A cami is the garment I suggest when someone has made a few blankets and scarves and wants to wear something they crocheted. It's small, it needs very little shaping, and you can try it on as you go. It can be fitted or loose, cropped or long, depending on how you build it and which yarn you use. Before you start, measure your bust, waist, the neckline depth you like, shoulder-to-hem length and strap length. Then make a gauge swatch in your stitch, wash it, dry it and measure it again, because cotton often changes after its first wash. Cotton, bamboo and light cotton blends breathe and show stitches clearly. The twenty methods below run from beginner rectangles to shaped cups and motifs.
Turning Your Swatch Into a Stitch Count
Every method below depends on one sum, and it's simpler than it looks. After washing and drying your swatch, count how many stitches sit in 10 cm (4 inches). Divide by 10 to get stitches per centimeter. Multiply that by the finished width you want, and that's your starting chain or stitch count.
Here is a worked example. Say your swatch has 16 stitches in 10 cm, so 1.6 stitches per centimeter. Your bust is 90 cm, and you want a close fit with a little negative ease, so you aim for a finished circumference of 86 cm. 86 times 1.6 is about 138 stitches all the way around, or 69 per panel if you work front and back separately.
- Round the number to fit your stitch pattern. Shells and mesh need a multiple of the repeat, plus edge stitches.
- Count rows per 10 cm too, so you can work out the length and know where to place the waist shaping.
- Measure the swatch flat, without stretching it. A stretched swatch gives a count that's too small and a top that ends up tight.
1. Beginner Rectangle Crochet Cami Top
The rectangle cami is the one I'd make first. Use a breathable DK or light worsted and swatch it. Crochet one long rectangle in half double crochet until it wraps around your bust. Working every row through the back loops gives a ribbed stretch that hugs the body, which matters because a flat rectangle has no shaping. Join the short ends with slip stitch or mattress stitch into a tube, and try it on before fastening off so you can add or remove rows. Mark four strap points with stitch markers, make chain, braided or narrow single crochet straps, and edge the top and hem with one round of single crochet.
2. Two Panel Crochet Cami Top
Making the front and back separately gives you more control, since you can make the front a little wider for a fuller bust. Measure the widest part of the bust, halve it, then add or subtract ease for the fit you want. Chain to that width and work the front up in single or half double crochet. Make the back to the same row count; I count rows on both pieces as I go, because a three-row difference shows at the side seam. Block both panels before seaming if your yarn blocks well. Seam the sides, leaving armholes, add two straps, and finish the neckline, armholes and hem with single crochet to firm up the edges.
3. Made To Measure Crochet Cami Top
If standard pattern sizes never fit you, made-to-measure is worth the extra maths. Start from your washed swatch and work out how many stitches equal the bust circumference you want. A fitted cami usually needs a little negative ease, meaning the fabric is slightly smaller than you and stretches to fit; a relaxed one needs positive ease. Crochet the body as one tube or two panels, holding it against yourself every few rows. Mark the waist and bust so you know where to increase or decrease. Shape the neckline only once the body width is right. Pin straps on and try it before sewing them. Write down every stitch count, row count and hook size, so you can make it again.
4. Ribbed Crochet Cami Top
Vertical ribbing makes the stretchiest cami, and it looks almost knitted. The trick is to work sideways: chain the length of the top, not the width, then work half double crochet or slip stitch through the back loops. Each row becomes a vertical rib. Keep going until the piece wraps around your torso comfortably. Ribbed fabric stretches a lot, so test the fit before seaming, and expect it to need fewer rows than you'd think. Join the first and last rows at the center back or one side. Add firm single crochet straps and slip-stitch the top edge to stop it stretching. Block lightly so you don't flatten the ribs.
5. Bottom Up Crochet Cami Top
Bottom-up starts at the hem and grows toward the neckline. Chain enough to go around your lower torso, join without twisting, and mark the start of the round. Twisted joins are the classic mistake here, so lay the chain flat before you join. Work upward in a solid stitch, adding evenly spaced increases if your bust is wider than your waist. At the underarm, split into front and back. Work the front flat, decreasing at both edges for the armholes and neckline, then the back. Crochet the straps from the front corners and try the top on before attaching them, because strap length decides where the neckline sits.
6. Top Down Crochet Cami Top
Top-down lets you set the neckline and fit across the bust first, which is the hardest part to get right. Begin with two narrow front pieces where the straps will sit. Work down, increasing at the outer edges, and also at the inner edges for a V-neck. Join the fronts once the neckline is deep enough. Make the back separately or bridge it across the upper back. When front and back meet around your bust, join and work the body in rounds, decreasing slightly at the waist or keeping it straight. Make the straps last from slip-stitch cords or firm single crochet, which stretch less than taller stitches.
7. Triangle Cup Crochet Cami Top
A triangle cup construction gives the upper part real shape. Each cup starts with a chain from the underbust to the top of the cup. Work around both sides of the chain, with several stitches in the top chain to make a curved point, and keep adding rows until the cup covers you. Make a matching second cup and join them at the bottom edge. Crochet a wide band under the cups, then work down to make a full cami. The underbust band and straps carry the weight, so reinforce every join with extra stitches. Bust sizes differ a lot, so count rows in the cups, not just stitches.
8. Square Neck Crochet Cami Top
A square neckline looks clean and is easier to shape than a curve. Crochet the front as a rectangle up to the bottom of the armhole. Split the top edge into a left shoulder, the neckline opening and a right shoulder, and work each shoulder straight up with no decreases on the inner edges. That's what gives you the flat bottom and straight sides of a square neck. Make the back with a higher neckline for support. When you edge the neckline, put fewer stitches near the corners; too many and the corners flare. Wider straps hold the square shape better than thin ones.
9. V Neck Crochet Cami Top
A V-neck needs matching decreases on both sides. Crochet the lower body first, in rounds or panels. When you reach where the V should start, split the front stitches evenly and work one side at a time, decreasing at the inner edge. Decreasing every row makes a deep, narrow V; every other row makes a softer, wider one. Mirror the shaping exactly on the second side. Give the back a straight top and connect with crocheted straps. A narrow border steadies the V. At the point, work a decrease across the center stitches so the edging lies flat instead of bunching.
10. Granny Square Crochet Cami Top
Granny squares make a cami you can carry around in pieces and assemble later. Make identical squares and block each one to the same size, because squares made weeks apart rarely match without blocking. Arrange them into front and back panels that match your bust measurement, then join with slip stitch, single crochet or sewing. If whole squares don't give the width you need, add narrow side panels. Fill the uneven spaces at the top edge with shorter stitches so the straps have a firm edge to sit on. A ribbed hem band adds structure. Weave in every tail properly, since multicolor squares leave dozens of ends.
11. Moss Stitch Crochet Cami Top
Moss stitch, also called linen stitch, alternates single crochet with one chain, and each row works into the chain spaces of the row below. The result is a flexible fabric with a woven look, a good next step if plain rows bore you. Make two panels or one long piece. Keep the chain spaces loose and count stitches at the end of each row, since it's easy to drop one. Moss stitch pulls in slightly, so measure without stretching. Keep the top edge straight for a simple cami or shape it with gradual decreases. Solid or softly variegated yarn shows the texture best.
12. Mesh Crochet Cami Top
An open mesh cami is a warm-weather layering piece. Use smooth cotton or a bamboo blend so the holes stay crisp; fuzzy yarn blurs them. The mesh is usually double crochet with chain spaces between. Open fabric gives less support and coverage, so I'd make it slightly relaxed rather than tight. Make two panels, seam the sides, and edge the neckline and armholes with solid rows. Those solid edges are where the straps attach, and they stop the mesh stretching out of shape. Block gently; stretch the mesh too much and the top grows longer than planned.
13. Shell Stitch Crochet Cami Top
Shells, groups of stitches worked into one stitch, give a cami texture and a pretty edge. Choose a light yarn so the pattern drapes rather than stands stiff. Your foundation chain has to fit the shell repeat plus the edge stitches. Count every shell on the front and back so the panels match. For the armholes, use half shells or shorter stitches. A solid row of single crochet across the top gives the straps something firm to attach to. Seam the panels with a flat seam that doesn't break the pattern, and keep the straps plain.
14. Lace Back Crochet Cami Top
A lace-up back lets you tighten or loosen the fit without any shaping. Crochet a solid front, then two narrower back panels with a gap between them. Edge the inner back edges with firm single crochet and add loops, short chains alternating with single crochet. Make a long cord from chains or foundation single crochet and thread it through the loops in a crisscross pattern. The lacing should adjust the fit, not hold the top up, so still give it strong straps and side seams. Reinforce the bottom loops, which take the most pull every time you tighten.
15. Button Back Crochet Cami Top
A button back gives a fitted look with an opening. Crochet the front in one piece and split the back into two overlapping sections. Work a button band of several single crochet rows on one back edge. On the other, make buttonholes with short chain spaces sized to your buttons. Buy the buttons before you make the holes, not after. Space them evenly, keeping the top and bottom ones a little in from the ends. Block the bands before sewing buttons on so they line up. Sew buttons through several stitches with strong thread or yarn.
16. Tie Strap Crochet Cami Top
Tie straps let you adjust the neckline and are the easiest straps to fit. Finish the body first, then mark four strap points while wearing it. Make each tie as a long chain with a row of slip stitch back along it, or use foundation single crochet for a firmer cord. Make the ties long enough for a bow without dangling. Reinforce where each tie meets the body by stitching through several neighboring loops; a single-stitch attachment will tear. Tie them, check the neckline, and only then trim and weave in the ends.
17. Wide Strap Crochet Cami Top
Wide straps support better and cover standard bra straps, which is the main reason people ask me for them. Crochet the front and back to the underarm. Mark strap positions that sit naturally on the shoulder, not pulling toward the neck. Join yarn and work a band of single or half double crochet up to the matching point on the back. Make the second strap with the same stitch and row count. Try it on before seaming, because crochet relaxes with wear. Edge the armholes and neckline in one continuous round after assembly, so the straps look part of the body.
18. Peplum Crochet Cami Top
A peplum cami pairs a fitted bodice with a flared hem. Crochet the bodice first, in panels or a tube, and stop near the natural waist. Make sure the bodice fits before starting the flare. Then increase evenly across the next row; a gentle flare needs only a few increases, a ruffle needs many. Keep the peplum in a simple stitch or a light shell. Check the length often. The peplum should end at the high hip for most people; longer peplums can make the hips look wider. Block it flat and arrange the flare evenly.
19. Striped Crochet Cami Top
Stripes are the easiest way to make a plain cami your own. Use yarns with the same fiber, weight and care instructions, or one stripe may shrink differently in the wash. Plan the stripe order before you start. In the round, change colors at the start of the round and keep the join at a side or center back. Carry yarn up the edge only for short distances; otherwise cut it and weave in. Narrow stripes look busy and lively, wider ones look graphic. Keep the neckline and straps one color. Check your gauge after changing yarns.
20. Full Length Crochet Cami Top
A full-length cami is built like a cropped one, but you need to think about the waist and hips. Make the bust section to measure, then keep going below the waist. If the top has to widen over the hips, add evenly spaced increases at the sides. Try it on often or compare it with a cami that fits you. Stop a little short of the length you want, because cotton and bamboo lengthen with wear and washing. A dense hem border adds weight and stops the edge stretching. Add straps last, since the top's weight affects their length. Wash and block before final strap adjustments.
Why a Cotton Cami Grows, and How I Stop It
Cotton and bamboo are the best yarns for summer camis, but they have almost no elasticity. Once stretched, they stay stretched. The weight of the fabric pulls it down while you wear it, so a cami that fit in the morning can hang lower by evening, and the straps are the first thing to lengthen. Bamboo and other plant-based viscose yarns stretch even more than cotton.
- Go down a hook size from the yarn label for the straps and the top edge. Tighter stitches stretch less.
- Use short stitches where the weight hangs. Single crochet or slip stitch straps hold their length far better than double crochet.
- Slip-stitch along the inside of the strap or the top edge to lock its length.
- Make the body a little shorter than you want, since length is what grows most.
- Never hang a crochet top. Fold it in a drawer, and dry it flat after washing.
On the day you wear it, think about what goes underneath. Solid stitches cover well over a skin-tone bra. Mesh, shells and granny squares show through, so wear a fitted cami or bandeau in a matching color, or treat the open-stitch cami as a layer over a plain tank.
Make the Rectangle First, Then Get Ambitious
Start with the method that matches your skill and the fit you want. A rectangle, two-panel or moss stitch cami is the right first project. Once you're comfortable, try triangle cups, a lace-up back, shell stitches or waist shaping. Whatever you choose, accurate measurements and a washed swatch matter more than anything else. Try the top on all the way through, not just at the end, and reinforce straps, borders and closures. Treat each method as a starting point, then change the yarn, length, neckline, straps and colors to make a cami you'll actually wear.
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