Floral Cami Crochet Tank Top

· by · in Crochet Summer Apparel. ·

Recently I wrote a post that featured my Boho Crochet Maxi Skirt. What I didn’t expect was the amount of interest in the tank top that I was wearing with it. So here are all of the details about the Floral Cami.

First off, I just want to say I have no idea why this pattern is called Floral Cami – there really isn’t much about it that says “floral” to me. I call this my Fans and Feathers Cami because the bottom section uses a gorgeous variation of the fan stitches with some picot rows. This is a free Yarnspirations pattern so I will call it by the name they’ve given it for the title of this post.

This was the very first tank top that I ever crocheted. I have known how to crochet since I was a little girl but for some reason the thought of crocheting apparel was incredibly intimidating to me. I made this tank top last year so we’re talking about decades of being afraid to crochet any type of clothing.

Looking back on it, I wish that I had overcome that fear years ago. I imagine the amazing crochet wardrobe that I could have filled my closet with!!! Oh well – at least I can convince or inspire some of you to have a go at crocheting clothes for yourself. The truth is, there really is nothing to be afraid of. You are using all of the same stitches that you know and use for blankets and scarves – be braver than I was and just go for it!!!

fans and feathers cami

This is a great pattern for a first time attempt at crocheting apparel. It’s an easy rectangle mesh base that is very flexible and forgiving with sizing. The bottom section with the Fans and Feathers design looks much trickier than it really is. I found this pattern on YouTube and it was a Crochet Crowd Tutorial. If you are not familiar with The Crochet Crowd you should have a peek at some of Mikey’s videos. He is a very good teacher and clearly explains the stitches and stitch patterns.

After I made this top it was crazy how much more confident I became in my ability to crochet clothing. I became instantly inspired to make more apparel. I think that I followed 2 more existing patterns for tank tops and now I’m designing and crocheting my own patterns!

fans and feathers cami 4

My Thoughts on Crochet Floral Cami Top

Now I really don’t like to be too critical and I certainly don’t want to be negative but there was one thing about this pattern that I really didn’t like. Again I want to emphasize that I very firmly believe that EVERY time you create something with a hook and yarn it is a GOOD thing.

Here is what I didn’t like about this pattern.

It is made up of 2 panels front and back that need to be sewn together. I am not a fan of anything that requires me to make a pair of something. Of course I can’t avoid this but whenever possible I like to crochet all in one go. Any time I need to make 2 of something I have just doubled the risk of something being off on the second one – it’s a curse that I’m sure many of you have come across.

If I were writing this pattern I would have written it so that the mesh was a continuous crochet in the round. With the 2 panel design you would have a lot of trouble using a self striping yarn like Caron Cakes for this top. Lining up the stripes for each panel would be very tricky to say the least.

Here is what I loved about this pattern.

It’s a very easy pattern. It is also a very easy pattern to adjust for different sizes. You can make it as long or as short as you want. On the Crochet Crowd website there are instructions for sizing up to 5X.

fans and feathers cami 2

So if you’ve been hesitant to try your hook on making a tank top this is a good tutorial to start out with. If you don’t like the fans on the bottom just leave them off and put any kind of border that you like on the bottom section. The crochet mesh is an excellent base method to learn. Once you’ve mastered it – which really will be very quick – you now have the tools to design your own unique tank tops, beach covers, mini-dresses or dozens of other summer clothes!

Thanks for reading!

~ Tami

Floral Cami – Yarnspirations/Crochet Crowd Video Tutorial Links

49 responses to “Floral Cami Crochet Tank Top”

    • You’re welcome Robin and thank you!! I have no idea what I was so afraid of before! The worst that can happen is you have to pull it apart and try again. 🙂

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    • Oh my gosh Karen – it’s crazy, I wanted to make a lot more summer tops but the summer is already almost half over! Finding the time is my biggest crochet and life problem!! 😀

      Liked by 2 people

  3. Yeah, Tami, I also have that fear of crocheting apparel. Part of my problem is getting distracted and losing interest before I finish. I’m working on that.
    I have set aside a simple top, sort of a boat-neck cap-sleeve t-shirt. The body of the shirt is one color and then starting at the armpits it becomes another color. I think it is crocheted in the round, but I’m not sure.
    Based on your experience I’ll figure out a way to make it in the round when I start. I’m going to use a very lightweight cotton blend yarn which I’ll buy on sale when I’m ready to make it. Even as light as it will be, it’s still to warm for me to wear in the summer in Oklahoma. (We’re at 100+ now) but it will be nice for late Sept. and October.
    Thanks for all your encouragement for all of us.
    Jan

    Liked by 1 person

    • That sounds really pretty Jan! I have a cap sleeve sweater on my list as soon as I finish off a few more projects. Okay I’m sure I’m not fooling anyone – I’ll probably start my summer sweater this weekend!! 😀

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    • Thanks Tracy! Yeah I found that model from some billion dollar modeling agency – I think she was in an issue of Vogue – the very small backwoods town edition!!! LOL 😀 😀 😀

      Liked by 3 people

  5. What a nice you made outfit this is! I remember a girls from 4-H that made a crocheted outfit every year, they were always amazing; her twin sister would knit one…very inspiring, and took the fear away!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Kathy!!! I wish I overcame my fear of crocheting clothes decades ago. My mom taught me to crochet and her forte was blankets. It never occurred to me way back then that I could use all of the stitches she taught me to make other things. I always thought it looked too hard. I am pretty much fearless with my hook now! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • Isn’t that crazy Kate!! I only got brave enough to try crocheting clothes two years ago. Sure there were some weird shaped over large sweaters at first but once you learn the basic tricks it really is easy. I’m still not a fan of sleeves but at least I’m not afraid of them anymore!!! I just wish I still had the figure for wearing the tank tops I’ve been designing lately. I need to come up with designs for more, shall we say, mature women – like me!! This one is nice and feels very comfortable. I hope you give clothing a try some day – it really boosted my crochet confidence and now I feel like I can crochet EVERYTHING!!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  7. I never made much clothing in crochet (except for dolls and costumes) because I think I was biased against it. My mom would make us things to wear when I was a kid and I always thought it looked so old-fashioned and I was embarrassed by it. That’s not to say it wasn’t beautiful but other kids didn’t wear stuff like that and I didn’t like it. Then a friend of my mom’s made me a crochet ‘jacket’ and I hated it. I was 7 or 8 and it didn’t fit well and was uncomfortable so I think as I got older and became better at crochet, I never made clothes. I think something in the back of my head always thought it would be old-fashioned. So I stayed away form it. Ironically, the first piece I made for myself was a top just like yours Tami! I actually liked it and ended up giving it away to a friend because she like it too. That was over 10 years ago and I still haven’t made clothes. Now I’m seeing such gorgeous pieces out there and I might give it a go. I think it’s all about the yarn to make it fashionable. I’m cheap so spending money on nice yarn is hard for me. Come to think of it, it’s probably another reason I don’t make wearables. I’m too cheap! LOL

    Liked by 1 person

    • I’m the same way with yarn! I love good old Red Heart Super Saver!! That’s so funny that you made the same top – Twinternet Sisters!!!! And even though my mom never made clothes for me I hear what you’re saying. Back in our day there were some very strict fashion rules. My parent’s didn’t have the money to spend on the brand names. I bet if my mom did crochet clothing that my closet would have been full of them!! Oh god I’m trying to imagine what colors she would have used too! LOL

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Hello Tami ~ I’m with you…making 2 identical anything is very difficult. Plus I’m not a fan of finishing something, just to make the same thing again 😜
    It is a lovely top though 😍 so maybe I can give it a go…and if I plan it for the next summer I can work on other things in between ☺️

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Tina!! The mesh is super easy – you’ll have it finished in no time. I might make a few more of these using a different design on the bottom border. I will definitely be tweaking it so that it is a continuous round and not two panels. I’m really really terrible at taking notes when I’m going off pattern but maybe I’ll try to pay attention and jot down what I do to make this a one piece design. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  11. I’ve been pinning crochet top patterns forever but have yet to jump in. The sad thing is I bought two from Target a few years ago and they were my favorite things to wear in the Summer. I need to go make one!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Trudy! This is a pretty easy pattern. I like the mesh because I can wear different color plain tank tops under it. If I ever have the time I want to make a few more with different borders along the bottom. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Brenna! I love that skirt so much!!!! I’m so glad that Simply Soft is machine wash and dry because I’ve been wearing it a lot – probably too much but I don’t care!!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • The mesh is nice because it stretches a bit if you make it too small. I usually have the opposite problem and make everything way too big!! 😀

      Like

  17. Lovely top and would go with most things! Reading some of the posts above I can sympathise with the sizing and feeling confident about plunging into crocheting clothes – if I’m crocheting for myself and especially if it’s a pattern I’m making from my head, then I will often use one of my tops as a size guide – obviously choose a top that fits the way you want your crochet top to fit. The same would go for skirts too 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you!! That is a great tip! I actually just picked up a few tank tops really cheap at Walmart to use for templates! It really makes it much easier. I picked up a few different sizes so I can use them for making tank tops for other people. I need to remember this trick for sweater making season which is right around the corner!!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

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