9 rounds · filed under dense · 5 of them
Tops · added 2 Oct 2026
Ribbed slip stitch cami top with a contrast stripe accent
Back-loop slip stitch builds a tight, corded rib; the fabric is worked flat, seamed into a cami top with a stripe accent.
- Skill
- Easy-intermediate
- Time
- 6-10 hours
- Hook
- 3.5 mm
- Yarn
- Super Fine
- Rounds
- 9
About this pattern
Back loop slip stitches, worked row after row, pull each loop into a tight, corded ridge that runs horizontally across the chest and back. Under your hand the result feels dense and slightly stiff lengthwise, with almost no vertical give, yet the ribs themselves flex side to side the way corduroy does. Working the first and last stitch of every row through both loops keeps the selvedge edges firm and easy to seam, while the rest of the row stays ribbed and close.
The whole piece starts as one long rectangle, folded in half and seamed up one side to form a tube, right sides together so the stripe row stays tucked behind the ribbing on the outside. Once turned, the bottom edge gets rounds of single crochet to build a fitted border, and the top edge takes straps picked up after marking front, back, and side seam points. Try the tube on before adding the border decreases and again before chaining the straps to length, since fit here comes from checking the fabric on the body rather than a tape measure.
Difficulty: Easy-intermediate (comfortable with slip stitch, HDC, and basic color changes). Estimated time: 6–10 hours depending on your gauge and top length.
The sample uses a two-color approach — a deep burgundy body with navy ribbing lines — which gives the finished top a really polished, intentional look. It's beginner-friendly in construction but the result doesn't read that way at all.
The swatch in numbers
- Rounds
- 9
- Parts
- 5
- Level
- Easy-intermediate
- Time
- 6-10 hours
- Hook
- 3.5 mm
- Yarn
- Super Fine
The yarn and the hook
- Super fine weight 4-ply cotton yarn or cotton-acrylic blend in your main color — at least 2 balls
- Super fine weight 4-ply cotton yarn in a contrast accent color — 1 ball
- 3.5 mm crochet hook
- Stitch markers
- Yarn needle for weaving in ends
Stitches, spelled out
BLO back loop onlyRidge; hdc half double crochetDense; sc2tog single crochet 2 stitches together (decrease)Dense.
Tension and hand-feel
After working the first seven slip-stitch rows, lay the panel flat and compare its height to the 60 chains you started with, since slip stitch pulls tighter row by row and the fabric will have shrunk.
If the panel sits noticeably shorter than the chain length, go up half a hook size for the remaining rows so the ribbing stays open enough to work into later.
Step 3: Bottom Border
Step 1: Make the Main Panel
Chain for the desired height of your cami top. Because slip stitches pull snug and bounce up slightly after you work them, chain a few extra stitches beyond what you think you need. (The sample uses 60 chains for a cropped length.) Add one more chain as your turning chain.
Work slip stitches back down the chain to complete Row 1.
For Rows 2 through 7, chain 1 and turn. Work slip stitches across the row in the back loop only, except for the very first and last stitch of each row — work those through both loops to maintain clean selvedge edges.
On Row 7, cut your main color leaving a short tail and join your accent color using a magic knot. Trim the ends closely.
For Row 8, chain 1 and turn. Work a row of half double crochets in your accent color. Work the first and last stitches through both loops, and all middle stitches through the back loop only.
Switch back to your main color and repeat the full cycle — 7 rows of slip stitches in the back loop, followed by 1 row of half double crochets in your accent color — until the rectangle is wide enough to wrap comfortably around your body with a little ease.
End your final repeat on the accent color stripe so the stripes match up neatly when the panel is seamed.
Step 2: Seam the Body
Fold your finished rectangle in half with right sides together. The "right side" is the side where the HDC accent row sits tucked neatly behind the slip stitch columns.
Using the working yarn still attached, chain 1 and slip stitch the two open vertical ends together from top to bottom.
Flip the tube right side out so the seam is hidden on the inside.
Step 4: Top Edge and Straps
Put the top on and use stitch markers to map out exactly where you want each strap to attach at the front and back.
Reattach your main color at the back-right strap marker with a slip stitch.
Work 2–3 rows of single crochet around the top edge, decreasing where needed to keep the edge snug and even.
To make each strap
How the texture is built
- The accent-color HDC row is worked only once, on Row 8, which means the stripe lands at a fixed height on the body rather than repeating, since the panel is built as rows rather than rounds.
- The bottom border is added after the rectangle is already seamed into a tube, so its rounds travel around the closed shape and can include an optional sc2tog decrease round without disturbing the slip-stitch rows above.
- The side seam is worked with a slip stitch using the yarn still attached from the last row, which keeps the join as elastic as the ribbing itself instead of adding a stiffer worked-in edge.
If you swap the yarn
| DK-weight cotton (heaviest reasonable substitute) | This pattern is built around a super fine (fingering / 4-ply) cotton or cotton-blend yarn, which is what gives the slip stitch ribbing its dense, structured look without being heavy. Swapping to a heavier yarn makes the top grow quickly in height, so stop working much sooner than you expect. A DK-weight cotton is the heaviest reasonable substitute — anything above that produces a very chunky, thick fabric that won't drape the same way. |
|---|---|
| Avoid stretchy or hairy yarns | The BLO slip stitch is a textural stitch and looks best in a smooth yarn where the ribbing reads cleanly — avoid anything too stretchy or hairy. |
Colorways
- Sample Colorway The sample uses a two-color approach — a deep burgundy body with navy ribbing lines — giving the top a polished, intentional look despite the simple construction.
- Monochrome Version Skip the accent color entirely and work all rows — including the HDC rows — in your main color. The ribbing texture still reads beautifully without the stripe contrast.
When it does not look right
- The bottom edge flares wider than the
- Round 1 of the border was likely worked a little loose around the seamed tube; add the optional sc2tog decrease round evenly and try the top on as you adjust it.
- Your hook keeps getting stuck working into the next row.
- Your BLO slip stitches were likely worked too tight. Tight slip stitches make the fabric stiff and hard to work into on the following row — if your hook keeps getting stuck, go up half a hook size.
- The seam doesn't lie flat once the tube
- This usually means the stripe counts on the two vertical edges didn't match before seaming. Count the accent stripe rows visible on both vertical edges of your rectangle before you fold and seam — they should match exactly.
Close-ups
Questions people ask
What size does this pattern make?
The pattern is written to be fully adjustable — you work the rectangle until it fits around your body, and you customize the height with your starting chain. Try it on as you go rather than following a fixed measurement, and it will fit any size.
Can the cami top be made longer than the sample shown?
Yes, add more chains to the starting row beyond the 60 used for the cropped sample, keeping in mind that slip stitch rows shrink in height once worked. Test a few rows before committing to the full length.
Why does the pattern start with slip stitches instead of single crochet?
Back loop slip stitches are what create the ribbed, corded surface described throughout the panel. Starting the first row with slip stitches sets both the stitch count and the rib pattern that every following row repeats.
How do you know if the bottom border needs the decrease round?
Work round 1 of the border first, then try the top on before deciding. If the bottom sits looser than you want at the waist, add the sc2tog decrease round evenly around before continuing.
What happens if the stripe rows don't line up on both edges before seaming?
A mismatched stripe count means the two sides were worked with slightly different tension, and the seam will pull crooked once joined. Recount the rows on each vertical edge and adjust before folding and seaming the tube.
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