Arafura Top in Berroco Seaspun - Downloadable PDF

Arafura Top in Berroco Seaspun — Crochet Pattern by Alison Green

The Arafura Top is a crocheted tank top designed by Alison Green and published by Berroco. This intermediate-level downloadable PDF pattern produces a stylish, relaxed-fit top worked in Berroco Seaspun yarn, a worsted-weight yarn sold in 50-gram balls. The design is available in a wide range of sizes, with finished bust measurements spanning from 37½ inches up to 71½ inches (approximately 95.5 cm to 181.5 cm), making it an inclusive and versatile wardrobe addition. The sample shown in the pattern photography is worked in size 45 inches (114.5 cm). A recommended positive ease of approximately 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) gives the finished top a comfortable, relaxed drape.

What Is Being Made

The Arafura is a crocheted tank top designed for warm-weather wear or layering. It features a clean, structured silhouette with a textured stitch panel detail that adds visual interest without overwhelming complexity. The finished length ranges from approximately 13 to 16¾ inches (33 to 42.5 cm) depending on the size, making it a cropped to mid-torso length top suitable for a variety of styling options.

Construction Method

The Arafura Top is constructed from the bottom up, worked in the round to the underarms. This seamless approach to the lower body creates a smooth, continuous fabric with no side seams to sew. An important construction note in the pattern instructs makers to turn at the end of each round — this ensures the stitch pattern looks consistent whether working in the round or flat, a thoughtful detail that preserves the integrity of the textured panel throughout the garment.

Once the body reaches the underarms, the work is divided for the front and back sections, which are then each worked flat separately up to the shoulders. This technique is common in crocheted garments and allows for precise shaping of the armhole and neckline areas. The construction is well-suited to intermediate crocheters who are comfortable transitioning between working in the round and working flat.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The primary stitch used throughout the Arafura Top is the double crochet (dc), which forms the main fabric of the garment. Double crochet is a classic, versatile stitch that creates a fabric with good drape and a relatively open texture — ideal for a summer or transitional-season top.

The pattern also features a dedicated Pattern Stitch Panel, which is worked over a multiple of 4 double crochets plus 1. This panel introduces a more decorative, lace-like element to the design. The panel stitch involves:

• Skipping double crochets to create openwork spacing
• Chain-3 spaces (ch 3) worked between stitch clusters
• Groups of 3 double crochets worked around chain spaces, creating shell-like or cluster formations

This combination of chain spaces and double crochet clusters is a hallmark of decorative crochet lacework, adding elegance and texture to what might otherwise be a straightforward double crochet fabric. The pattern stitch panel can be followed using either written row-by-row instructions or a chart, making it accessible to crocheters who prefer either format.

Additional techniques referenced in the pattern include the use of locking stitch markers, which are used to track rounds, sections, or key placement points — a practical skill for intermediate crocheters working on shaped garments.

Materials — Yarn, Hooks, and Notions

The pattern calls for Berroco Seaspun, a worsted-weight yarn sold in 50-gram balls. The colorway shown in the sample is #10309 Fjord. Depending on the size being made, the pattern requires between 4 and 8 balls of Berroco Seaspun, with larger sizes naturally requiring more yardage.

Two crochet hooks are used in this pattern:

• Size 7 /