EVERY CROCHET Garments 3 rounds No account, no download
Diamond motif crochet top with a colour-block border
A single-motif diamond crochet top worked in double crochet (UK: treble crochet), with US and UK stitch names given.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 3-5 hours
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
Intermediate
What the original write-up called it. Nothing here is graded again.
Worsted
What the sample was worked in. Any weight works; the size moves with it.
3-5 hours
What the original page reckoned. Your own pace is the one that matters.
About this pattern
This pattern produces a single crocheted motif worn as a diamond-shaped top or cover-up, built from a magic ring through three colour-changed rounds of double crochet, then finished with a bright single crochet border that extends into long chained straps. It suits a confident beginner comfortable with magic rings, colour changes and basic corner shaping, and takes roughly one pattern repeat rather than multiple joined squares.
This piece is a single-motif crochet top styled as a diamond cover-up: one large motif, worked from the centre outward, forms the entire body of the garment, worn point-up rather than edge-up. The stitch family throughout is double crochet (UK treble crochet), the foundation of most granny-style motifs, chosen here for its height and the open, lacy structure it creates once corners are introduced in the final round.
Construction begins at a magic ring, with three rounds building outward in three distinct colours: a solid disc in round one, spoke-like double crochet clusters separated by chain-two spaces in round two, and corner shaping in round three that turns the circle into a four-cornered motif. A contrasting border colour is then worked along one straight edge rather than a corner, with long chains added at the shoulders and sides to form the ties that hold the finished diamond in place when worn.
Materials
- 6 colors of yarn
- Two crochet hook sizes (though one size can also be used)
- Scissors
- Yarn needle
The list is the pattern's own wording.
Instructions
Every round is printed as the pattern wrote it, brackets and all. Open the key beside a round to see only the short forms that round uses.
Main Pattern
- Round 1
Start with a tight magic ring; chain 3 (counts as first double crochet); make 15 double crochets into the magic ring (yarn over, pull through, pull through two loops on the hook, and then pull through the remaining two loops; repeat 14 more times); tighten the magic ring and slip stitch into the third chain of the starting chain; chain one and cut the yarn.
- Round 2
Attach a new color with a slip knot, insert hook into any double crochet top from the previous round; chain five, double crochet into the next stitch, chain two, double crochet into the following stitch; continue this pattern (double crochet, chain two, double crochet) around; slip stitch into an appropriate chain, chain one, cut the yarn.
- Round 3
Attach new color with a slip knot, insert into any space in the circle; chain three, do one double crochet in the same space, chain one, and do two double crochets into the next space; create corners by doing two double crochets, chain one, and two more double crochets in the same space; continue the pattern of clusters and corners around; slip stitch to join and cut the yarn.Switch colors and continue with additional rounds, following similar patterns of double crochets, chains, and corner formations.Adjust stitches to form the shape of the top, including neck openings and corners as described in the round outlines.
Making up
- Step 1Attach a new, bright color for the border. Start not at an edge, but along a straight line.
- Step 2Single crochet around the edge, creating straps by chaining a significant length at each shoulder and side (approximately 80 to 100 chains, adjust based on yarn thickness and your size).
- Step 3Ensure there are two straps at the top and one on each side for securing the top when worn.
- Step 4Fasten off your work neatly, weaving in all ends for a polished look.
Notes from the pattern
- Two hook sizes are listed, though the pattern notes one can be used throughout; if working with two, save the larger for the outer rounds where stitch count is highest.
- Rounds are joined with a slip stitch rather than worked in a continuous spiral, so a stitch marker is not essential, but marking the joining chain of round 1 speeds up locating the first stitch of round 2.
- Keep the magic ring pulled tight before securing it, since 15 double crochets sit close together in a small circle and a loose start reads as a visible hole at the centre.
- Six colours are available in total, with three used across the body rounds and one for the border; cut and fasten off after each round rather than carrying yarn, since every round starts with a fresh slip knot.
The essentials
- Rounds
- 3
- Level
- Intermediate
- Time
- 3-5 hours
- Yarn
- Worsted
Stitches you will use
- Magic ring Used to start round 1; pull it fully closed before joining so no gap shows at the centre of the finished diamond.
- Colour changes with a new slip knot Used at the start of rounds 2 and 3 and again for the border; secure and cut each colour cleanly since four colours meet at the join point.
- Corner shaping (two double crochet Used in round 3; space the four corners evenly so the motif squares off flat instead of rippling or cupping.
Troubleshooting
The motif cups instead of lying flat
The corner repeats in round 3 are likely uneven or too few, pulling the fabric inward; check that each corner has two double crochet, chain one, two double crochet worked into the same space, and ease the previous round flat before joining.
The straps come out uneven lengths
Chains were likely counted inconsistently while making the shoulder and side straps; count each new strap chain against a finished one before fastening off, staying within the 80 to 100 chain range and adjusting only at the very end.
Visible gaps or holes appear where colours change
The slip stitch join has loosened after cutting the yarn, or the new colour started into a chain space instead of a stitch top; pull the final slip stitch snug and begin the new colour directly into a double crochet top from the previous round.
Substituting yarn
- Cotton, DK weight
- Gives a crisper, less drapey diamond with sharper corner definition; usually needs a hook a size or two smaller than the size used for a softer yarn.
- Acrylic or acrylic-blend, worsted weight
- Closest match to the original weight and keeps enough drape for the straps to tie comfortably without stiffening.
- Linen or cotton-linen blend, 4-ply/fingering weight
- Produces a lighter, more open motif with a subtle sheen; needs a smaller hook and likely an extra round to reach a similar finished size.
Washing and care
- Hand-wash in cool water and check colour fastness first, since a piece built from several contrasting colours carries the greatest risk of colour bleed during the first wash.
- Dry flat, pinning the corners into shape while damp, so the diamond keeps its points rather than rounding off as it dries.
The photographs taken while this was being made
Every one was taken by whoever published the pattern, in the order the source listed them.
FAQs
Questions
Can this be made with only one hook size?
Yes, the materials list two hook sizes but note that one can be used throughout. A single hook keeps tension consistent across all three rounds and the border.
How many colours does the finished piece use?
The body uses three colours, one per round, plus a bright contrasting colour for the border. These are drawn from a wider set of six colours to choose from.
Why does round 3 change the shape from a circle to a square?
The corner repeats in round 3 add two double crochet, chain one, two double crochet at four points around the circle. This pulls those points outward and squares off what was a rounded motif.
Where should the border start?
Along a straight edge rather than at a corner, so the strap chains fall at the shoulders and sides instead of at a point.
How long should the shoulder and side straps be?
Roughly 80 to 100 chains each, adjusted up or down depending on yarn thickness and the wearer's size. Check the length against the body before fastening off.
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.