High-Back Wide-Strap Crochet Tank

Construction: Route A — flat panels, bottom-up, seamed. Front and Back are worked separately from a foundation chain to the shoulders, then seamed at the sides and shoulders. The back neck is high and nearly square; the front has a moderate scoop. Wide straps continue from each panel and are joined at the shoulder.

Skill level: Intermediate (hdc fabric, waist and armhole shaping, split neckline, seaming, edging). A confident beginner who is comfortable with hdc, hdc2tog, and mattress stitch can manage this pattern if gauge is matched.

Fit: Standard, about 2" (5 cm) positive ease at the bust. Solid hdc in worsted is opaque; no lining is needed.

Sizes

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

To fit bust: 30 (34, 38, 42, 46, 50)" / 76 (86, 97, 107, 117, 127) cm

Finished bust: 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52)" / 81 (91, 102, 112, 122, 132) cm

Finished waist (after shaping): 30 (34, 38, 42, 46, 50)" / 76 (86, 97, 107, 117, 127) cm

Finished length (shoulder to hem): 21½ (22½, 23, 24, 24¾, 25)" / 54.5 (57, 58.5, 61, 63, 63.5) cm

Armhole depth: 7 (7¼, 7½, 8, 8¾, 9)" / 18 (18.5, 19, 20.5, 22, 23) cm

Strap width: 3¼ (3½, 3¾, 4, 4¼, 4½)" / 8 (9, 9.5, 10, 11, 11.5) cm

Front neck drop: 4½ (4¾, 5, 5, 5½, 5¾)" / 11.5 (12, 12.5, 12.5, 14, 14.5) cm

Back neck drop: 1 (1, 1½, 1½, 1½, 1¾)" / 2.5 (2.5, 4, 4, 4, 4.5) cm

Choose the size whose finished bust is about 0–2" (0–5 cm) larger than your actual bust. Instructions are written for XS with larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted weight (4), cotton or cotton blend, 500 (600, 700, 800, 950, 1100) yd / 457 (549, 640, 732, 869, 1006) m. A smooth mercerized or soft cotton gives the best summer drape.

Hook: US H-8 (5 mm), or size needed to obtain gauge. Do not default to the ball-band hook.

Notions: 4 stitch markers (2 removable for strap placement), tapestry needle, scissors.

Gauge

14 hdc and 11 rows = 4" / 10 cm in hdc, worked flat, measured after blocking.

Swatch at least 6" / 15 cm square. Block, then measure the center 4" / 10 cm. If you have too few stitches, go down a hook size; if too many, go up. Fit depends on this gauge.

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 and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, insert hook in following stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), yarn over and draw through all 5 loops.
st(s) — stitch(es)
RS — right side
WS — wrong side

Turning chain: Ch 1 at the start of every hdc row. It does not count as a stitch. Work the first hdc in the first stitch.

Notes

• Worked in turned rows throughout the panels.
• Row 1 of each panel is the RS.
• Stitch counts appear in bold at the end of each instruction.
• The high back is created by splitting the back neck much later than the front, so the back sits close to the nape while the front scoops.
• Try the pieces on before seaming the shoulders. You may add or remove 1–2 strap rows on both Front and Back if you need a small length adjustment; changing only one piece will misalign the armholes.
• Block both pieces before seaming.

Back

Foundation: Ch 58 (65, 72, 79, 86, 93).

Row 1 (RS): Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn.
56 (63, 70, 77, 84, 91) hdc (the 2 skipped chs are the turning ch and do not count as a stitch: 58 − 2 = 56 ✓).

Rows 2–8: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
56 (63, 70, 77, 84, 91) hdc

Row 9 (dec, RS): Ch 1, hdc2tog, hdc in each st to last 2 sts, hdc2tog, turn.
54 (61, 68, 75, 82, 89) hdc (56 − 2 = 54 ✓)

Rows 10–16: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
54 (61, 68, 75, 82, 89) hdc

Row 17 (dec, RS): Ch 1, hdc2tog, hdc in each st to last 2 sts, hdc2tog, turn.
52 (59, 66, 73, 80, 87) hdc (54 − 2 = 52 ✓)

Rows 18–24: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
52 (59, 66, 73, 80, 87) hdc

Row 25 (inc, RS): Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in each st to last st, 2 hdc in last st, turn.
54 (61, 68, 75, 82, 89) hdc (52 + 2 = 54 ✓)

Rows 26–32: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
54 (61, 68, 75, 82, 89) hdc

Row 33 (inc, RS): Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in each st to last st, 2 hdc in last st, turn.
56 (63, 70, 77, 84, 91) hdc (54 + 2 = 56 ✓)

Rows 34–40 (42, 42, 44, 44, 44): Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
56 (63, 70, 77, 84, 91) hdc

Body to underarm is complete.

Back armholes

Row 1 (underarm skip): Sl st in first 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6) sts, ch 1, hdc in next st and in each st to last 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6) sts, leave remaining sts unworked, turn.
48 (55, 60, 67, 72, 79) hdc (56 − 4 − 4 = 48 ✓)

Rows 2–3 (2–4, 2–4, 2–5, 2–5, 2–6) (dec): Ch 1, hdc2tog, hdc in each st to last 2 sts, hdc2tog, turn.
After these 2 (3, 3, 4, 4, 5) decrease rows: 44 (49, 54, 59, 64, 69) hdc
(48 − 2 − 2 = 44 ✓; 55 − 6 = 49 ✓; 60 − 6 = 54 ✓; 67 − 8 = 59 ✓; 72 − 8 = 64 ✓; 79 − 10 = 69 ✓)

Next 13 (13, 13, 13, 15, 14) rows: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
44 (49, 54, 59, 64, 69) hdc

Armhole so far: 16 (17, 17, 18, 20, 20) rows. Back neck begins here, leaving 3 (3, 4, 4, 4, 5) rows for the high back straps.

Back high neck and wide straps

Place a marker in the 11th (12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th) st from each edge to mark the straps.

Right back strap (as worn; first side of this row):

Row 1: Ch 1, hdc in first 11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) sts, turn, leaving remaining sts unworked.
11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) hdc

Rows 2–3 (2–3, 2–4, 2–4, 2–4, 2–5): Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) hdc

Fasten off.

Left back strap:

Skip the center 22 (25, 28, 31, 34, 37) sts of the last full armhole row (11 + 22 + 11 = 44 ✓). Join yarn with sl st in the next st.

Row 1: Ch 1, hdc in same st and in each remaining st across, turn.
11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) hdc

Rows 2–3 (2–3, 2–4, 2–4, 2–4, 2–5): Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) hdc

Fasten off. Back is complete. Total armhole + strap rows: 19 (20, 21, 22, 24, 25) ✓.

Front

Work as for Back through Rows 34–40 (42, 42, 44, 44, 44) of the body, including the same waist shaping.
56 (63, 70, 77, 84, 91) hdc

Front armholes

Work Back armhole Row 1 (underarm skip) and the following 2 (3, 3, 4, 4, 5) decrease rows exactly as for the Back.
44 (49, 54, 59, 64, 69) hdc

Next 4 (3, 3, 3, 4, 3) rows: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
44 (49, 54, 59, 64, 69) hdc

Armhole so far: 7 (7, 7, 8, 9, 9) rows. Front scoop begins here, leaving 12 (13, 14, 14, 15, 16) rows for the straps.

Front scoop neck and wide straps

Right front strap (as worn; first side of this row):

Row 1: Ch 1, hdc in first 14 (15, 16, 17, 19, 20) sts, turn, leaving remaining sts unworked.
14 (15, 16, 17, 19, 20) hdc

Neck edge is the end of this RS row.

Rows 2–4 (2–4, 2–4, 2–4, 2–5, 2–5) (neck dec): Ch 1, hdc in each st to last 2 sts, hdc2tog, turn.
After 3 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4) neck decreases: 11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) hdc (14 − 3 = 11 ✓)

Next 8 (9, 10, 10, 10, 11) rows: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) hdc

(3 neck-dec rows + 8 even rows = 11, plus Row 1 = 12 strap rows for XS ✓; remaining sizes: 13, 14, 14, 15, 16 ✓)

Fasten off.

Left front strap:

Skip the center 16 (19, 22, 25, 26, 29) sts of the last full armhole row (14 + 16 + 14 = 44 ✓). Join yarn with sl st in the next st.

Row 1: Ch 1, hdc in same st and in each remaining st across, turn.
14 (15, 16, 17, 19, 20) hdc

Neck edge is now the beginning of the next RS row.

Rows 2–4 (2–4, 2–4, 2–4, 2–5, 2–5) (neck dec): Ch 1, hdc2tog, hdc in each remaining st across, turn.
11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) hdc (14 − 3 = 11 ✓)

Next 8 (9, 10, 10, 10, 11) rows: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) hdc

Fasten off. Front is complete. Front and Back straps are the same width for seaming. Finished front neck width after scoop decreases equals the back neck width: 16 + 3 + 3 = 22 center sts for XS ✓.

Finishing

Block. Wet-block Front and Back to the finished measurements. Pin the side edges straight, the armholes to depth, the front scoop to the stated drop, and the back neck high and nearly square. Let dry fully.

Shoulder seams. With RS facing you and wrong sides together (or RS together if you prefer the seam on the inside), mattress-stitch each shoulder through 11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) sts. Straps must match stitch for stitch.

Side seams. Mattress-stitch each side from hem to underarm skip, matching row to row. Do not seam the armhole edges.

Neck edging. With RS facing, join yarn at a shoulder seam. Ch 1, sc evenly around the entire neckline: 1 sc in each st across front and back neck, 1 sc in each row-end along the strap inner edges. At the two inner corners of the high back neck, work 1 sc (do not increase) so the corners soften slightly. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Armhole edging. With RS facing, join yarn at a side seam. Ch 1, sc evenly around the armhole (1 sc in each st of the underarm skip, 1 sc in each row-end). Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. Repeat for the second armhole.

Hem edging. With RS facing, join yarn at a side seam. Ch 1, sc in each foundation-chain st around. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Weave in ends. On this solid fabric, run tails along the inside of a column of hdc for at least 2" / 5 cm, then reverse direction for a short lock.

Fit check

• Bust: The tank should skim the body with a little ease. If the blocked panels are narrower than half your target bust, go up a size or a hook.
• High back: The back neck should sit close to the nape, not collapse. If it feels tight, add 1 extra even row to each back strap (and the same extra row to each front strap to keep the shoulders level).
• Straps: Wide straps should rest fully on the shoulder, not slide off. If they feel narrow, you are under gauge.
• Length: Standard finish is at the hip bone. For a slightly longer tank, add even rows in the body before Row 9 (waist decrease), in groups of 2 so the RS stays on odd rows.

Schematic (key measurements)