Sweet Lil Summer Halter ~FREE PATTERN~

I received this yarn in the mail the other day. I had never used it before but have been looking at cottons for some projects I have planned for summer. If you havent checked out Lion Brand Cotton Ease ooooohhhhhh I beg you to do so. It has give, and beauty and texture that made me swoon and wish I had ordered more…. and so I did, but I digress :)) It seems to be THE PERFECT YARN for this project. And this project seems to be a gateway pattern to soooooo many other beautiful possibilities …..

This polka dot fabric I picked up at Walmart. It was the last lil sneeblit on the end of a bolt…. cost me $2.00

The beautiful snake skin like knit fabric I got from one of my favorite, ok strike that, definitely my favorite online fabric store….. www.fabric.com ….. you can find the exact fabric here…..

The beads I just bought at walmart and the whole look I think cost less than $10.00. My teen daughters love this look and I have to say I think even this plus sized mama of seven is gonna get in on this. I think a maxi dress with a  nice shrug and summer time here I come va-va-voom 

I made the first of 3 videos and you can find it HERE….. Im still really soooooo not very good at them sigh….. practice practice practice. Also come say hi over on myFacebook page Strings and Things 

Grab your stuff and lets get started!

Made a correction/adjustment to the back strap…. my older daughter wanted it tighter and she is a 36C so after fitting her these are the numbers I came up with. Please measure on yourself as each persons crochet tension and measurements are different for correct fit*

Materials:
Lion Brand Cotton Ease (1 skein) A scrap of color yarn for tie in the front
Size H hook
Beads (optional)
Scissors
Blunt eye needle
Large eye embroidery needle that can pass through beads on the ends of the ties like in the picture (optional)

This Pattern fits a 36-38 C comfortably

Chain 11
Row 1: SC in each stitch across (10 stitches)ch 1 turn
Row 2: SC in each st across (10 st)ch 1 turn
Row 3: SC in each st across (10 sc)ch 1 turn
Row 4: SC in each st across (10 st)ch 1 turn
Row 5: SC in each st across (10 st)ch 1 turn
Row 6: SC in each st across (10 st)ch 1 turn
Row 7: SC in each st across (10 st)ch 1 turn
Row 8: SC in each st across (10 st)ch 1 turn
Row 9: SC in each st across (10 st)ch 1 turn
Row 10: SC in next 9 st, 3 sc in last st, pivot work on its side and begin working down the edge of the crochet without turning. (21 st)
Row 11: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st around (21 st)
Row 12: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Row 13 Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Row 14: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Row 15: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Row 16: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Row 17: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Row 18: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Row 19: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Row 20: Ch 1 turn. SC in each st across (21)
Fasten off.
Repeat for second cup of halter and do NOT fasten off on last row.

Joining the cups and the back strap…. please measure yourself….. you may be different than these measurements. See below on how to find your size.

Row 21: Ch 1 and turn. SC in each of the next 20 stitches. SC through BOTH end stitches joining the two cups. (41 stitches across the front) Next chain 55 stitches and join with a slip stitch to end of first cup. Ch 1.  This begins working in the round.

Rnd 1: SC in each stitch around.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sk next st, sc in next st. Ch 1, sk next st, sc in next st….. all the way around. SC in last st before first ch 1 space.
Rnd 3: 2 sc in each ch 1 space around. Sc in next 2 stitches
Rnd 4: SC in each stitch around.
Rnd 5: Sc in each stitch around Slip st into next 2 stitches and fasten off leaving a tail for weaving in.

Across the back and up the sides of cup….
Beginning on the top of the band where the left cup and band join with right side of halter facing you, join new yarn in first band stitch. Sc in each stitch across top of back band and then in each stitch up the side of the right cup to the top. I like very long ties for decorative purposes so I chained 80 st…. but feel free to make them shorter or longer. Just make a note of the number of chains so you can repeat that same number on the other cup strap. fasten off leaving a 10 inch or so tail if you are going to have beads at the ends, if not cut tail short.

At the top of the right cup join new yarn in space made from last sc made at the top of the cup (where your chains for your long tie begin) and sc in each stitch down the inside of right cup to the V where it joins with the left cup. Sc all the way up the inside of left cup and at the top chain your tie. Again I chained 80 st because I like a long tie for decorative purposes but put the same amount of chains you chose for your first cup.

At the top of the left cup join new yarn in space made from last sc made at the top of the cup (where your chains for your long tie begin) and sc in each stitch down the outside of the left cup. Sl st into first 2 sc of the back band and tie off.  Weave in all ends, except the ends on the ties if you are beading them.

Halter is finished except for embellishments 

Band Tie * I made my tie very long for decorative reasons, you can make yours what ever length makes you smile *

If you are beading the end leave a 10 inch tail and using a contrasting color chain 190 and fasten off leaving a 10 inch tail.

Beginning at the front center ch 1 open spaces (the 2 center ch 1 spaces, one left, one right) begin weaving by going into the ch 1 left space and weaving in and out all the way around coming out back at the front right ch 1 space. Tie.

The only thing left to do to the halter is put beads on the ties if you choose to do that, if not thats ok too 

Attaching the bottom fabric……

For the polka dot top I used a very thing silky light weight rayon fabric. I used my sewing machine to turn the ends as this type of fabric can fray awful but is way too pretty to pass up. For the grey snake skin dress I used a light weight knit fabric as knit doesnt fray and so finishing isnt needed like in other materials. Kinda like when you cut a tee shirt…. no hemming needed. Of course you can hem for a more finished look, but I wanted to show a very basic version just to give those who do not ave machines or the desire to sew a great alternative also 

Measure the fabric 1.5 times bigger around that the band measurement of halter. With right sides together and a sewing machine or needle and thread in matching color to fabric, sew a simple running stitch up the length of the fabric (bottom edge to top edge) forming a “tube”.

With a large eyed embroidery needle thread same yarn as halter and make as many running stitches around the top of the tube as you have all the way around the bottom of the halter about 1/2 to 1 inch from the top edge of the fabric…..eg…. if you have 120 st on the bottom of the halter, evenly space 120 running stitches around the fabric edge. You should have visible to you 120 st on the right side of the fabrics edge *this was just and example*

For this pattern I will do 106 running stitches visible to me on the right side of the fabric.

If you dont know how to do a running stitch please go here and check this video out 

After you have completed your running stitches take the left over yarn off the needle and use it to join with the beginning edge stitch on the bottom of your halter where you previously fastened off. Drawing up the yarn with your hook that was on the needle used to make your stitches. Begin to sc in each of the halter stitches and each corresponding run stitch space on the fabric. This will draw them up close under the halters edge and secure them beautifully and gather your fabric at the same time evenly …. Join with a slip stitch to beginning stitch and fasten off…..

weave in all the ends and you are done 

Note on changing sizes…..
You want this measurement for the cup to be “tight”:

Measure across the fullest part of one cup (1 breast) and devide in half. In my pattern the cup size was 7.25 inches. I divided that in half and came up with 3.5 inches. Chain as many stitches that will equal that length +1 for turning. So mine was 10 Stitches +1.

Another example…. say your cup measurement at its fullest was a 9 inches. Divide that in half, so 4.5 inches. Chain enough stitches to measure 4.5 inches and then +1 for turning.

Do as many rows high as you have stitches long. For me this was 10 rows for 10 sc stitches. This makes he square. On the LAST row you want to put 3 stitches in the very last st and pivot just like in the above directions working down the side.  Say you had 12 rows, you would place 3 stitches in the last stitch of row 12, pivot and continue to stitch down the side for 11 more stitches and then continue on for the pattern.

Changing back halter strap measurement:
Measure with a soft tape measure around the back from outer edge of breast, around the back, to outer edge of breast. Now when you get to that section in above directions chain as many stitches as YOU need to obtain YOUR measurement. Continue on in pattern.

Please note I am NOT a professional pattern writer, just  agurl who likes to play with yarn  If you do see something that you have a question on, please feel free to let me know so I can help and/or make a correction.