Runswick Top in Rowan Summerlite 4 ply - Downloadable PDF

Runswick Top in Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply – Crochet Pattern Summary

The Runswick Top is an elegant crochet garment designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level crochet pattern produces a beautifully textured top featuring intricate joined motif panels. The pattern is part of the broader Runswick collection, which also includes a dress version, giving crocheters the option to work either a shorter top or a longer dress silhouette from closely related instructions.

Garments Included in This Pattern

The Runswick Top

The Runswick Top is the primary garment featured in this pattern. It is a crochet top constructed using a panel of square motifs that are joined together as they are worked. The motif panels form the body of the top, with the lower edges of the joined motifs creating the finished hem — meaning no additional edging is required at the bottom of the garment. This is a thoughtful design detail that gives the hem a naturally decorative finish.

The top is worked in Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply, a lightweight yarn perfectly suited to warm-weather garments. For the top, the pattern calls for a combination of shades:

• A – Pure White 417
• B – Mint 451
• C – Peachy 459
• D – Warm Grey 457

The yarn quantities vary by size, with shade A requiring between 2 and 4 balls of Summerlite 4 Ply (50g), and shades B, C, and D each requiring 1 ball across all sizes. This multi-colour palette gives the finished top a delicate, summery aesthetic.

The Runswick Dress

The pattern also includes instructions for the Runswick Dress, a longer version of the same design. The dress is photographed in Buttermilk 421, a single shade of Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply, giving it a clean, monochromatic look that allows the motif texture to take centre stage. Yarn requirements for the dress range from 7 to 13 balls of Summerlite 4 Ply (50g) depending on the size chosen.

Sizing

Both the top and dress are available in a generous range of nine sizes, designed to fit chest measurements from 71–76 cm (28–30 in) up to 152–157 cm (60–62 in). Actual chest measurements of the finished garment range from 80 cm (31½ in) to 162.5 cm (64 in), reflecting the ease built into the design.

Techniques and Construction

The Runswick Top is built around a square motif construction, a classic crochet technique in which individual motifs are worked in the round and then joined together to form the fabric of the garment. In this pattern, the motifs are joined as you go during the final round of each motif, eliminating the need for sewing pieces together separately. This method is both efficient and produces a neat, seamless join.

Each motif is worked over six rounds, building from a central foundation outward to create a square with clearly defined corners. The joining of motifs is achieved by replacing the 3-chain picot of the final round with a 1 chain, slip stitch into the corresponding picot of the adjacent motif, 1 chain sequence — a technique that creates a secure yet flexible connection between squares.

An important construction note is that the lower edge of the motif panels forms the actual finished hem of the garment. To preserve this clean edge, crocheters are advised not to work the centre four picots along the lower edge of the joined motifs, allowing the natural scalloped border of the motif round to serve as the hemline.

Stitches Used

This pattern draws on a range of crochet stitches that are characteristic of motif-based crochet work:

• Treble crochet (tr)