I needed a new crochet top for the Faster Horses music festival coming up this weekend here in Michigan. As I sat by my friends pool I began to make this Peek-a-boo Halter crochet top. It turned out even better than I expected and I’m excited to show it off at the music festival this weekend. Yes I could have saved myself some time and hit up the mall for a crochet top, but what I lost in time I saved tenfold in cash. This top cost me less than $3.00 to make. That means more money for festival food and drinks! Also since this top is extremely affordable to make, you could make multiple tops in varying colors and sell them for a pretty penny or two and bring in some extra cash! Making money doing a hobby you love is definitely something I can get behind. Let’s get to it ladies (or gents)!

*This post contains affiliate links meaning I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, when you purchase items through these links to help fund my costly yarn habits that allow me to keep posting patterns for you all. See my disclosure page for more information.*

Buying Crochet Supplies Pro Tip: If you purchase any of your craft supplies at Joann Fabrics like I do sometimes, then you should really consider getting the Ibotta App on your phone. They have 10% cashback coupons for Joann’s as well as other cashback opportunities on certain yarn brands like Big Twist. They also have lots of other retailers on there but I pretty much only use the Joann rebates. I have gotten almost $85 back from just buying things I would have bought anyways by scanning my receipt in the Ibotta App. You can have the money sent to your paypal or use it to get gift cards (Joanns, Applebees, etc).

Materials You Will Need

Yarn: I used Sugar and Cream 100% cotton yarn for this project. The peaches and cream cotton yarn is almost identical and could be used interchangeably. This yarn comes in small skeins/ball, or in larger cones. One small skein should be enough if you want to only do one color, or half of two different colored skeins.  If you plan on wearing this top in the water you will want to use a cotton based yarn. Acrylic yarn does not dry as nicely or as easily as the cotton yarn would.

Crochet Hook: I used a 5mm Clover Brand Hook. If you use a lighter weighted yarn you’ll want to use the hook size suggested for that yarn.

Tapestry Needle: This is a yarn needle to weave in your ends.

Scissors: to cut your yarn. The scissors below are the ones I use and keep in my crafting bag. They are super sharp and compact enough to carry with me and my projects!

Stitches Used in This Pattern

I will be using abbreviations (beginners check out my printable abbreviation cheat sheet) in this written pattern so here is a list of the names/abbreviations and brief directions for each:

Stitch (ST) – Next chain or stitch you are going to work into

Yarn Over (YO) – wrapping yarn around hook

Chain (CH) – After having an slip knot on your hook, YO and pull through your slip knot. That is a chain 1. YO again and pull through loop on hook. That is your chain 2, and so forth.

Slip Stitch (SS) – Insert hook into next chain/stitch and yarn over. Pull through chain/stitch and continue to pull through the loop on your hook.

Single Crochet (SC) – Insert hook into next chain/stitch and YO then pull through the chain/stitch. YO and pull through both loops on hook.

Single Crochet 2 together (sc2tog) – Insert hook and pull up loop, insert hook into next ST and pull up a loop. YO and pull through all loops on hook.

If you like this top, you may also like my American Flag Halter Top pattern or my simply cute bikini pattern both pictured below!

Peek-a-boo Halter Crochet Top Pattern

This top is made in a size medium. the other sizes will be written as follow M (S,L) for example Ch 4 (2,6). For a medium it would be ch4, ch2 for a small, and ch6 for a large.

Slip knot yarn onto hook.

Chain 51 (49,55)

Row 1: SC in the second CH from Hook. SC in each chain across for a total of 50 (48,54) SC’s. CH 1 and turn

Row 2: SC in each ST across. CH 1 and turn.

Repeat row 2 as many times as you desire! You could make this a longer halter top that hits mid-stomach or one the starts at the top of your rib cage like the one I made. I only did 2 rows of SC (Update: I ended up adding 2 more rows on the bottom along with another Strap! Check out description for this in the adding straps section (option 3 for straps). You can add the rows now or wait until the end to check the fit!).

When you have completed the amount of rows you want for your base, you will count and mark the 24th (23rd, 26th) stitch starting from either side, Skip 2 stitches, and mark the 3rd. Or you could count over 24 (23, 26)stitches from each end and mark it that way. Refer to picture below for clarification.

Row 3: SC across in the next 23 (22,25) stitches stopping at the stitch before your stitch marker. Ch 1 and Turn.

Rows 4-15 (15,19): Continue to SC across row, Ch1 and turn. Continue to SC across, CH 1 and turn for all of these rows.

Row 16 (16,20): Now we will begin our decreases on the outer edge of the top. You will do this by single crocheting the first two stitches together with a sc2tog at the beginning of the row. SC across CH 1 and turn.

Row 17 (17,21): SC in each ST across the row stopping before the last 2 stitches, sc2tog.

Repeat Alternating Rows 16 and 17 until you are left with only five stitches across on your row. (I did switch colors after 6 decreasing rows). Your top should look like the picture below at this point.

*Hint: To avoid confusion just remember all your sc2tog will always be on the outer edge of your project. We don’t want to decrease the center of the cups at all.*

Tie onto the outer edge of the other side. Repeat rows 3-17 and the repetition of decreasing rows 16-17 until the other side also is left with 5 SC’s across the top. So then your top should now look like the picture below.

Adding Neck Straps to Crochet Top

With your yarn still attached to the outer corner of the top (if it is on the inner corner SS through the stitches on the row to get to the outer edge) CH 70 (This is the length of the neck strap. Increase or decrease number of chains to fit preference). Now SS back down in each chain until you reach the corner of your top again.

SC across the top 5 stitches, CH 4, and connect to the other side of the top by SCing across the top 5 stitches again.

CH 70 (or however many you did on the other side) and then SS back down in each CH.

Cut yarn and tie off.

Adding Back Straps to Crochet Top

There are three options for this portion of the top. If you didn’t add additional rows of SC’s all the way across after row two, then you will be fine doing option 1. If you did add additional rows, or just like the idea of this side strap better go with option 2. For added security and support go with option 3.

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Shorter Length Top Option

Option 1 Row 1: Tie onto bottom corner of top. SC along side edge (refer to picture below for clarification) as evenly as possible. Stop when you get to the point where you begin your decreases on the side, CH 1 Turn.

Option 1 Row 2: sc2tog and SC across in each stitch at the end of the row CH 1 and Turn. (you are decreasing only the top side).

Option 1 Row 3: SC across row stopping with two stitches left, sc2tog.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until you have decreased enough so that only one SC remains in the row. CH 70 and SS back down the chain. Tie off and repeat on other side.

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Longer Length Top Option

Option 2 Row 1: Tie onto bottom corner of top. SC along side edge (refer to picture below for clarification) as evenly as possible. Stop when you get to the point where you begin your decreases on the side, CH 1 Turn.

Option 2 Row 2: sc2tog and SC across in each stitch and sc2tog for the last 2 stitches. (you are decreasing on both sides) Repeat until you only have one SC left in the row. CH 75 and SS back down the chain. Tie off and repeat on other side.

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Better Support Option

Option 3 Step 1: Follow all steps to create the straps for option two.

Option 3 Step 2: Now tie onto bottom corner. SC across bottom to other side. CH 80 and SS back down the chain. SC in each stitch back across bottom the other other side. CH 80, and SS back down to corner of top. Tie off.

Lace up front

Feel free to lace your top up however you please! You could lace it all the way up, half way up like I did, or even leave some extra and tie it in a neat bow! If you want to know exactly what I did continue reading below.

For this i tied onto the inner corner of the cup (either side will work). I chained about 40 and then left a 10 inch tail and cut my yarn. I weaved the the chain like a shoe lace up and back down and adjusted my chain to the proper length and tied onto the other corner. Refer to the picture below for clarification.

Relax! You’re Done!

That easy. Now you’ve got yourself a killer crochet top to wear all summer long. You could use it as a swim top, pair it with some high waisted shorts, or even a cute skirt! If you have ANY QUESTIONS about this crochet top pattern, or anything else on my blog or about anything at all honestly, please please leave me a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!

P.S. This is Rosco who sat with me while I crocheted by my friends pool! Total babe! 10/10 would dog sit again 😉

Also, if you would be willing, I would love for you to share your finished projects (and you wearing them out doing fun summer things!) on my blog’s Facebook Page! Or if you post on instagram tag me (taylorlynncrochet) so I can see how awesome they turned out! Thank you so much! If you have any suggestions for future projects or tutorials please comment below!