Free Crochet Pattern - The Medusa Halter Top

Feb 26

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Supplies

Yarn: You’re going to need approx. 250-350 yards of Dk Weight, #3 Yarn for your Main Colour and 130-150 yards for your Accent Colour.

I used some really nice Paintbox Cotton Yarn in colours Dusty Lilac and Champagne White. You can find it using my affiliate link here:

https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-us/p/paintbox-yarns-cotton-dk?utm_medium=affiliate&a_aid=8e8bc84a

4.00 mm

Tapestry Needle for sewing in ends.

Scissors

Sizing

This top is completely size inclusive when many options for customization throughout. You will need to feel comfortable measuring your own body for this pattern.

Gauge

4’ x 4’ Sc Rows = 16 Sts x 20 rows

Key (Us Terms)

Ch - Chain

St (s) – stitch or stitches

MC – Main Colour Single Crochet

AC – Accent Colour Single Crochet

Sc– Single Crochet

Hdc – Half Double Crochet

Inc – Increase, 2 Sts in the indicated St

Dec – Decrease Stitch

3Tog – 3 Stitches Together

SlSt – Slip Stitch

Sk – Skip

V St - (Dc, Ch 2, Dc) all in designated St

Double V St - (2 Dc, Ch 2, 2 Dc) all in designated St

Shell – (3 Dc, Ch 2, 3 Dc) all in designated St

← - Right Side (RS)

→ - Wrong Side (WS)

How to change colours

If you already feel confident with colour changes then skip this section and move onto the pattern

I used a mixture of tapestry and bobbin-like crochet method and carried my yarn when doing the moons. I cut and tied after each moon and snake and sewed in my ends afterwards. You will have a very noticeable Right and Wrong side with these projects.

There are TONS of resources on YouTube if you look up Tapestry Crochet or Crochet with Bobbins, you can learn these techniques via video. If you decide to carry your yarn the entire way, your halter may be slightly larger, so keep that in mind!

Here is an example below

← Row 10: (MC) x 3, (AC) x 1, (MC) x 8, (AC) x 1, (MC) x 3

This row is worked on the right side.
**Don’t forget to pull the sts tight **
So, you’ll start out by doing 2 Sc as usual, and you’re going to start your 3rd, but you must close it with your accent colour (AC),

and because there is only 1 Sc with the AC, you’ll close it with your MC.

Now, as I work the next Sts, I am going to carry my work behind (on the WS) my Sts.

And exactly like with the first 2 colour changes, you’ll do 7 Sc as usual, and close your 8th St with your AC, and because there is only 1 Sc with the AC, you’ll close it with your MC.

Finish the last 3 Sts as usual and without carrying .

Now lets demonstrate how to do the wrong side.

→ Row 11: (MC) x 3, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 6, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 3

Now, this row is worked very similarly, however, you will want to carry your yarn on the side facing you.

So, you’ll start out by doing 2 Sc as usual, and you’re going to start your 3rd, but you must close it with your accent colour (AC), when you do this, you must pull your working yarn towards you.

This time we have 2 Sc in the AC, so you will do 1 normal, and you’ll close the second one with your MC.

Now, you’ll want to make sure your AC is working on the front edge for the next few sts as you carry it. You’ll be doing 5 sts normally, and closing your 6th St with your AC.

Again, this time we have 2 Sc in the AC, so you will do 1 normal, and you’ll close the second one with your MC.

And finish your last 3 Sc without carrying your yarn.

Hopefully this info was helpful to you and will make your project easier!

Other Notes

· You’ll be working in rows and turning after each row

· Your turning ch will NOT be considered a stitch unless otherwise indicated in the pattern

· The method I used was a mixture of inertia and bobbin crochet. Please see section “How to change colours” above.

· If you carry your yarn the entire way, you may end up with a slightly bigger garment, so keep that in mind.

Medusa Halter Chart

The Written Pattern

Begin

To begin, you’re going to make a ch to the measurement of about 1 inch on either side of your neck, or nipple to nipple. Make sure your Ch is an even number.

Row 1: Sc into the 2nd Ch from the hook, Sc into each Ch across, turn

Row 2: Ch 1 , Inc Sc, Sc across, Inc Sc

If you want your top to be a bit longer, you may want to add more rows here, I made mine with a total of 5 Sc Rows and I am a size M/L. If you want to add more rows, repeat Row 2 as many times as you like.

And move onto the next section. If you are following the Ch above, make sure to read the notes

Body

Now, your going to want to find the centre 15 Sc of the Row. This will be your Chart

You will continue to Inc into the First and Last Stitch of EVERY Row. However, You’re going to want to stop increasing once you have the right amount of coverage, mine ended at about the middle of my armpit on either side, along the largest point of my bust. Because this is size inclusive, you may finish this on a different row than others.

Once you have finished increasing, you will continue with the Chart but just have 1 Sc into the First and Last Stitch of the row to create a straight edge down. You will make straps later on in the pattern.

See photo below for reference.

Body – Chart, Written

MC: Main Colour

AC: Accent Colour

→ Row 1: (MC) x 4, (AC) x 1, (MC) x 5, (AC) x 1, (MC) x 4

← Row 2: (MC) x 4, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 3, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 4

→ Row 3: (MC) x 4, (AC) x 7, (MC) x 4

← Row 4: (MC) x 5, (AC) x 5, (MC) x 5

→ Row 5: (MC) x 6, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 6

← Row 6: (MC) x 15

→ Row 7: (MC) x 6, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 6

← Row 8: (MC) x 5, (AC) x 5, (MC) x 5

→ Row 9: (MC) x 5, (AC) x 5, (MC) x 5

← Row 10: (MC) x 5, (AC) x 5, (MC) x 5

→ Row 11: (MC) x 6, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 6

← Row 12: (MC) x 7, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 5

→ Row 13: (MC) x 3, (AC) x 4, (MC) x 8

← Row 14: (MC) x 9, (AC) x 4, (MC) x 2

→ Row 15: (MC) x 1, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 4, (AC) x 4, (MC) x 3

← Row 16: (MC) x 2, (AC) x 7, (MC) x 2, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 1

→ Row 17: (MC) x 1, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 1, (AC) x 9, (MC) x 1

← Row 18: (MC) x 1, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 3, (AC) x 7, (MC) x 1

→ Row 19: (MC) x 2, (AC) x 5, (MC) x 4, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 1

← Row 20: (MC) x 1, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 11

→ Row 21: (MC) x 7, (AC) x 7, (MC) x 1

← Row 22: (MC) x 2, (AC) x 10, (MC) x 3

→ Row 23: (MC) x 2, (AC) x 7, (MC) x 6

← Row 24: (MC) x 10, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 2

→ Row 25: (MC) x 2, (AC) x 6, (MC) x 7

← Row 26: (MC) x 4, (AC) x 7, (MC) x 4

→ Row 27: (MC) x 7, (AC) x 5, (MC) x 3

← Row 28: (MC) x 3, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 9

→ Row 29: (MC) x 7, (AC) x 4, (MC) x 4

← Row 30: (MC) x 5, (AC) x 6, (MC) x 4

→ Row 31: (MC) x 3, (AC) x 5, (MC) x 7

← Row 32: (MC) x 10, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 2

→ Row 33: (MC) x 2, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 11

← Row 34: (MC) x 10, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 2

→ Row 35: (MC) x 3, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 10

← Row 36: (MC) x 10, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 3

→ Row 37: (MC) x 4, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 9

← Row 38: (MC) x 9, (AC) x 1, (MC) x 5

→ Row 39: (MC) x 5, (AC) x 1, (MC) x 9

← Row 40: (MC) x 15

→ Row 41: (MC) x 6, (AC) x 3, (MC) x 6

← Row 42: (MC) x 5, (AC) x 5, (MC) x 5

→ Row 43: (MC) x 4, (AC) x 7, (MC) x 4

← Row 44: (MC) x 4, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 3, (AC) x 2, (MC) x 4

→ Row 45: (MC) x 4, (AC) x 1, (MC) x 5, (AC) x 1, (MC) x 4

Now, you can snip off your AC. You’ll want to add a few more Rows of your MC before moving onto the next section, add as many as you like to feel like you have enough coverage. I added 5 Rows to match the top. Do not fasten and move onto the next section

Straps

Turn your work 90 degrees so that you are working along the flat edge of the garment.

Row 1: Ch 1, Sc into each row across and stop just before you reach the slanted edge, try to make this an odd number, turn

Row 2: Ch 1, Dec Hdc, Hdc until there are 2 Sts left, Dec Hdc, turn

Row 3-4: Ch 1, Hdc across

Repeat Rows 2-4 until you have 5 Stitch Left

Row 5: Ch 1, Hdc x 5, turn

Repeat Row 5 until you have a good length of a strap to be able to tie it up, I did 50 Rows for mine.

Row 6: Ch 1, Dec Hdc, Hdc, Dec Hdc, turn

Row 7: Ch 1, 3tog Hdc

Fasten

Insert your hook onto the other side of the flat edge and repeat Rows 1-7 on the other side to make the second strap!

Border

For this Section, your starting Ch counts as a St.

To know where to insert your AC, you’ll need to count how many stitches you finished of the body. You’ll want to make sure that you start the next Row with a multiple of 4 + 1. If you need to add some stitches, you’d rather go into your strap slightly than miss stitches on the body so that the ruffles cover the front of your body.

For example, my last row from the body section, I had 39 stitches, so I did the math. 40 is a multiple of 4, and I needed to add my +1, which then is 41 stitches. So, I went over into my strap 1 stitch on either side. See photos below for reference.

Row 1: Ch 3 (this counts as a Dc), * Sk 1, V St in next St, Sk 1, Dc in next, rep from * until end of Row, turn

Row 2-3: Ch 3, * Double V St in Ch 2 Sp, Dc into next Dc, rep from *, turn

Row 4: Ch 3, * Shell into Ch 2 Sp, Dc into next Dc, rep from *, turn

Do not Fasten and move to next Section

Edging

Turn your work 90 degrees so that you’re working along the side of the rows

For this next part, you are basically adding Sc along the entire garment

Ch 1, 3 Sc into the side of each Dc,

then add Sc along the strap until you get to the tip, place 5 Sc into this Sp, see reference photos below,

Continue to work along the side of the strap with Sc, and then along the edge of the body until you get to your very first starting Ch, then, make a Ch length long enough to tie around your neck, mine was about 80 Chs, then turn and work along the Ch, Sc into the 2nd Ch from the hook, and Sc across until your back to your starting Ch, Sc across until you get to the other corner, now repeat backwards what you did on the other side to match. Fasten and sew in all your ends