# Navy Blue Nautical Ruffle Top Free Crochet Pattern
I had such a specific vision for this one: polished, feminine, that classic nautical charm that never goes out of style. A sleek ribbed bodice, dramatic eyelet ruffle sleeves, and sweet little white ribbon bows at the shoulders — I am SO pleased with how she turned out, friends.
Here is the secret: it looks far more complicated than it is. The bodice is one stitch — half double crochet in the back loop only — worked in the round on happy autopilot. The ruffle sleeves are worked flat and separately, so you can practice the fan stitch on a swatch, take your time, and attach them only when you love how they look. If you have finished one garment before, you can absolutely make this.
What You’ll Need
- Worsted weight cotton or cotton-blend yarn in navy blue — approximately 600 to 700 yards / 549 to 640 meters. Choose something with low stretch and good stitch memory so the ribbing holds its shape.
- US size G-6 / 4.0 mm hook (bodice)
- US size H-8 / 5.0 mm hook (ruffle sleeves — the larger hook gives a softer drape)
- 1 yard / 1 meter of white grosgrain ribbon, 0.5 in / 1.3 cm wide, cut into two equal pieces
- Yarn needle, scissors, at least 4 stitch markers, rust-proof pins for blocking
Finished size:
- Size Small — bust 34 in / 86.5 cm, body length from hem to underarm 10 in / 25.5 cm, total length hem to shoulder 15 in / 38 cm
- Sleeve ruffle: 5 in / 12.5 cm wide at attachment, 4 in / 10 cm drop
- Customization notes for XS-XL included below
The Pattern
Gauge (G-6 / 4.0 mm, blocked):
- 18 hdc x 12 rows = 4 in / 10 cm
- Swatch and block — one stitch per inch off changes the bust by about 2 inches over the full garment
Back loop hdc (blo hdc): Work hdc inserting the hook under the back loop only — this creates the horizontal ridges of the bodice.
Eyelet fan: Sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st (one 6-st repeat = 1 fan).
Picot: Ch 3, sl st in first ch made.
Bodice
The body is worked as a seamless tube from the bottom up. The ch-2 at the start of each round does NOT count as a stitch.
With navy yarn and G-6 hook, ch 155. Join with a sl st to form a ring, taking care not to twist.
Round 1 (RS): Ch 2, hdc in each ch around, join. (154 hdc)
Round 2: Ch 2, blo hdc in each st around, join. (154 hdc)
Rounds 3-28: Repeat Round 2. (154 hdc each round)
Checkpoint: Tube ≈ 10 in / 25.5 cm tall and 34 in around laid flat.
Front and Back Panels
Do not join at the end of Round 28 — you will now work flat. Mark st 77 and st 154: 77 sts for the front, 77 for the back.
**Front panel,
Row 1 (RS):** Ch 2, turn, blo hdc across 77 sts. Turn. (77 hdc)
Rows 2-14: Ch 2, turn, blo hdc across 77 sts. Turn. (77 hdc)
Panel ≈ 4.5 in / 11.5 cm above the underarm; total ≈ 14.5 in / 37 cm. Fasten off with a 12-in tail.
Back panel: Rejoin yarn at the first unworked underarm st and work Rows 1-14 identically. Fasten off with a 12-in tail.
Shoulder Seams
With wrong sides together, whipstitch the outer 14 sts of each front edge to the matching back edge. Each shoulder strap is 14 sts wide (≈ 3 in / 7.5 cm); the center stays open as the square neckline.
Ruffle Sleeves (make 2)
Switch to H-8 / 5.0 mm hook.
Foundation: Ch 91.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. Turn. (90 sc)
Row 2 (increase): Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in each st across. Turn. (180 sc) — this doubling makes the ruffle!
Row 3 (eyelet fans): Ch 3 (counts as dc here), turn. [Sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st] across, ending with a 5-dc fan. (30 fans)
Row 4 (picot row): Ch 1, turn. Sc in first sc anchor, [picot, sc in center (3rd) dc of next fan, picot, sc in next sc anchor] across. Fasten off.
Row 5 (scallop edge): Rejoin yarn at the start of Row 4 with RS facing. [Sl st in first st, ch 3, 2 dc in same st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st, sk 2 sts, 3 dc in next st] across. Fasten off.
Each ruffle ≈ 9 in / 23 cm wide laid flat with a 4 in / 10 cm drop.
Sleeve Attachment
With RS out, pin the foundation edge of each ruffle to an armhole opening, easing the 90 ruffle sts evenly around about 32 armhole edge points for that gathered look. Whipstitch with matching yarn. Repeat for the second sleeve.
Neckline Edging
With G-6 hook and RS facing, join yarn at any neckline corner.
Round 1: Ch 1, sc evenly around the square neckline (1 sc per st, 1 sc per row end), join. (≈ 120 sc)
Round 2: [Sl st, ch 3, 2 dc in same st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st, sk 2 sts, 3 dc in next st] around, working (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) in each corner st. Join, fasten off, weave in ends.
Ribbon Bows
Cut the grosgrain into two 18-in / 45.5 cm pieces. Thread one through the shoulder strap sts at each shoulder seam, center it, and tie a bow on the outside. Trim the ends on a diagonal and seal with a dab of fabric glue.
Size Customization
Adjust the foundation chain in multiples of 2, keeping it divisible by 6: XS (30-in bust) ch 135 (67 per panel); S ch 155 as written; M (38-in) ch 172 (86 per panel); L (42-in) ch 190 (95 per panel); XL (46-in) ch 208 (104 per panel). To lengthen, add rounds before dividing — every 2 rounds adds about 0.66 in / 1.7 cm.
Wet block cotton (soak 15-20 minutes, pin to measurements, dry flat) or steam block wool blends. Machine wash cold gentle for cotton; store folded, never hung. Remove the ribbons before washing.
Sophie’s Tips
- The blo-hdc bodice is wonderfully mindless — save this for movie nights and let your hands do the thinking.
- Pin the ruffles generously before seaming and step back to check the gathers look even from a few feet away.
- Cotton grows when wet-blocked, so if you are between sizes, block your swatch and trust the blocked numbers.
Sail away in style, friends — this top is pure boutique magic!
