shoulder Sleeve/Strap

1) Orient the top & strap

• Lay the top right side out with the side seam centered at the back (this is your back-center reference).
• Keep the strap’s join at the front center—this will help with alignment.

2) Find and mark centers (top & strap)

• The join in the back is the center and from there count equal stitches on both the sides to find the center at the front.
• Fold the top in half to find front center; mark it.
• Do the same for the strap. Here the join on the front is the center.

3) Align and pin evenly

• Place the strap around the top so it sits off the shoulders.
• Position: The lower edge of the strap should sit right over the top edge of the bodice (the strap’s center height roughly straddles the edge—half above, half below—so you can sew both layers neatly).

4. Try on & mark the arm openings

• Carefully try the pinned piece on.
• Adjust strap height so it sits comfortably off the shoulder and across the upper arms.
• While wearing, mark the start and end points of each arm area (where your upper arms pass under the strap).
  • Mark on both layers (strap and top) for each side.
  • These marked spans are the sections you will NOT sew—they’re the arm openings.

5) Sew the attached sections (leave arm openings free)

• Take the top off carefully, keeping markers in place.
• With the same yarn, sew the strap to the top only between the arm markers:
• Front panel: Sew from center → to right arm marker.
• Front panel: Sew from center → to left arm marker.
• Back panel: Sew from left arm marker → through center back (side seam) → to right arm marker.

• Do not sew across the marked arm openings.

Keep tension even and slightly relaxed so it stretches with wear.

6) Finish

• Weave in all ends neatly on the inside.
• Lightly steam/press or block if needed to relax the stitches.
• Try on again and confirm comfort at the arms and shoulder line. Adjust if needed.

You can find the complete pattern with the assembly instructions, photos of all the steps and joining method with all the details in the printable pdf pattern.

You can get the complete printable pattern on Ravelry

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