Crochet Top in Bergere de France Julienne - M1341 - Downloadable PDF

Crochet Top in Bergere de France Julienne – Pattern M1341

This free downloadable crochet pattern from the iconic French yarn brand Bergère de France guides you through creating a beautifully crafted crochet top, known in the original French as the Top au Crochet Julienne (pattern reference M1341). Designed with a classic, wearable silhouette, this top is suitable for intermediate crochet makers who are comfortable working with standard stitch patterns and basic shaping techniques.

About the Design

The Julienne top is a lightweight, fitted crochet top constructed in separate panels — specifically a back panel (Dos) and a front panel (Devant) — which are then seamed together to create the finished garment. The design is clean and elegant, making it a versatile wardrobe piece suitable for warmer seasons. The pattern is sized to fit ages 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 years, making it an excellent project for those crocheting for children or tweens. The construction follows a straightforward panel-based approach, meaning each piece is worked flat before assembly.

Techniques Used

• Working flat in rows – Both the back and front panels are crocheted in flat, back-and-forth rows rather than in the round, giving a structured, tailored finish.
• Shaping with decreases – The pattern includes specific instructions for decreasing multiple stitches at each side of a row to shape the armholes and neckline. At the beginning of a row, slip stitches are worked over the stitches to be decreased; at the end of a row, the corresponding stitches are simply left unworked.
• Treble crochet cluster decreases – For more refined edge shaping, the pattern uses a technique of working 3 treble crochets closed together (a cluster decrease), which creates a smooth, gradual reduction two stitches in from the edge. This is a classic intermediate technique that produces a neat, professional finish on shaped edges.
• Tension/gauge swatch – As with all Bergère de France patterns, makers are strongly encouraged to crochet a tension square before beginning. The correct gauge is essential for achieving the right fit across the multiple sizes offered.
• Seaming – Once the individual panels are complete, the garment is assembled by joining the front and back pieces together at the shoulders and sides.

Stitches Used

• Treble crochet / Double crochet (Brides – b.) – The primary stitch used throughout the body of the top. The entire fabric is worked in a treble crochet stitch pattern (referred to in the French instructions as point de brides), which creates an open, slightly lacy, and breathable fabric — ideal for a summer or spring top.
• Chain stitch (Mailles en l'air – m.l.) – Used at the beginning of rows to create the turning chain, replacing the first treble crochet of each row. Three chain stitches are used to substitute for the first treble.
• Slip stitch (Maille coulée – m.c.) – Used specifically in the decrease technique at the beginning of rows, where slip stitches are worked across the stitches that need to be eliminated before the main row begins.
• Cluster stitch (3 brides fermées ensemble) – Three treble crochets worked and closed together into a single stitch, used for internal decreases near the edges of the fabric to shape armholes and necklines smoothly.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is designed specifically for Bergère de France Julienne yarn in the colourway Prairie (shade 10498). Julienne is a 4-ply weight yarn, making it a fine, delicate choice that works up beautifully in treble crochet to produce a light and airy fabric — perfectly suited to a warm-weather top. The number of balls required varies by size:

• Age 4: 4 balls
• Age 6: 4 balls
• Age 8: 5 balls
• Age