I have been so excited to finally share the Lexi Top!
The Lexi is a lightweight Tunisian crochet summer top designed in fingering-weight yarn, with a classic V-neck, simple Tunisian knit stitch fabric, and a shape that is easy to wear all summer long. And when the weather starts to cool down, I think this is one of those pieces that will transition beautifully into your wardrobe as a layering piece too.
One of my favorite things about the Lexi is how simple it looks when it is finished, because there is actually quite a bit happening behind the scenes to create that fit.
The Lexi Top crochet pattern is now available on Ravelry and Payhip.
Purchase the Lexi Top on Ravelry
Purchase the Lexi Top on Payhip
A Tunisian Crochet Top Made for Summer
When people think about crochet garments, summer isn’t always the first season that comes to mind. But yarn weight and fabric make such a difference.
For the Lexi, I chose a fingering-weight yarn and Tunisian knit stitch to create a fabric that feels lightweight enough for warmer weather while still having the structure I wanted in a garment.
The sleeveless shape makes it easy to pair with jeans, shorts, or a skirt, and I love that the simple silhouette lets the yarn and the Tunisian crochet fabric really shine.
And while I designed the Lexi as a summer top, it isn’t limited to one season. Throw a cardigan or jacket over it and it can easily become part of your fall wardrobe too.
Let’s Talk About This Yarn
The sample is made with Lambstrings Yarn Sadie Singles in the colorway Nettle, and this yarn was such a beautiful match for this design.
Sadie Singles is a fingering-weight, 100% superwash merino yarn with 400 yards per 100 grams. The soft variation in Nettle gave the finished top exactly the kind of light, summery feel I was hoping for.
And if you’ve never seen Lambstrings Yarn before, her colorways are absolutely beautiful. There is so much depth and movement in the dyeing, and I love the way that shows up across the simple Tunisian knit stitch fabric.
This is one of those cases where I think the yarn really becomes part of the finished design rather than simply being the material used to make it.
Designing the Fit of the Lexi Top
Probably the biggest challenge in designing the Lexi was the shaping.
I wanted this to be a size-inclusive Tunisian crochet top, but simply making each size proportionally larger wasn’t enough for me. Bodies don’t scale that way.
I spent a lot of time working through the shaping across all ten sizes so that the neckline, shoulder width, armhole depth, body width, and overall length would change appropriately as the sizes increased.
The Lexi is written for 10 sizes, with finished bust circumferences ranging from 30 to 66 inches.
The goal was to create a V-neck top that still felt like the same design in every size while allowing the proportions to work better for the body wearing it.
And this is also where my testers were incredibly important. Seeing the Lexi worked across different sizes and different bodies helped me evaluate not just whether the numbers worked on paper, but whether the actual garment worked.
How the Lexi Top Is Constructed
The Lexi is worked top down, beginning with the back shoulder panels.
Those panels are joined to create the upper back, and then the front shoulder panels are worked from the back shoulders. The front neckline is shaped as you work before the two front sections are joined.
From there, the front and back are connected and the body is worked down toward the hem.
The pattern is designed to have the body worked in the round, which makes for a beautifully seamless finish. If you aren’t ready to tackle Tunisian crochet in the round, though, I also included instructions for working the body flat and seaming the sides instead.
Because the body is worked from the top down, it is also easy to try the Lexi on as you go and adjust the length to suit your own body and the way you want to wear it.
What Skill Level Is the Lexi Top?
I rate the Lexi as an intermediate Tunisian crochet pattern.
The main stitch used throughout the garment is Tunisian knit stitch, so the stitch pattern itself is quite simple. The intermediate rating comes more from the garment construction, shaping, joining the different sections, and working Tunisian crochet in the round.
If you are already comfortable with the basics of Tunisian crochet and are ready to try a garment, the Lexi could be a really fun next step.
Yarn, Hook and Gauge
The Lexi uses fingering-weight yarn.
The sample was made with:
Lambstrings Yarn Sadie Singles
100% Superwash Merino
400 yards / 100 grams
Colorway: Nettle
The pattern uses a 6.5 mm Tunisian crochet hook, or the size needed to meet gauge, along with a smaller traditional crochet hook for the finishing borders.
Gauge is:
18.75 stitches × 18.5 rows = 4 inches in Tunisian knit stitch after blocking
As always with garments, I strongly recommend making and blocking your swatch and waiting at least 48 hours after drying before checking gauge.
Make the Lexi Top Your Own
One of the reasons I love top-down garments is the ability to make adjustments as you work.
You can add or remove length from the body depending on where you want your Lexi to hit. You can also adjust the neckline and armhole borders slightly during finishing if you prefer a little more coverage.
I really wanted the pattern to give you a defined shape while still leaving room to make the finished garment feel like yours.
Ready to Make the Lexi?
The Lexi Top Tunisian crochet pattern is available now on both Ravelry and Payhip.
Purchase the Lexi Top on Ravelry
Purchase the Lexi Top on Payhip
And if you make one, please tag me @thecraftycrochetier on Instagram. One of my favorite parts of releasing a pattern is getting to see the completely different versions that come from different yarns, colors, sizes, and makers.
I can’t wait to see your Lexi.
Happy crocheting!
xoxo Serena
