Sage Green Boho Ruffle Crochet Top Free Pattern

This pattern is seriously one of my favourite makes — those dramatic double-layer ruffle sleeves, the airy V-stitch lace body, and the romantic shoulder ties! It looks like it belongs in a boutique window, but I promise we can absolutely make it together.

We start with a simple ribbed waistband worked flat and seamed into a ring, pick up stitches and work the lace bodice upward in the round, split for front and back at the armholes, shape the square neckline, and pick the ruffles up last around the armholes. The finished top is cropped, hitting about 2 to 3 inches above your natural waist.

It is written for five sizes, XS to XL, with instructions for size S throughout and other sizes in parentheses where they differ. Plan on about 14 to 20 hours of happy stitching.

Materials

• DK weight smooth cotton or cotton-blend yarn in sage green: approximately 550 (600, 650, 720, 800) yards for XS (S, M, L, XL)
• US E-4 (3.5 mm) crochet hook for bodice and ribbing
• US F-5 (3.75 mm) crochet hook for ruffle sleeves
• At least 6 stitch markers
• Yarn needle for weaving ends
• Scissors
• Two 18-inch pieces of satin or grosgrain ribbon, 0.5 inch wide, for shoulder ties (optional — crocheted ties work too)
• Blocking mats and rust-proof pins

Abbreviations

• ch: chain
• sl st: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• dc: double crochet
• sk: skip
• st/sts: stitch / stitches
• sp: space
• ch-sp: chain space
• RS: right side
• WS: wrong side
• BLO: back loop only
• dec: decrease, work 2 stitches together

Special Stitches

• V-stitch (V-st): work 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc all into the same stitch or space.
• Half double crochet lace pattern: skip 1 stitch, work a V-stitch in the next stitch, skip 1 stitch, sc in the next stitch, repeat around. In following rounds, work the sc into the sc of the previous round and the V-stitch into the ch-1 space of the V-stitch below.
• BLO single crochet ribbing: work sc into the back loop only of each stitch across every row for a stretchy ribbed texture.
• Ruffle stitch: first round 3 dc into every stitch, second round 2 dc into every stitch, quadrupling the stitch count for volume and movement.

Gauge & Size

• Finished sizes: XS bust 30 to 32 in, finished circumference 33 in, length 14 in; S 32 to 34 in, 35 in, 14.5 in; M 34 to 36 in, 37 in, 15 in; L 38 to 40 in, 39 in, 15.5 in; XL 42 to 44 in, 42 in, 16 in — about 1 to 2 inches of positive ease
• Gauge: in half double crochet lace pattern with E-4 hook, 18 stitches and 12 rows = 4 inches, blocked; in ribbing, 20 stitches and 16 rows = 4 inches, blocked
• Construction: ribbed band seamed into a ring, lace bodice in the round, flat front and back panels, ruffle sleeves picked up around armholes
• Skill level: Intermediate

Waistband Pattern

Starting chain: Ch 13.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (12 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc in BLO of each st across. (12 sc)

Repeat Row 2 until your ribbing strip measures: XS 32 inches, S 34 inches, M 36 inches, L 38 inches, XL 41 inches.

Do not fasten off. Seam the two short ends together using a slip stitch seam with right sides facing each other. Your ribbing strip is now a ring, approximately 2.5 to 3 inches tall.

Bodice Pattern

Round 1 (pickup round): With right side of ribbing facing, join yarn to top edge of ribbing at the seam with a slip stitch. Ch 1. Work sc evenly around the top edge of the ribbing ring, placing 1 sc per row end across. Place a stitch marker at the start of the round. Target counts (divisible by 4): XS 144 sc, S 152 sc, M 160 sc, L 168 sc, XL 176 sc. Adjust a few stitches evenly in this round to reach your target if needed, and place a second marker at the halfway point for the front/back division.

Round 2 (Lace Setup): Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch). (Sk 1 sc, V-st in next sc, sk 1 sc, sc in next sc) around. Join with sl st to first sc. Counts: XS 36 V-sts and 36 sc, S 38 and 38, M 40 and 40, L 42 and 42, XL 44 and 44.

Round 3 (Lace Continuation): Ch 2. (Sc in sc of previous round, V-st in ch-1 sp of V-st below) around. Join with sl st to first sc.

Rounds 4 through 14: Repeat Round 3. After Round 14, your lace section should measure approximately 5 inches above the waistband.

Back Panel Pattern

Panel stitch counts: XS 72, S 76, M 80, L 84, XL 88 for each of front and back. Join yarn at the first stitch of the back panel.

Transition Row (RS): Ch 1, turn. Sc across all sts of back panel, working 1 sc into each dc and 1 sc into each ch-1 sp. XS 72 sc, S 76 sc, M 80 sc, L 84 sc, XL 88 sc.

Armhole Bind-off: Leave 4 sts unworked at each end of the panel. XS 64 sc, S 68 sc, M 72 sc, L 76 sc, XL 80 sc.

Armhole Row 1 (RS): Ch 1, turn. Dec over first 2 sts, sc across to last 2 sts, dec over last 2 sts. XS 62 sc, S 66 sc, M 70 sc, L 74 sc, XL 78 sc.

Armhole Row 2 (WS): Repeat decreases. XS 60 sc, S 64 sc, M 68 sc, L 72 sc, XL 76 sc.

Armhole Row 3 (RS): Repeat decreases. XS 58 sc, S 62 sc, M 66 sc, L 70 sc, XL 74 sc.

Work even in sc for: XS/S 8 rows, M/L 9 rows, XL 10 rows.

Back Neckline and Shoulders: Divide your remaining stitches into three sections — left shoulder, centre neck opening, right shoulder. Shoulder widths: XS 10 sts each shoulder with 38 sts centre, S 11 and 40, M 12 and 42, L 13 and 44, XL 14 and 46.

Left Back Shoulder: Work 4 rows of sc across your shoulder sts only. Fasten off leaving a long tail.

Right Back Shoulder: Join yarn to right shoulder sts. Work 4 rows of sc. Fasten off leaving a long tail.

Work the Front Panel identically to the back: transition row, armhole bind-off, armhole decrease rows, even rows, then divide for neckline. Seam front left shoulder to back left shoulder and front right shoulder to back right shoulder.

Neckline Edging Pattern

Round 1: Join yarn to any corner of the neckline opening. Ch 1. Work sc evenly around entire neckline, placing 1 sc per st across horizontal edges and 1 sc per row end along vertical edges. Work 3 sc into each corner. Join with sl st.

Round 2: Ch 1. Sc in each sc around, working 3 sc into each corner sc. Join with sl st. Fasten off.

Ruffle Sleeves Pattern

Switch to your F-5 (3.75 mm) hook for the ruffles. Join yarn to centre underarm.

Pickup Round: Ch 1. Work sc evenly around the armhole opening. Join with sl st. Target counts: XS 48 sc, S 52 sc, M 56 sc, L 60 sc, XL 64 sc.

Outer Ruffle (work into front loops only):

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc). Work 2 dc into same st. Work 3 dc into every remaining st around. Join with sl st. XS 144 dc, S 156 dc, M 168 dc, L 180 dc, XL 192 dc.

Round 2: Ch 3. Work 1 dc into same st. Work 2 dc into every st around. Join with sl st. XS 288 dc, S 312 dc, M 336 dc, L 360 dc, XL 384 dc.

Round 3: Ch 1. Sl st loosely in each st around. Fasten off.

Inner Ruffle (work into back loops only): Rejoin yarn to the back loops of the pickup round.

Round 1: Ch 3. Work 2 dc into same st. Work 3 dc into every remaining st around. Join with sl st. XS 144 dc, S 156 dc, M 168 dc, L 180 dc, XL 192 dc.

Round 2: Ch 1. Sl st loosely in each st around. Fasten off.

Repeat for the second sleeve. Each sleeve has two ruffle layers — the outer falls about 3 to 4 inches below the armhole and the inner about 1.5 to 2 inches.

Finishing & Assembly

For shoulder ties, either tack two 18-inch ribbons (folded in half) to the outer edge of each shoulder strap and tie into bows, or make crocheted ties: chain 80, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, fasten off, make 4 ties total, and attach two to each shoulder.

Weave in all ends. Wet block your finished top, laying it flat on blocking mats, pinning to measurements, and allowing it to dry completely — cotton blooms and relaxes beautifully with blocking, and it makes a huge difference to how the lace opens up and the ruffles drape.

Tips

Take your time with the lace rounds and count your stitches after each round until the V-stitch pattern becomes automatic.

Try it on as you go — after the ribbed waistband, slip it over your head to check the fit. The ribbing should stretch comfortably but feel snug.

For the ruffles, keep your tension relaxed. Tight stitches make stiff ruffles instead of flowy ones!

Choose a smooth, non-fuzzy yarn — fuzzy fibres hide the lace detail, and the bodice relies on cotton’s structure to hold its shape.