477 Lake Hitchcock Tee - Top Crochet Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Charlemont Kettle Dyed and Charlemont Hand Dyed

477 Lake Hitchcock Tee – Crochet Top Pattern for Women by Valley Yarns

The 477 Lake Hitchcock Tee is a beautifully designed women's crochet top created by Sara Delaney and published by Valley Yarns. Inspired by the ancient glacial Lake Hitchcock, which once filled the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, this garment captures the mood of deep water through rich colorwork and elegant texture. The tee is available as a downloadable PDF pattern and is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for crocheters who are comfortable with flat construction and seaming techniques.

Sizing and Fit

The Lake Hitchcock Tee is designed to fit a wide range of body types, with sizing based on chest measurements:

• To Fit Chest: 36 (40, 44, 48, 52) inches
• Finished Chest: 38 (42, 46, 50, 54) inches

The finished measurements include a modest amount of positive ease, giving the tee a relaxed, comfortable silhouette that works well as a casual warm-weather top.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern calls for two coordinating colorways of the same luxurious base yarn, creating a sophisticated two-tone effect:

• Main Color (MC): Valley Yarns Charlemont Kettle Dyed in Navy Blue — 3 (4, 4, 4, 5) skeins required depending on size
• Contrast Color (CC): Valley Yarns Charlemont Hand Dyed in Aphrodite — 1 skein required across all sizes

Both yarns share the same fiber composition and yardage: 60% Fine Superwash Merino / 20% Mulberry Silk / 20% Polyamide, at 100g/439 yards per skein. This is a 4-ply weight yarn, offering a fine, drapey fabric that is ideal for a lightweight tee. The blend of fine merino, silk, and polyamide delivers softness, a subtle sheen, and excellent durability — qualities that make it well-suited for a garment worn close to the skin.

The contrast between the kettle-dyed main color and the hand-dyed contrast color adds visual interest and depth, with the swirling tones of Aphrodite evoking the layered colors found in river water and ancient lakebed sediment.

Hook and Notions

• Hook: US Size 3 / D / 3.25mm crochet hook
• Other Materials: Locking ring stitch markers

Gauge

Achieving accurate gauge is essential for a well-fitting garment. The pattern specifies:

• 22 stitches and 14 rows = 4 inches in half double crochet (hdc) cluster stitch
• The cluster band measures 1.5 inches wide

Crocheting a gauge swatch before beginning the body of the tee is strongly recommended, especially given the fine yarn weight and the structured nature of the cluster stitch pattern.

Construction and Techniques

The Lake Hitchcock Tee is constructed using a worked flat method, meaning each piece is crocheted back and forth in rows rather than in the round. The finished pieces are then joined together using a seamed construction approach. This technique gives the maker precise control over shaping and allows for clean, structured seams that contribute to the garment's polished appearance.

Key Construction Details

• The front and back are made as two separate identical pieces
• Before beginning work on the body, the pattern instructs makers to prepare two separate foundation chains of 25 chains each, set aside for use in the sleeves
• The body begins with a foundation chain worked in the main color, with stitch counts varying by size