Hooded Cherry Crop Top: Free Crochet Pattern
Hooded Cherry Crop Top: Free Crochet Pattern
Introduction
This hooded cherry crop top is made for teens who love a dreamy, playful look with a little bit of retro charm. The body is worked in half double crochet back loop only, which gives the pastel pink tweed a soft, ridged horizontal texture that feels cozy and looks handmade in the best way. A cherry-red striped hem and a matching red edging around the hood frame the piece, while two flat cherry appliqués sit on the hood's front edges for a sweet finishing touch. It is a boxy, straight cropped top that ends near the natural waist, so it layers easily over a tee or wears on its own on warm days.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Worsted weight tweed wool, approx. 200 yds per 100 g skein.
- Color A (pastel pink tweed): 300 yds
- Color B (cherry red): 100 yds
- Hook: 5.0 mm (US H-8)
- Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch markers, scissors, measuring tape
- Finished size: To fit teen sizes XS–S: bust 30–32 inches, length 16 inches, hood height 12 inches
Abbreviations
- ch — chain
- sc — single crochet
- hdc — half double crochet
- blo — back loop only (work into the loop farthest from you)
- sl st — slip stitch
- inc — increase (work 2 sc in the same stitch)
- MR — magic ring (adjustable starting loop)
- st(s) — stitch(es)
- R — row
Gauge
14 hdc blo x 12 rows = 4 inches (10 cm). Work a small swatch in hdc blo and measure a 4-inch section in both directions before starting; if you have more stitches than 14, go up a hook size, and if you have fewer, go down.
Tips Before You Start
- Always work the hdc into the back loop only on every row of the body and hood — this is what creates the ridged texture, so don't skip it.
- Count your stitches at the end of each row. The body stays at 51 sts and the hood at 39 sts the whole way; a marker in the first and last stitch helps.
- The body is a plain rectangle with no shaping. Try it on (or hold it against yourself) before seaming so you can adjust the armhole opening to suit you.
- Keep your tension relaxed on the single crochet hem and hood edging so the red borders lie flat and don't pull the edges in.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Body (Color A)
R1: Ch 53, hdc in 3rd ch from hook and each ch across (51 sts).
R2–48: Ch 2, turn, hdc blo in each st across (51 sts).
Fasten off.
Hem (Color B)
Join B to the bottom edge of the body.
R1: Ch 1, sc evenly around bottom edge (51 sts).
R2: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (51 sts).
R3: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (51 sts).
Fasten off.
Hood (Color A)
R1: Ch 41, hdc in 3rd ch from hook and each ch across (39 sts).
R2–24: Ch 2, turn, hdc blo in each st across (39 sts).
Fasten off.
Hood Edging (Color B)
Join B to the bottom right corner of the hood.
R1: Ch 1, sc evenly around the entire outer edge of the hood (approx. 100 sc).
Fasten off.
Cherry Appliqué (Color B) — make 2
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring (6 sts).
Rnd 2: Inc x6 (12 sts).
Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] x6 (18 sts).
Rnd 4: Sc in each st around (18 sts).
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Stem (Color A) — make 2
R1: Ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (5 sts).
Fasten off.
Assembly and Finishing
Fold the body in half widthwise with right sides together. Sew the side seams from the bottom up, leaving the top 6 inches of each side open for the armholes. Fold the hood in half and sew the top seam to close it into a hood shape. Pin the lower edge of the hood to the neckline of the body, aligning the center back of the hood with the center back of the body, then sew it in place. Sew one cherry appliqué to each front edge of the hood, then sew a stem to the top of each cherry. Weave in all ends. Block lightly by misting with water and patting flat, keeping the hem and hood edging relaxed so they stay flat.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Make it longer: Add extra rows to the body before the hem for a tunic-length version — just add the same number of stitches to the hem rows.
- Change the palette: Swap the pastel pink tweed for lavender or mint and keep the cherry red for a different seasonal look.
- Add a drawstring: Thread a crocheted chain or thin cord through the hood edging for a sportier, adjustable hood.
