How to Customize a Lacy Top from a Russian Diagram, Part I

My husband brought me some beautiful alpaca/silk yarn back from Peru.  The yarn is very expensive so he only brought 4 skeins, 2 green and 2 blue (my favorite colors), so I had to find a pattern that didn't use a lot of yarn.  I've been wanting to make myself a lacy top for a while and I found this top on Pinterest.  It's lacy, so it doesn't use a lot of yarn, but I still had to supplement with some other yarn.  There isn't really a pattern for the top, just 2 diagrams with Russian symbols and a picture of the finished top so I had to figure something out.  So here is what I did.

I have decided to do this in two parts because it's kind of long, so here is Part I.  I will post a link to Part II when it is finished.

Materials

• F Hook
• Size 3, Light, sport weight yarn.  I used 4 balls of this yarn, Colque Baby Alpaca/Silk  (not sure of the yardage, but the skein wasn't very large) 

• and  2 to 3  Skeins of Loops and Threads Elegance yarn (160 yds per skein), Ocean (If you want to make this top all in Elegance yarn I'm guessing it will take 5 to 6 skeins.)
• A sleeveless, stretchy top that fits you well, to help you customize
• Tapestry needle

Gauge

10 dcs = 2 inches

Square = 3 1/4 inches x 3 1/4 inches

1 shell = 2 inches high and 4 inches wide at widest point

Abbreviations

Ch(s)--chain(s)         dc(s)--double crochet(s)         sl st--slip stitch         tr(s)--triple or treble crochet(s)

sc(s)--single crochet(s)         tr CLUSTER(s)--triple or treble CLUSTER(s)          sk--skip     

sp--space          beg--beginning         YO--yarn over         st(s)--stitch(es)         

*  *--repeat instructions between stars          (  )--repeat instructions between brackets

Special Stitches

CLUSTER--check out this tutorial.

Tr CLUSTER--triple or treble CLUSTER--(similar to the CLUSTER tutorial, but you are using triples instead of doubles)  Yarn Over (YO) hook 2 times, insert hook in stitch (st), YO hook, pull up a loop, YO hook, pull through 2 loops, YO hook again, pull through 2 loops, 2 loops on hook, YO hook 2 times, insert hook in same st, YO hook, pull up a loop, YO hook, pull through 2 loops, YO hook again, pull through 2 loops, 3 loops on hook, YO hook 2 times, insert hook in same st,YO hook, pull up a loop, YO hook, pull through 2 loops, YO hook again, pull through 2 loops, 4 loops on hook, YO hook, pull through all 4 loops on hook.

YO hook 2 times

 Insert hook in st, YO

YO hook

 Pull through 2 loops

 YO hook

pull through 2 loops, 2 loops left on hook

 YO hook 2 times

Insert hook in same st

 YO hook, pull up a loop

 YO hook, pull through 2 loops

 YO hook, pull through 2 loops again

 3 loops on left on hook

YO hook 2 times 

 Insert hook in same st

YO hook, pull up a loop

 YO hook 

pull through 2 loops 

 YO hook, pull through 2 loops again

4 loops left on hook, YO hook one last time, pull through all 4 loops left on hook

 Tr CLUSTER

Lacy Top Pattern

The top consists of granny squares along the bust and shoulders and a shell pattern on the torso.

Square

Here is the Russian Diagram for the Square

Squares

Rnd 1: Ch 4, sl st in 1st ch to form a circle.
Rnd 2:  Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), do 11 dcs into circle. (12 dcs)

Rnd 3: Ch 3, do a 2 dc CLUSTER in the same st, ch 1, CLUSTER in next dc, ch 1, CLUSTER in next dc, ch 5, *CLUSTER in next dc, ch 1, CLUSTER in next dc, ch 1, CLUSTER in next dc, ch 5* 3 times, sl st in top of 1st 2 dc CLUSTER. (12 CLUSTERs, 4 ch-5 loops at corners)

Rnd 4:  Sl st into 1st ch-1 sp, ch 3, do a 2 dc CLUSTER in the same st, ch 1, CLUSTER in next ch-1 sp, ch 2, 5 dcs in ch 5 sp, ch 2, *CLUSTER in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, CLUSTER in next ch-1 sp, ch 2, 5 dcs in ch 5 sp, ch 2* 3 times, sl st in top of 1st 2 dc CLUSTER. (8 CLUSTERS, 20 dcs, 5 per corner)

Rnd 5: Sl st into 1st ch-1 sp, ch 3, do a 2 dc CLUSTER in the same st, ch 3, dc in dc, ch 1, dc in next dc, ch 1, *dc, ch 1*3 times in next dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, dc in last dc, ch 3, *CLUSTER in next ch-1 sp, ch 3, dc in dc, ch 1, dc in next dc, ch 1, (dc, ch 1)3 times in next dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, dc in last dc, ch 3*3 times,  sl st in top of 1st 2 dc CLUSTER.  Fasten off, leaving a long tail for joining. (4 CLUSTERS, 28 dcs, 7 per corner)

Deciding How Many Squares to Use
Since I don't have a pattern I had to figure out how many squares to use.  So I decided to use some advice from a book by Doris Chan, Convertible Crochet: Customizable Designs for Stylish Garments.  She says that she started coming up with clothing designs by using her own garments that fit well to know how many squares to use or how big to make her crocheted version. So I picked out one of my sleeveless stretchy tops that fits me well and laid it out as flat as possible.

Then I used it as a guide to figure out how many squares I needed.  First I made several squares and then laid them on the top.  The picture that I'm using for a guide has 2 rows of squares on the bodice and then two squares on either side for the front of the shoulders.  I don't have a picture of the back so I had to improvise.

To match up to my top (I wear a US Misses Size 12, or Medium) I needed 6 squares to go across the top of the bust, 5 squares to go under the bust and then 2 squares each for the front shoulders. (Depending on your size you may need more or less squares for the bodice)  Once I figured out how many squares I needed I whip stitched the squares together.  This works best if you do it right sides facing.  This is how it will look for the front.  I was going to do the green squares in the front, but I changed my mind.

I ended up using the blue squares in the front, you can see them here.

Since I didn't have any more green yarn, I had to get creative for the back.  I could have had the back match the front and leave a square back, but I decided instead to fill in the back with four more squares of the Loops and Threads Elegance yarn.  I whip stitched the four squares together.

Then I put the right sides together at the bottom to whip stitch them on to the back of the neck.

Then I whip stitched the back to the back shoulders.

Then after I joined the blue squares together for the front I joined the front and back together at the shoulders and side seams with the right sides facing each other.  You may need to adjust the sides some what so that they don't turn out uneven.

You can see here that the side seams are uneven so I had to add some chains to even them out.

Attach the yarn in one square, then make a chain long enough to reach the other square.  Sl st into the side of the other square, then sl st to the inside of the hole and make another chain to go back to the first square.  Keep doing this until the hole is filled in.

I made about 5 chains to even out these two squares.

Then I whip stitched the side seams together, right sides facing.

Here is the bodice, matched up to my original top with the right side facing out.

At this point, I tried on the top to see how it fit, and it worked out great, it fit perfectly. 

Torso

Now I'm ready to do the torso of the top.  All I had to go on was this diagram.  The pattern appears to repeat every 16 stitches.

Since the pattern repeats every 16 sts, I decided to do 16 scs per square for the base.


Torso Shells
Attach yarn with right side facing up on bottom seam edge of front of top, Space 16 scs evenly over the bottom of each square on the bottom of the bodice.  I had 10 squares so I had a total of 160 scs.

I wrote this pattern for a size medium, so you may not have the same number of shells.  
The basic shell pattern is: 

Row 1: Ch 6 (counts as sc and ch 5), sk 4 scs, sc in next sc *ch 5 sk 4 scs, sc in next sc*repeat this across each square, about 3 times per square.  Fasten off, leaving a tail for weaving in.
Row 2: Attach yarn in the 2nd loop from the beg, ch 4 (counts as first tr), do 6 trs in the same loop, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, *7 trs in next loop, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop* Repeat this until you only have one shell to go then, 7 trs in next loop, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop and end of 1st ch-4 at the same time.
Row 3: Ch 5 (counts as tr and ch 1), *tr in next tr, ch 1 * 5 times, tr in next tr,  sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, *(tr in next tr, ch 1) 6 times, tr in next tr, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop* Repeat this until you have one shell left to go, *tr in next tr, ch 1 * 6 times, tr in next tr,  sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in 4th ch of beg ch and last loop at the same time.
Row 4: Ch 5 *tr CLUSTER in next ch-1 sp, ch 2* 6 times, sc in loop, *(ch 2, tr CLUSTER in next ch-1 sp) 6 times, ch 2, sc in loop* repeat until you have room for one more shell then sc in next loop and in 4th ch of the beg ch-5 at the same time. (8 total shells)

The single crochets

For a Size Medium

Rnd 1: Ch 6 (counts as sc and ch 5), sk 4 scs, sc in next sc *ch 5 sk 4 scs, sc in next sc*repeat this across each square, about 3 times per square.  I ended up doing it 32 times.  Fasten off, leaving a tail for weaving in.

Rnd 2: Attach yarn in the 2nd loop from the beg, ch 4 (counts as first tr), do 6 trs in the same loop, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, *7 trs in next loop, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop* I did this 6 times, 7 trs in next loop, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop and end of 1st ch-4 at the same time. (8 total shells)

The last sc goes under the last loop and into the top of the beginning ch-4 at the same time.

Rnd 3: Ch 5 (counts as tr and ch 1), *tr in next tr, ch 1 * 5 times, tr in next tr,  sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop, *(tr in next tr, ch 1) 6 times, tr in next tr, sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in next loop* I did this 6 times, *tr in next tr, ch 1 * 6 times, tr in next tr,  sc in next loop, ch 5, sc in 4th ch of beg ch and last loop at the same time. (8 total shells)

Rnd 4: Ch 5 *tr CLUSTER in next ch-1 sp after first tr, ch 2* 6 times, sc in loop, *(ch 2, tr CLUSTER in next ch-1 sp) 6 times, ch 2, sc in loop* I did this part 7 times, sc in next loop and in 4th ch of the beg ch-5 at the same time. (8 total shells)

Four shells across the front and

four shells across the back for a total of 8 shells.

Part II is now available HERE.

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