Garments Intermediate 4-6 hours Worsted yarn

Worked on the glider, counted out loud —

A breezy V-stitch summer top to crochet in rounds

A lacy V-stitch top worked in the round over a few relaxed evenings, for crocheters past their first garment.

Jump to the rounds

What this one is

This is the top you reach for on a warm evening when you want to feel a little dressed up without trying too hard. It's for the crocheter who's made a hat or a scarf and is ready to move into garments, someone who likes the idea of lace but wants a pattern that still makes sense after one read-through. The open V-stitch does the work of looking intricate while actually behaving itself round after round.

Your hands spend most of this project doing one small repeat: a V-stitch, then five double crochets, over and over around a joined ring that starts from a chain of 96. There's no counting rows of fiddly shaping, just steady rounds that build height as you go. Between the foundation chain, the body, and the finishing rounds at the armholes and neckline, you're looking at a handful of relaxed sessions rather than one long sitting.

Try it another way

The satisfaction here is in the rhythm. Once you've worked the first repeat of V-stitch, chain 5, double crochet in the next five chains, your hands just know what comes next, and the chain-5 spaces open up into a soft, airy lace almost without you noticing. Joining each round with a slip stitch into that beginning chain-3 keeps everything honest and tidy, so you always know where a round starts and ends. It's a project that rewards you early: within the first couple of rounds you can already see the top's character, that loose, breathable drape merino does so well. By the time you're shaping the armholes and neckline, you're not fighting a pattern you don't understand, you're just finishing something you already trust.

The rounds, in full

Written out, round by round

Intermediate4-6 hoursWorsted

Bring to the porch

Everything this one takes, in the order you will reach for it.

  • Loops and Thread Luxe Merino yarn (2 skeins, 341 yards each)
  • 4-millimeter crochet hook (size G)
  • Scissors
  • Blunt needle
  • Markers
  • Tape measure

Main Pattern

Getting Started Make a knot and chain 96. Slip stitch in the first chain to form a ring, ensuring the string isn't twisted.

  1. Round 1Chain 3. Double crochet in the next two chains. V-stitch in the next chain (double crochet, chain 5, double crochet in the same chain).Double crochet in the next five chains.Repeat the pattern (V-stitch, double crochet in the next five chains) around.At the end, double crochet in the last two chains.Join with a slip stitch in the third chain of the beginning chain 3.
  2. Round 2Chain 3. Double crochet in the next two stitches. Chain 2, single crochet in the next chain 5 space, chain 2.Skip the first stitch and double crochet in the next five stitches.Repeat the pattern (chain 2, single crochet in the next chain 5 space, chain 2, skip the first stitch, double crochet in the next five stitches) around.Join with a slip stitch in the third chain of the beginning chain 3.
  3. Round 3Chain 8, double crochet in the same stitch (first V-stitch).Skip the next two stitches.Two double crochets in the chain 2 space, double crochet in the next stitch, two double crochets in the next chain 2 space.Skip the next two stitches, V-stitch in the next stitch.Repeat the pattern around.Join with a slip stitch in the third chain of the beginning chain 8.
  4. Round 4Slip stitch in the next three chains to reach the center of the V-stitch. Chain 1, single crochet in the same space, chain 2.Double crochet in the next five stitches.Chain 2, single crochet in the next chain 5 space, chain 2, double crochet in the next five stitches.Repeat the pattern around.Join with a slip stitch in the first single crochet.
  5. Round 5Chain 3, two double crochets in the next chain 2 space. Skip two stitches, V-stitch in the center stitch.Skip the next two stitches, two double crochets in the next chain 2 space, double crochet in the next stitch, two double crochets in the next chain 2 space.Repeat the pattern around.Join with a slip stitch in the third chain of the beginning chain 3.
  6. Rounds 6–14Continue following the pattern, with increases in rounds 7, 10, and 11 to begin shaping the shoulders.

Creating Arm Openings

  1. Round 15Chain 8, double crochet in the same stitch (first V-stitch).Follow the established pattern until the marker.Chain 19 for the arm opening connector.Skip stitches between markers and continue the pattern.Repeat for the other arm opening.
  2. Rounds 16–42Continue following the pattern to create the body of the top.

Finishing Rounds

Putting it together

Step 1

Add finishing rounds to the arm openings and neckline for a clean edge.

Step 2

Weave in all ends to complete the top.

Marlene's notes

Note 01

Stick with the 4-millimeter (size G) hook throughout; a tighter or looser hook will change how open those chain-5 V-stitch spaces look against the merino.

Note 02

Place a marker at the join of Round 1 and move it up each round so you always know where your beginning chain-3 sits, especially once the V-stitch repeat is running on autopilot.

Note 03

Merino has more give than cotton, so check your tension a few rounds in and snug up any loose double crochets before they set into the fabric.

Porch photos

A breezy V-stitch summer top to crochet in rounds — photo 2
A breezy V-stitch summer top to crochet in rounds — photo 3
A breezy V-stitch summer top to crochet in rounds — photo 4

Before you sit down

  • Count out your starting chain of 96 before joining it into a ring, and double check it isn't twisted when you slip stitch it closed.
  • Confirm you have both skeins of the Luxe Merino yarn on hand (341 yards each) since this top uses the full amount across the body and finishing rounds.
  • Work a small test swatch in the V-stitch repeat with your 4mm (size G) hook to see how the chain-5 spaces sit before committing to the full round.
  • Read through Round 1 once in full, noting where the V-stitch falls and where the plain double crochets go, so the repeat around the rest of the round feels familiar.

How the hours go

Foundation chain and Round 1
about 20-30 minutes because you're chaining 96, joining carefully without a twist, and placing your first V-stitch repeat
Main body rounds
about 3-4 hours because the Main Pattern repeats its V-stitch and double crochet combination across all the body rounds
Armhole, neckline finishing, and weaving in ends
about 45 minutes to an hour because the finishing rounds and tucking away two skeins' worth of ends take a steady hand, not speed

Looking after it

  • Hand wash the finished top in cool water with a gentle wool-safe soap, then press out the water rather than wringing it, since merino felts easily under rough handling.
  • Dry it flat on a towel, gently easing the V-stitch rounds back into their open shape, and store it folded rather than hung so the fiber doesn't stretch out of shape over time.
FAQs

Asked on the glider

the ones that come up on the glider

Do I need both skeins of yarn to finish the top?

Yes, the materials list calls for both skeins of Loops and Thread Luxe Merino at 341 yards each, and the body plus finishing rounds use that full amount. Keep both skeins nearby from the start rather than opening the second one partway through.

What if my V-stitch spaces look tighter than I expected?

That usually comes down to tension rather than the pattern itself, so check that you're using the 4-millimeter hook and not pulling the chain-5 loops too snug. Working a quick swatch before you start the full round will show you how the spacing should look.

How do I know my foundation chain isn't twisted before I join it?

Lay the full chain of 96 flat on a table and run your finger along it before slip stitching the ends together; it should sit in one smooth loop with no fold in the chain. A single twist is easy to miss once you're a few rounds in, so it's worth the extra look.

Can I tell how the top is shaping up before I finish all the rounds?

Yes, because the V-stitch and double crochet repeat is consistent round after round, you can see the top's drape and openness within the first several rounds of the Main Pattern. If the lace looks tighter or looser than you'd like at that point, it's the easiest moment to adjust your hook size.

What's the best way to keep track of where each round starts?

Place a marker in the third chain of your beginning chain-3 at the start of Round 1, then move it up into the matching stitch each time you join a new round. It's a small habit that saves you from losing your place in the V-stitch repeat.

Is this a good first garment, or should I have made something simpler first?

It's better suited to someone who's already comfortable with basic double crochet and joining rounds, since the V-stitch repeat moves quickly once you know it. If you're brand new to crochet, a simpler project first will make the rhythm of this one click faster.