4 rounds · filed under lace · 4 of them
Tops · added 15 Sep 2026
Fan Stitch Top Pattern For Open Summer Lace
Fan stitch V-shells build an airy, open lace fabric for this lightweight crochet summer top.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 6-8 hours
- Yarn
- Worsted
- Rounds
- 4
About this pattern
Fan stitch fabric feels open and airy under the hand, thanks to the V-stitch and five-double-crochet shells that spread from each anchor point. Between the shells, chain-one spaces let air move through, so the fabric stays light rather than dense. Double crochet gives the shells enough body to hold their curve, while the chain spaces keep the whole piece flexible and stretchy across the width, never stiff or board-like.
The piece builds flat, row by row, from a center point that widens as V-stitch and shell rows stack outward. That structure leaves a triangular or fan-shaped panel that lies open rather than tubed, so drape it over the shoulders as a lightweight cover-up, knot it at the front as a wrap top, or lay it flat and seam the sides for a fitted summer tank. The open shell pattern breathes well against skin, making it suited to warm-weather layering.
The swatch in numbers
- Rounds
- 4
- Level
- Intermediate
- Time
- 6-8 hours
- Yarn
- Worsted
The yarn and the hook
- Yarn of choice (weight and color as per your preference)
- Crochet hook (size recommended for your yarn)
- Scissors
- Yarn needle
Stitches, spelled out
ch chain; st stitch; sl st slip stitch; sc single crochetDense; hdc half double crochetDense; dc double crochetDrape; inc increase; dec decrease; mr magic ringDense; fo finish off.
Tension and hand-feel
After the first V-stitch and shell row, check that the five-double-crochet fan lies flat and open rather than cupping or rippling at the edges.
Main Pattern
How the texture is built
- Row 1 sets a single V-stitch exactly one stitch before the center point, so the shaping increase sits at the mid-point of the row rather than at either edge.
- Row 2 works five double crochets directly into the chain-one space of each V-stitch, which is what turns a single anchor stitch into a full fan and doubles the stitch count at every V from the row before.
- Because each row begins by working back from the center rather than turning at a fixed side edge, the piece builds up flat in rows instead of joining into a tube, so there is no round-join seam to hide.
If you swap the yarn
| Cotton, worsted weight | Gives crisper stitch definition and holds the fan shape sharply, with less drape than a blend; size the hook for worsted cotton rather than a lighter fiber. |
|---|---|
| Cotton-linen blend, DK weight | Produces a lighter fabric with more drape and movement, so the top hangs closer to the body; use a smaller hook than for worsted cotton. |
| Bamboo or rayon blend, sport weight | Creates very fluid drape and softens the shells into loose scallops rather than crisp shells; the slippery fiber shifts stitch size easily, so check the row often against the hook and adjust as needed. |
Colorways
- Sand and Coral Work the V-stitch rows in sand and the five-double-crochet shell rows in coral, so each fan reads as a bright scallop against a neutral base.
- Ombre Blue Keep every V-stitch row in a constant pale blue while shifting the shell rows gradually from light to dark blue as the piece grows, giving a graduated wash across the fabric.
Washing and blocking
Hand wash in cool water no matter which fiber is chosen, since the open shell structure holds less water weight than a dense fabric but can still stretch when saturated.
Lay flat to dry and pin out the scalloped edge of each fan row so the piece dries open instead of curling in at the chain-one spaces.
Store folded rather than hung, since the open lace structure stretches out of shape under its own weight over time.
When it does not look right
- The fan shells look tight and refuse to spread into a curve.
- The five double crochets in each shell are being worked too tightly; loosen tension on those stitches or size up the hook so the shells relax open.
- The piece cups or ripples instead of lying flat.
- Extra stitches have crept into a V-stitch space or shell; recount stitches into each space and work exactly the shells and skips called for so row width stays even.
- The center point puckers or sits off to one side.
- The starting count before the center V-stitch was off; recount stitches from each edge before placing the V-stitch so it lands exactly at the middle of the row.
Close-ups
Questions people ask
What size does this top work up to?
Materials leave yarn weight and hook choice open, so finished size scales with whatever weight and hook are chosen. Work the first two rows to see how wide the fan repeat lands before committing to the full piece.
Can this be made in a single color?
Yes, a single color works well here since the texture comes from the V-stitch and shell structure rather than from color contrast. The open fan pattern still reads clearly in one shade.
Why does row 1 start one stitch before the center?
That placement sets the V-stitch exactly at the mid-point of the row, keeping the shaping symmetric on both sides. Starting elsewhere would shift the fan pattern off-center.
What causes the chain spaces to look uneven from row to row?
This usually happens when a shell lands slightly off from the chain-one space of the V-stitch below it. Recheck the skip-one-stitch count on each row so every shell sits squarely over its anchor point.
New patterns, as they are filed
One short email when a batch lands, with the feel of each.