The Daisy Kiss Crop Top is a fitted red camisole-style top trimmed with nine little white daisies. The flowers run along the front neckline and climb up both straps, so the top looks like a summer garland.
The body uses suzette stitch, a simple pair of a single crochet and a double crochet. It makes a dense, textured fabric with tiny crossed V shapes that hides the body well and keeps its shape. The daisies have flat red centers and six plump cream petals made of tall puff stitches.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished top measures 30 in (76.2 cm) around the chest and 9 in (22.9 cm) long, so it fits a 32–34 in (81.3–86.4 cm) bust with 2–4 in (5.1–10.2 cm) of negative ease.
You’ll crochet the body as one seamless tube in joined, turned rounds, then add a short single crochet border to the top and bottom edges. Next, make two straps lengthwise and sew them on. Finally, make nine flowers and sew them along the neckline and straps.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 30 in (76.2 cm) around the chest, 15 in (38.1 cm) wide laid flat, 9 in (22.9 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (3), cotton or cotton blend
- Hooks: 4.0 mm (G-6) for the body; 3.5 mm (E-4) for the border, straps and flowers
- Number of pieces: 12 (1 body, 2 straps, 9 flowers)
- Layout: 5 flowers along the front top edge, 2 flowers up the front of each strap
- Flower size: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across
- Strap size: 14 in (35.6 cm) long × 1 in (2.5 cm) wide
- Body size before border: 30 in (76.2 cm) around × 8 in (20.3 cm) tall
- Border depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm) at the top and 0.5 in (1.3 cm) at the bottom
Materials
Use a smooth DK cotton or milk-cotton yarn. Cotton shows off suzette texture clearly and gives the puff petals crisp ridges. The amounts below assume balls of about 50 g / 112 m (122 yd).
- Red: 200 g / 448 m (490 yd) for the body, border, straps and flower centers
- Cream white: 50 g / 112 m (122 yd) for the petals and for sewing
These quantities include a margin of about 15%, so you won’t run short if your gauge is a little loose.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 4 locking stitch markers
- Sewing pins
- Measuring tape
- Blocking mat and steam iron or spray bottle
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- fsc – foundation single crochet
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- MR – magic ring
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
Special stitch – tall puff (tpuff): Yarn over, insert hook into the indicated space, yarn over and pull up a loop to 0.75 in (1.9 cm) tall. Repeat from * 3 more times (9 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through all 9 loops, then ch 1 to close.
Suzette pair: (sc, dc) worked in the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Body gauge (4.0 mm hook, suzette stitch): 20 sts and 20 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Border and strap gauge (3.5 mm hook, sc): 20 sts and 16 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Test one piece first. Before you start the body, make one flower. If it measures 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across, your flower tension is right. Then make a body swatch: fsc 30, then work suzette rows (described below) for 20 rows. The swatch should measure 6 in (15.2 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
Checkpoints:
- Flower after Round 2: 0.9 in (2.3 cm) across
- Flower after Round 4: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across
- Body after Round 10: 2 in (5.1 cm) tall
- Body after Round 20: 4 in (10.2 cm) tall
- Body after Round 40: 8 in (20.3 cm) tall and 15 in (38.1 cm) wide laid flat
- After the border: 9 in (22.9 cm) tall
Too big? Go down half a hook size. Too small? Go up half a hook size. If only the row height is off, add or remove body rounds in multiples of 5. Each 5 rounds equals 1 in (2.5 cm).
Body
Use the red yarn and the 4.0 mm hook. You’ll work the body in joined rounds and turn at the end of every round. Turning keeps the texture the same as flat suzette fabric and stops the seam from drifting.
Round 1 (foundation): Fsc 150. Join with a sl st to the first fsc, taking care not to twist. (150 sts)
Place a marker in st 1 and another in st 76. These mark the side “seams.” Stitches 1–75 are the front and stitches 76–150 are the back.
Round 2: Ch 1, turn. (Sc, dc) in first st, sk next st, (sc, dc) in next st, sk next st; repeat from * around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (75 suzette pairs = 150 sts)*
Rounds 3–40: Ch 1, turn. (Sc, dc) in the sc of each pair from the previous round, skipping each dc. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (75 pairs = 150 sts in each round)
Move the side markers up every few rounds. At the end of Round 40, the body should measure 8 in (20.3 cm) tall and 15 in (38.1 cm) wide laid flat. Do not fasten off; the top border starts here.
Straps (Make 2)
Use the red yarn and the 3.5 mm hook. The straps are worked lengthwise, so they won’t stretch out.
Row 1: Fsc 70. (70 sts, 14 in / 35.6 cm long)
Rows 2–4: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (70 sts per row)
Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. Each strap should measure 14 in (35.6 cm) × 1 in (2.5 cm).
Daisy Flowers (Make 9)
Use the 3.5 mm hook.
Round 1 (red): Make a MR, ch 1, 12 sc into the ring. Pull the ring tight and join with a sl st to the first sc. (12 sts)
Round 2 (red): Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. Join. (24 sts) The center should be flat and 0.9 in (2.3 cm) across. Fasten off red.
Round 3 (white, conversion round): Join white in any st. Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 4, sk next 3 sts, sc in next st, ch 4, sk next 3 sts; repeat from * 4 more times. Join to the first sc. (6 sc + 6 ch-4 sps)*
Count check: each repeat covers 4 sts (1 sc + 3 skipped), and 6 × 4 = 24.
Round 4 (petals): In each ch-4 sp work: (sc, ch 2, 4 tpuff, ch 2, sc). Sl st into the next sc of Round 3 between petals. Repeat around and join to the first sc. (6 petals, 24 tpuffs)
Keep the 4 tall puffs fanned close together so each petal rounds out into a plump shell with vertical ridges. Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) white tail for sewing. Weave in the red tail.
Each flower should measure 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across.
Make All Pieces
- Body: 1, red
- Straps: 2, red
- Flowers: 9, red center and white petals
Text layout grid (front view, top to bottom):
LEFT STRAP: FLOWER 7 (top) RIGHT STRAP: FLOWER 9 (top)
LEFT STRAP: FLOWER 6 RIGHT STRAP: FLOWER 8
FRONT EDGE: FLOWER 1 FLOWER 2 FLOWER 3 FLOWER 4 FLOWER 5
Flowers 1 and 5 sit at the base of each strap and overlap the strap ends.
Joining
You’ll attach the straps first and the flowers second. All seams use a whipstitch worked through matching stitches.
Strap positions: Count the stitches of the finished top border round from the left side marker: front sts 1–75.
- Front edge (75 sts): sts 1–10 open, 11–15 left strap, 16–60 open, 61–65 right strap, 66–75 open. 10 + 5 + 45 + 5 + 10 = 75.
- Back edge (75 sts): use the same positions so the straps run straight over the shoulders.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: The strap’s short end is 4 rows wide, or 1 in (2.5 cm). At border gauge, 1 in equals 5 sts, so each strap end lines up with exactly 5 border stitches.
Sewing the straps: Lay each strap end 0.5 in (1.3 cm) down the inside (WS) of the top border. Whipstitch it to the 5 marked stitches and down both long sides of the overlap. That leaves 13 in (33.0 cm) of visible strap. Try the top on before sewing the back ends, and shorten or lengthen the overlap if needed.
Flower positions: Center Flower 1 on strap st 13 and Flower 5 on strap st 63, with the flower center level with the top border. Space Flowers 2, 3 and 4 evenly between them, about 12–13 sts apart. The centers sit over sts 25–26, st 38 and sts 50–51. The flowers are 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide on centers 12.5 sts apart, so there is a small 0.25 in (0.6 cm) gap between neighbors.
Sew Flowers 6 and 8 to the straps with their centers 2.75 in (7.0 cm) above Flowers 1 and 5. Sew Flowers 7 and 9 another 2.75 in (7.0 cm) above those.
Sewing the flowers: Use the white tail. Stitch around the edge of the red center, then tack the underside of each petal tip with one small stitch. Keep your tension relaxed so the fabric doesn’t pucker.
Size checkpoint: Laid flat, the top should still be 15 in (38.1 cm) wide with no waves along the neckline.
Border
Border gauge: 20 sc and 16 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm) with the 3.5 mm hook. The smaller hook keeps the edges snug, so the top doesn’t flare or slip.
Top border:
- Round 1 (trim round): Switch to the 3.5 mm hook. Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st around, one per existing st: 150 + 0 added. Join. (150 sts: 75 front, 75 back)
- Round 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st around. Join. (150 sts: 75 front, 75 back) Fasten off.
Bottom border: Join red at the left side marker on the foundation edge, using the 3.5 mm hook.
- Round 1 (trim round): Ch 1, sc in each fsc around, one per existing st: 150 + 0 added. Join. (150 sts: 75 front, 75 back)
- Round 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st around. Join. (150 sts: 75 front, 75 back) Fasten off.
Why the math works: The body has 150 sts, and 150 sts at 5 sts per inch is 30 in (76.2 cm) around. Each side has 75 sts, or 15 in (38.1 cm). The border adds no stitches, so the circumference stays the same. Two sc rounds at 16 rounds per 4 in add 0.5 in (1.3 cm) to each edge. That makes 8 in + 0.5 in + 0.5 in = 9 in (22.9 cm) tall. The strap positions take 10 + 5 + 45 + 5 + 10 = 75 sts per side.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining ends on the WS.
- Lay the top flat on a blocking mat with the side markers at the folds.
- Pin the body to 15 in (38.1 cm) wide × 9 in (22.9 cm) tall, keeping both edges straight.
- Pin each strap flat at 1 in (2.5 cm) wide.
- Steam the body and straps, holding the iron above the fabric without touching it. If you prefer, mist them with water instead.
- Gently push each flower’s petals into a round shape with your fingers. Don’t flatten the puffs.
- Let everything dry completely before you unpin it.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The body measures 15 in (38.1 cm) flat and 9 in (22.9 cm) tall.
- Every body round has 150 sts (75 pairs).
- Both border edges lie flat with no ruffling.
- The straps measure 14 in (35.6 cm) × 1 in (2.5 cm) before sewing and sit on matching stitches front and back.
- All 9 flowers measure 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across with 6 even petals.
- The flower spacing is even and the strap flowers line up vertically.
- All ends are hidden and no sewing stitches show on the RS.
Troubleshooting
- Body leans or spirals: Make sure you turn at the end of every round.
- Stitch count drifts: Always work the pair into the sc and skip the dc. Count your pairs at Round 10.
- Top edge flares: Use a smaller hook for the border or work it more firmly.
- Petals look flat: Pull the puff loops up to the full 0.75 in (1.9 cm) and keep them the same height.
- Flower curls into a cup: Loosen Round 3’s ch-4 spaces a little, or block the flower flat.
- Straps slip off your shoulders: Sew the back strap ends 1–2 sts closer to the center back.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild detergent, press out water without wringing, and dry flat. Wash separately the first time in case the red bleeds onto the white flowers.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. Five suzette stitches make 1 in (2.5 cm), so 150 sts give a 30 in (76.2 cm) tube. Forty rounds bring the body to 8 in (20.3 cm), and the two borders bring it to 9 in (22.9 cm). The 1 in (2.5 cm) straps line up with 5 border stitches each. Nine 2.25 in (5.7 cm) daisies finish the neckline and straps. Check each stage against its checkpoint and your top will come out exactly the right size.
Happy crocheting!