Firelight Ribbed Summer Tee: Free Crochet Pattern
Introduction
The Firelight Ribbed Summer Tee is a fitted, short-sleeve top worked in warm burnt-orange DK yarn, and it's a lovely project for crocheters who are comfortable with the basics and ready to try post-stitch ribbing. The body is crocheted as a straight tube from the bottom up, so there's no waist or bust shaping to fuss over, and the vertical ribbing gives the fabric a soft, stretchy hand that hugs gently without clinging. Two small square cap sleeves are stitched onto the shoulders for a neat, structured finish. It looks like a piece you'd wear on a cool mountain-cabin evening, and it feels light enough for summer days too.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: DK weight (3), cotton or cotton blend, burnt orange (Color A): 600 (700, 800, 900) yds. This is a single-color project, so all yardage is Color A.
- Hook: 5 mm (H/8) crochet hook, or the size needed to match gauge.
- Notions: Stitch markers, a yarn needle for seaming and weaving in ends, and scissors.
- Finished size: XS (S/M, M/L, L/XL) to fit bust 30-32 (34-36, 38-40, 42-44) inches; finished bust 32 (36, 40, 44) inches; length 20 (21, 22, 23) inches.
Abbreviations
- ch — chain: make a loop of yarn and pull it through the loop on your hook.
- sl st — slip stitch: insert hook, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.
- sc — single crochet: insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
- dc — double crochet: yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through the last two loops.
- fpdc — front post double crochet: work a double crochet around the post of the stitch in front of your hook (inserting from front to back), rather than into the top of the stitch.
- bpdc — back post double crochet: work a double crochet around the post of the stitch behind your hook (inserting from back to front).
- RS / WS — right side / wrong side: the outside face of the fabric and the inside face.
- beg — beginning.
- rep — repeat.
- sts — stitches.
Gauge
15 sts x 7 rows = 4 inches in double crochet; ribbing gauge: 18 sts x 16 rows = 4 inches in post-stitch ribbing. To check, crochet a small swatch in the post-stitch ribbing and measure a 4-inch section in both directions before starting the body.
Tips Before You Start
- When you join the starting chain into a ring, check carefully that it isn't twisted — a twist here will run all the way up the tube.
- Post-stitch ribbing pulls in, so the finished tube will be narrower than a plain dc tube of the same stitch count. Trust the gauge and the finished bust measurements.
- Keep your tension even in the fpdc/bpdc rounds; loose posts make the ribbing wavy rather than stretchy.
- Use stitch markers at the underarm divide and at the neck split so you always know where the front, back, and shoulder sections begin.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Body (worked in the round, bottom up)
With A, ch 120 (136, 152, 168) sts, join with sl st to first ch to form a ring, being careful not to twist.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each ch around, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (120 [136, 152, 168] dc)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in each st around, join. (120 [136, 152, 168] dc)
Rnd 3: Ch 3, *fpdc around next st, bpdc around next st; rep from * around, join. (60 [68, 76, 84] fpdc, 60 [68, 76, 84] bpdc)
Rnds 4-30: Rep Rnd 3. (120 [136, 152, 168] sts)
Divide for Underarms
Next row (RS): Ch 3, fpdc around next st, bpdc around next st, work in established ribbing for 58 (66, 74, 82) sts, turn. Leave remaining sts unworked for the back. (60 [68, 76, 84] sts on the front)
Front
Row 1 (WS): Ch 3, work in ribbing to end of row, turn. (60 [68, 76, 84] sts)
Rows 2-10: Rep Row 1. (60 [68, 76, 84] sts)
Shape neck and shoulders:
Row 11: Ch 3, work 18 (22, 26, 30) sts in ribbing, turn. Leave remaining sts unworked. (19 [23, 27, 31] sts)
Rows 12-14: Ch 3, work in ribbing to end, turn. (19 [23, 27, 31] sts)
Fasten off.
With RS facing, skip center 22 (22, 22, 22) sts for neck, join A to next st, ch 3, work in ribbing to end, turn. (19 [23, 27, 31] sts)
Rows 12-14: Ch 3, work in ribbing to end, turn. (19 [23, 27, 31] sts)
Fasten off.
Back
With RS facing, join A to first unworked st of back, ch 3, work in ribbing across 60 (68, 76, 84) sts, turn.
Rows 1-10: Ch 3, work in ribbing to end, turn. (60 [68, 76, 84] sts)
Shape neck and shoulders:
Row 11: Ch 3, work 18 (22, 26, 30) sts in ribbing, turn. (19 [23, 27, 31] sts)
Rows 12-14: Ch 3, work in ribbing to end, turn. (19 [23, 27, 31] sts)
Fasten off.
With RS facing, skip center 22 (22, 22, 22) sts for neck, join A to next st, ch 3, work in ribbing to end, turn. (19 [23, 27, 31] sts)
Rows 12-14: Ch 3, work in ribbing to end, turn. (19 [23, 27, 31] sts)
Fasten off.
Cap Sleeves (make 2)
With A, ch 21 (23, 25, 27).
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (19 [21, 23, 25] dc)
Rows 2-10: Ch 3, dc in each st across, turn. (19 [21, 23, 25] dc)
Fasten off.
Edging
Neck edging: With RS facing, join A at shoulder seam, ch 1, sc evenly around neck opening, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.
Sleeve edging: With RS facing, join A at underarm, ch 1, sc evenly around sleeve opening, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. Repeat for the second sleeve opening.
Bottom edging: With RS facing, join A at side seam, ch 1, sc evenly around bottom edge, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.
Assembly and Finishing
Sew the shoulder seams, matching the front and back shoulder straps. Sew each cap sleeve to an armhole edge, easing the square to fit the opening. Weave in all ends on the wrong side. Block the finished tee lightly to the measurements given, laying it flat and smoothing the ribbing straight; do not stretch the neck or hem out of shape while it dries.
Pro Tips and Variations
- For a slightly looser fit, go up one hook size for the body only, keeping the sleeves on the original hook.
- Work the cap sleeves in post-stitch ribbing instead of plain dc to echo the body texture.
- Add a second sc round at the neck and hem for a crisper, more defined edge.
