The Barryville Top

The Barryville Top by Aimee Wagner

What is Being Made

The Barryville Top is a cropped crochet tank designed for pairing with high-waisted shorts or jeans. This garment is named after Barryville, a hamlet in upstate New York, and reflects the designer's favorite camping destination. The top is worked from the bottom up in joined rows, creating clean, structured lines of color throughout the piece. The straps are designed with flexibility, allowing crafters to modify their length to suit individual sizing preferences and personal style.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level crochet project employs several essential techniques to achieve its finished structure and aesthetic. The garment is constructed by working in rounds with joined rows, which creates the clean color lines characteristic of the design. Crafters will practice color changes throughout the project, transitioning between multiple yarn colors to build the striped or color-blocked effect. The pattern incorporates decreasing techniques to shape the garment appropriately at key points. Additionally, the design features cross double crochet stitches, which add textural interest and visual complexity to the finished top.

Stitches Used

• Double crochet (dc) – The primary stitch used throughout the body of the garment
• Cross double crochet – Used to create textured detail and visual interest
• Joining techniques – Applied when working in rounds to maintain structure and clean lines
• Decreasing – Incorporated to shape the garment and achieve proper fit

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Barryville Top is designed to be worked with 3-ply yarn weight, offering a lightweight option ideal for warm-weather wear. The original sample shown in the pattern was created using Hobby Lobby's Yarn Bee Pigment + Fiber in the colorway Fridays in Florence. However, the pattern accommodates creative customization, with yarn colors labeled as A, B, C, D, E, F, and G to allow crafters to select any colorway or color combination of their preference. Standard crochet hooks appropriate for 3-ply yarn weight are required, though specific hook size should be verified within the full pattern documentation.

Pattern Details and Considerations

This downloadable PDF pattern is currently available in size medium. The pattern is written with left-handed directions included, though instructions can easily be reversed for right-handed crocheters. The intermediate skill level makes this project suitable for crafters with foundational crochet knowledge who are ready to work with color changes and more complex stitch combinations. The construction method—working from the bottom up with the top worked last—provides flexibility in the final garment fit and allows for easy strap length adjustments before completion.