Fitted Silhouette Tank Top

Close-fitting sleeveless tank with waist shaping and a square neck

Construction: Route A — flat panels, bottom-up, seamed. Front and Back are worked separately from a foundation chain to the shoulder, then seamed at the sides and shoulders.

A confident beginner can make this tank: the fabric is solid half double crochet, the neck is a simple square, and the straps are wide continuations of the panels (no thin cords to attach).

Difficulty

Confident beginner. You should be comfortable working hdc, decreasing and increasing at the ends of a row, and seaming.

Sizes

XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL)

Instructions are written for XS with larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to every size. Highlight your size throughout before you begin.

To choose a size: Measure your bust. This tank is close-fitting, with about 0 to −1 in (0 to −2.5 cm) of ease, so the finished bust should match your body bust or sit up to 1 in (2.5 cm) smaller. Cotton has very little stretch — if you are between sizes, choose the larger one.

Finished measurements

Finished bust: 30 (34, 38, 42, 46, 50) in / 76 (86.5, 96.5, 106.5, 117, 127) cm
Finished waist: 26 (30, 34, 38, 42, 46) in / 66 (76, 86.5, 96.5, 106.5, 117) cm
Finished hem (hip): 30 (34, 38, 42, 46, 50) in / 76 (86.5, 96.5, 106.5, 117, 127) cm
Length, shoulder to hem: 19 (19.5, 20.5, 21, 22, 22.5) in / 48.5 (49.5, 52, 53.5, 56, 57) cm
Hem to underarm: 12 (12, 12.5, 12.5, 13, 13) in / 30.5 (30.5, 32, 32, 33, 33) cm
Armhole depth: 7 (7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5) in / 18 (19, 20.5, 21.5, 23, 24) cm
Front neck drop: 3 in / 7.5 cm
Back neck drop: 1.5 in / 4 cm
Shoulder strap width: 3 (3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5) in / 7.5 (9, 10, 11.5, 12.5, 14) cm

Intended ease: close-fitting / silhouette, 0 to −1 in (0 to −2.5 cm) at the bust.

Cropped version: Work the body until it measures 9 (9, 9.5, 9.5, 10, 10) in / 23 (23, 24, 24, 25.5, 25.5) cm from the beginning, then begin armhole shaping. Finished length will be about 3 in (7.5 cm) shorter.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted weight (4), cotton or cotton blend, about 500 (575, 650, 750, 850, 975) yd / 457 (526, 594, 686, 777, 892) m.
Smooth mercerized or tightly spun cotton is ideal for a summer tank (examples of the right weight: Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, WeCrochet Dishie, or a similar worsted cotton). Acrylic worsted will also work but will be warmer and slightly stretchier.

Hook: US 7 / 4.5 mm, or the size needed to obtain gauge. (Some crocheters will need US H-8 / 5 mm — always size to gauge, not to the label.)

Notions:

• Stitch markers (including 2 removable markers for neck/strap placement)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Measuring tape

Gauge

16 hdc and 12 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in hdc, worked flat, measured after blocking.

Swatch at least 6 × 6 in (15 × 15 cm), block it the same way you will block the tank, then measure the center 4 in (10 cm).

Too few stitches in 4 in: go down a hook size (fabric is too loose; the tank will grow).
Too many stitches in 4 in: go up a hook size (fabric is too dense; the tank will be stiff and small).

Fit on this design is gauge-critical. Do not skip the swatch.

Stitch guide (US terms)

ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
hdc — half double crochet
hdc2tog — half double crochet 2 together (decrease): yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, insert hook in following stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all 5 loops.
st(s) — stitch(es)
rep — repeat
RS — right side
WS — wrong side

Pattern notes

• US crochet terminology throughout. Turning chain: ch 1 at the start of every row does not count as a stitch. Work the first hdc in the first stitch of the row so the edges stay straight for seaming.
• The ch-2 skipped at the start of Row 1 does not count as a stitch.
• Work into both top loops of each hdc unless told otherwise.
• Stitch counts are given at the end of every shaping row. Counts are listed XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL).
• Front and Back are the same through the underarm. The Back neck is higher (shallower drop) than the Front.
• Block both pieces before seaming.
• Length is easy to change: add or subtract even hdc rows before the armhole. Keep Front and Back the same length to the underarm.

Back

Hem

Ch 62 (70, 78, 86, 94, 102).

Row 1 (RS): Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across.
60 (68, 76, 84, 92, 100) hdc.

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, turn. Hdc in each st across.
60 (68, 76, 84, 92, 100) hdc.

Rows 3–6: Rep Row 2. Piece measures about 2 in / 5 cm.

Waist decreases

Row 7 (RS, decrease): Ch 1, turn. Hdc2tog, hdc in each st to last 2 sts, hdc2tog.
58 (66, 74, 82, 90, 98) hdc. (1 decrease each end → 60 − 2 = 58 ✓)

Rows 8–9: Ch 1, turn. Hdc in each st across.
58 (66, 74, 82, 90, 98) hdc.

Rows 10–18: Rep Rows 7–9 three more times.
You have now worked 4 decrease rows (Row 7, 10, 13, and 16).
52 (60, 68, 76, 84, 92) hdc. (4 × 2 = 8 sts decreased; 60 − 8 = 52 ✓)

Waist

Rows 19–21: Ch 1, turn. Hdc in each st across.
52 (60, 68, 76, 84, 92) hdc.
Narrowest point of the Back. Piece measures about 7 in / 18 cm from the beginning.

Bust increases

Row 22 (RS, increase): Ch 1, turn. 2 hdc in first st, hdc in each st to last st, 2 hdc in last st.
54 (62, 70, 78, 86, 94) hdc. (1 increase each end → 52 + 2 = 54 ✓)

Rows 23–24: Ch 1, turn. Hdc in each st across.
54 (62, 70, 78, 86, 94) hdc.

Rows 25–33: Rep Rows 22–24 three more times.
You have now worked 4 increase rows (Row 22, 25, 28, and 31).
60 (68, 76, 84, 92, 100) hdc. (4 × 2 = 8 sts increased; 52 + 8 = 60 ✓)

Body to underarm

Work even in hdc (ch 1, turn, hdc in each st across) until the piece measures 12 (12, 12.5, 12.5, 13, 13) in / 30.5 (30.5, 32, 32, 33, 33) cm from the beginning, ending after a WS row.
60 (68, 76, 84, 92, 100) hdc.

Armhole shaping

Next row (RS): Sl st in each of first 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6) sts (these sts are left unworked for the underarm), ch 1, hdc in same st as last sl st was not worked — instead: after the sl sts, ch 1, hdc in the next st and in each st across until 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6) sts remain, leave remaining sts unworked. Turn.
52 (60, 66, 74, 80, 88) hdc.
[60 − 4 − 4 = 52; 68 − 4 − 4 = 60; 76 − 5 − 5 = 66; 84 − 5 − 5 = 74; 92 − 6 − 6 = 80; 100 − 6 − 6 = 88 ✓]

Next row (decrease): Ch 1, turn. Hdc2tog, hdc in each st to last 2 sts, hdc2tog.
50 (58, 64, 72, 78, 86) hdc.

Rep the decrease row 1 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4) more time(s).
48 (54, 60, 66, 72, 78) hdc.
[Shaping decreases: 2 (3, 3, 4, 4, 5) rows × 2 sts = 4 (6, 6, 8, 8, 10) sts; 52 − 4 = 48; 60 − 6 = 54; 66 − 6 = 60; 74 − 8 = 66; 80 − 8 = 72; 88 − 10 = 78 ✓]

Work even in hdc on these 48 (54, 60, 66, 72, 78) sts until the armhole measures 5.5 (6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8) in / 14 (15, 16.5, 18, 19, 20.5) cm from the first armhole row, ending after a WS row.

Back square neck

Place a removable marker in the 12th (14th, 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd) st from each edge. The center 24 (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) sts between the markers are the back neck.
[12 + 24 + 12 = 48; 14 + 26 + 14 = 54; 16 + 28 + 16 = 60; 18 + 30 + 18 = 66; 20 + 32 + 20 = 72; 22 + 34 + 22 = 78 ✓]

Right back shoulder (RS facing for the first shoulder row): Next row (RS): Ch 1, turn. Hdc in first 12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) sts. Leave remaining sts unworked.
12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) hdc.

Work even in hdc on these sts until the armhole measures 7 (7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5) in / 18 (19, 20.5, 21.5, 23, 24) cm from the first armhole row. Fasten off.

Left back shoulder: With RS facing, skip the center 24 (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) sts, join yarn with sl st in the next st, ch 1, hdc in same st and in each st to end.
12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) hdc.

Work even in hdc until this shoulder matches the right back shoulder. Fasten off.

Front

Work exactly as for the Back through Armhole shaping, including all decrease rows, until you have 48 (54, 60, 66, 72, 78) hdc.

Work even in hdc on these sts until the armhole measures 4 (4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5) in / 10 (11.5, 12.5, 14, 15, 16.5) cm from the first armhole row, ending after a WS row.
(This is earlier than the Back, so the front neck sits lower.)

Front square neck

Place a removable marker in the 12th (14th, 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd) st from each edge. The center 24 (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) sts between the markers are the front neck.

Right front shoulder: Next row (RS): Ch 1, turn. Hdc in first 12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) sts. Leave remaining sts unworked.
12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) hdc.

Work even in hdc on these sts until the armhole measures 7 (7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5) in / 18 (19, 20.5, 21.5, 23, 24) cm from the first armhole row (same total armhole depth as the Back). Fasten off.

Left front shoulder: With RS facing, skip the center 24 (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) sts, join yarn with sl st in the next st, ch 1, hdc in same st and in each st to end.
12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) hdc.

Work even in hdc until this shoulder matches the right front shoulder. Fasten off.

Finishing

Block

Weave in any short tails that would sit inside a seam, leaving long tails for seaming. Block Front and Back to the finished measurements:

Pin to shape, spray or wet-block, and let dry completely. Cotton relaxes and evens out with blocking — do not skip this step.

Seams

With WS together (or RS together if you prefer the mattress-stitch look on the inside), seam using mattress stitch for a flat, almost invisible join:

1. Shoulders: Join each Front shoulder to the matching Back shoulder, matching the 12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) sts.
2. Sides: Join from the hem up to the underarm bind-off on each side, matching row to row. The waist shaping should line up.

Do not seam the armholes or the neck — those edges are finished with crochet.

Edging

Use the same hook, or go down 0.5 mm if the edging flares. Keep the edging relaxed; tight stitches will pucker the openings.

Neckline: With RS facing, join yarn at one shoulder seam. Ch 1. Work sc evenly around the entire neckline: 1 sc in each st across the front and back neck, 1 sc in each row-end along the sides of the straps, and 3 sc in each inner corner of the square neck so the corner lies flat. Sl st to the first sc. Fasten off. (Optional: work a second round of sc, putting 3 sc in the center sc of each corner.)

Armholes: With RS facing, join yarn at a side seam. Ch 1. Work sc evenly around the armhole (about 1 sc in each st and 1 sc in each row-end). Sl st to the first sc. Fasten off. Repeat for the second armhole.

Hem: With RS facing, join yarn at a side seam. Ch 1. Sc in each foundation-chain st around. Sl st to the first sc. Fasten off.

Weave in ends

Weave remaining ends along a column of hdc stitches, not across the fabric. On cotton, weave at least 2 in / 5 cm in one direction, then reverse for 1 in / 2.5 cm so the tail cannot work free.

Wear notes

Try the tank on after the shoulder seams and one side seam are in, before you close the second side, if you want to check length. Because the fabric is solid hdc, the tank is opaque and does not need a lining.

If the straps feel wide on a small frame, you can pick up stitches along the inner neck edge of each strap and work 1–2 rows of sc to visually narrow the opening — do not reduce the shoulder stitch count itself, or the strap will slip.

End of pattern.