No matter if it’s knitting or crocheting, handmade garments tend to bring up the mental image of a sweater. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good crochet or knit sweater, they are super comfortable to make, and there are so many cute ones out there! But, when it’s 80 or 90 degrees outside, I don’t really want to wear an oversized, bulky sweater. What many people tend to forget, in my opinion, is that there are also so many short sleeved knit and crochet top patterns out there, too!

I’m taking part this month in the Summer Top Make-Along 2023, hosted by Julianna, or @purlbackknitforward on Instagram. Doing that, I have compiled quite the list of crochet tops I want to make. I decided I would share some of those with you, and hopefully inspire you to make one or two (or ten!) as well!

All of these patterns are either short sleeved or tank tops and made with fingering weight yarn, making them the perfect shirts for those hot summer days! Now, let me introduce you to my Top 10 must-have crochet summer tops!

1. Marley Lace Top

I have this one on the hook right now! It has a beautiful lace neckline, which is not difficult at all! The body is a simple single crochet pattern, keeping the attention on the neckline.

You can find it on Ravelry or her blog for free!

2. Hawthorne Tee by Hannah Cross

This is the second pattern I’m going to make as part of the make-along. I love the detailing of the lacey V-neck on this one!

You can find it on Ravelry or for free on her blog!

3. Captiva Top by Laura Murphy

This is a cropped summer top, which is designed yoke-down and in the round! The use of eyelet stitches intermittently with solid rows gives it this wonderful look, which would look great with variegated yarn!

You can find this pattern on Ravelry!

4. Kalyani Top by Sriimathy Balasubramaniam

This is a beautiful tank top, which can be made any length! Sriimathy’s pictures on Ravelry show hers to be more cropped, which is gorgeous, and it is designed with minimal seaming! My favorite part is the corseted back!

You can find it on Ravlery!

5. Eliza by Verity Castledine

This is a simple, classy top, specially designed for those new to crocheting garments. Even that lovely lace detailing at the collar and sleeves is easy enough for the new crocheters!

Find this pattern on Ravelry!

6. Seda Top by Linda Skuja

This is another tank top. This one has designs on created by working post stitches, which makes for a beautiful texture and effect.

You can find this pattern on Ravelry!

7. Rosie Tee by Michelle Ferguson

I love how the lace on the sleeves and hemline of this top give this tee that little bit of extra flair!

You can find it on Ravelry!

8. Tit’s Up Tee by Stephanie Erin

I’ve followed Stephanie on Instagram for a long time, and I’ve always loved her designs! This one is no exception! The stand-out feature for me is the simple lace design at the collar!

This pattern is available on Ravelry!

9. Flirty and Thriving Top by Stephanie Erin

I don’t know about you, but I don’t see many off-the-shoulder crochet tops out there. So automatically I love this one! Stephanie never disappoints with her patterns and details woven into them!

You can find this beautiful top on Ravelry!

10. Flutter Free Tee by Stephanie Erin

This simple yet elegant top is one that I will definitely be adding to my collection at some point! This is one that I definitely recommend using that special variegated yarn you’ve been saving for!

This pattern is available on Ravelry!