STITCH ROUND Lace shell-stitch crochet tank top pattern
3 rounds to tick off this lace shell-stitch tank top, shaped at the armholes and neckline.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Rounds
- 7 rounds
- Yarn weight
- Lace
- Hook
- 2 mm
- Time
- 4-6 hours
Intermediate
What the original page called it. Nothing here is graded a second time.
7 rounds
Each one gets its own line, with a box beside it to tick as you go.
Lace
What the sample was made in. Any weight works — the size moves with it.
About this pattern
This tank top comes together in a single Main Pattern section worked through three rounds, built from a repeating shell-and-V-stitch lace. Multicolor lace yarn paired with a 2 mm hook keeps the fabric light and open, so the shell stitches and chain spaces show clearly as each round stacks. Once the first three rounds are checked off, the same rhythm of single crochet, shell stitch, and V-stitch carries the body forward, giving the top its airy, textured drape without needing to track dozens of separate stitch counts.
Shaping happens in three places: the armholes, the neckline, and the shoulders. Slip stitches skip stitches at the start of a row to carve out each armhole, so slow down there and check the count before starting the next row. Stitch markers flag where the neckline decreases begin, and each shoulder is then worked on its own, keeping the shell-and-V pattern intact on both sides. Take extra care at these three transitions, since they are the only points where the regular repeat breaks from the established rhythm.
- Chain a foundation row and set up the first shell stitch pattern with single crochets between shells.
- Turn after each row and build the V-stitch and middle shell repeat across the piece for several rows.
- Decrease at the armholes using slip stitches from the start of the row on each side.
- Keep working the established pattern until the armhole shaping matches on the opposite side.
- Mark the neckline point, then slip stitch or skip stitches there to begin the neckline shaping.
- Split the work and finish each shoulder on its own, keeping the shell-and-V pattern going.
What goes wrong
- Losing the shell stitch spacing Recount the skipped chains before each shell stitch so the four double crochets land in the same stitch every time. A shift of even one chain throws off the whole repeat.
- Skipping the turn after V-stitch rows Turn the work at the end of every row that ends in a V-stitch before starting the next one. Otherwise the shell placement drifts to the wrong side of the fabric.
- Miscounting slip stitch armhole decreases Count the skipped stitches from the start of the row slowly before beginning the new stitch. Check both sides match before continuing to the next row.
- Forgetting the neckline stitch markers Place markers before working the neckline row, not after reaching the shaping point. This keeps the decrease starting exactly where planned on both shoulders.
Yarn, hook and the rest
Copied from the source pattern's own materials list.
- Multicolor lace yarn
- 2 mm crochet hook
Progress tracker
0 of the 7 rounds on this page are ticked.
The pattern, round by round
Kept in the order and the wording the source used. Tick a round as you finish it; the ticks stay on this device.
Main Pattern
Start
Make a slip knot and chain 122 stitches (calculated as 15 * 8 + 2).
Round 1
Skip the first chain. In the second chain from the hook, make a single crochet. Chain one, skip three chains, and in the fourth chain, make a shell stitch (four double crochets, each separated by a chain one, all in the same stitch).Step by step: Continue the pattern of skipping three chains, making a single crochet, and then creating a shell stitch in the fourth chain. Finish the row by chaining one, skipping three stitches, and making a single crochet in the last chain.
Round 2
Turn the work, chain three, and make a double crochet in the first single crochet.Step by step: Chain two, make a single crochet in the middle chain space of the previous row's shell stitch, chain one, and make another single crochet in the same space.Continue with a V-stitch (double crochet, chain one, double crochet) in each single crochet from the row below, and repeat the middle shell pattern until the end of the row, finishing with two double crochets in the last single crochet.
Round 3
Chain three, double crochet in the first stitch (creating half a shell stitch), chain one.Step by step: Make a single crochet in the chain space of the V-stitch from the previous row, then repeat making shell stitches in the chain spaces, ending with half a shell stitch in the last stitch.
Round 4+
Row 4 and Beyond: Chain one, turn the work, and make two single crochets in the first stitch.Step by step: Follow the established pattern of shell stitches and V-stitches, alternating as you began in previous rows, continuing until the piece reaches the desired length before starting armhole shaping.
Section Armholes and Neckline
Armhole Shaping
After finishing a row where the pattern ends with a V-stitch, turn your work. Use slip stitches to decrease for the armholes by skipping stitches from the start until you reach the desired stitch for beginning your row. Continue with the regular pattern until the piece mirrors the armhole decrease on the other side.
Neckline Shaping
Place stitch markers where you want to start decreasing for the neckline. Work in pattern until you reach the marker, then use slip stitches or simply skip stitches to shape the neckline. Work each shoulder separately, maintaining the established stitch pattern.
Join
Step 1Joining Front and Back :
Step 2Sew the shoulders and sides together, ensuring the right sides are facing each other.
Step 3Use a whip stitch or a mattress stitch for seaming.
Finish
- Work a single crochet edge around the armholes and neckline.
- Secure and weave in all loose ends.
- Add any additional decorative details like edging or borders if desired.
Bigger or smaller
- Larger
- Repeat the Main Pattern's row sequence extra times before starting the armhole shaping, adding length to the body before decreases begin.
- Smaller or larger
- Swap the 2 mm hook and multicolor lace yarn for a smaller or larger pair to tighten or loosen the shell-and-V gauge across the whole tank top.
Photographs of this one
Every photograph on this page was taken by whoever published the pattern, and they are printed in the order the source listed them.
FAQs
Asked and answered
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.
What yarn and hook does this tank top use?
The pattern calls for multicolor lace yarn worked on a 2 mm hook. That combination keeps the shell-and-V lace open and lightweight.
How is the armhole shaped?
Armhole shaping uses slip stitches to skip stitches from the start of the row until reaching the point to begin the new row. The same decrease is repeated on the second side until both match.
Do the shoulders get worked together or separately?
Each shoulder is worked on its own once the neckline shaping begins, keeping the shell-and-V pattern established across the row. The front and back pieces are then joined afterward.
How are the front and back joined?
Shoulders and sides are sewn together with right sides facing, using either a whip stitch or a mattress stitch. Weave in ends before seaming so the lace stays neat.