Can I make this crochet mesh top in a size between the listed ones?

Yes, easily. Every 2 extra foundation chains add one mesh box, which is about 1 cm of width on each panel and 2 cm around the body. Pick the nearest size, then add or remove boxes in pairs until the panel width matches the finished bust you want, divided by two.

Can I use worsted weight yarn instead of DK?

You can, but everything grows: with worsted and a 5.0 mm hook each mesh box runs closer to 1.25 cm, so a chain count one size down usually lands near your target width. Make a 10 by 10 box swatch first and measure it blocked, then choose your chain count from your real gauge.

Will the mesh stretch out of shape when I wear it?

Cotton mesh relaxes a little with wear and gravity, especially in length. Blocking both panels before seaming sets the boxes square, and going down half a hook size gives a firmer fabric if your swatch feels loose. Dry it flat, never on a hanger.

What do I wear under an open mesh top?

A simple tank, bralette or slip in a matching or contrasting color. The mesh is genuinely see-through, which is the point: it layers over swimwear in summer and over long sleeves in spring without ever feeling heavy.

Crochet Mesh Top: Free Pattern in 5 Sizes

This crochet mesh top is two flat rectangles and nothing else: no shaping, no sleeves to set in, no pattern reading beyond one mesh row you’ll memorize in minutes. The dc and ch-1 mesh makes an airy, see-through grid that drapes beautifully in cotton, and the boxy silhouette comes entirely from where you place the seams. If you can chain and double crochet, you can wear this by the weekend.

Crochet mesh top in sage green cotton lying flat on marble, boxy tee of open square mesh with solid neck and hem bands

We wrote it in five real sizes with reconciled chain counts and a gauge you can actually check, because “chain a lot and hope” is not a sizing method. Every size follows the same three steps: make two rectangles, block them, sew three short seams.

Why You’ll Love This Crochet Mesh Top

One row, repeated. The entire fabric is a single mesh row worked over and over. True beginner territory.
5 sizes that reconcile. S to 2XL with exact chain counts, box counts and seam measurements for each.
No shaping at all. The neckline and armholes are just gaps you leave while seaming.
Fast for a garment. Airy mesh grows quickly; each panel is a few relaxed evenings.

Crochet Mesh Top at a Glance

Skill level: Confident beginner
Time needed: a weekend of evenings per panel, one evening for seams and edging
Fit: boxy, with about 8 to 10 cm of positive ease at the bust

Materials

DK weight (#3) cotton or cotton blend: about 380 (430, 480, 530, 580) m for sizes S (M, L, XL, 2XL). Our sample uses sage green.
4.0 mm (US G/6) hook
Yarn needle, scissors, stitch markers, blocking pins

Cotton shows the mesh grid crisply and survives summer washing. If you substitute, match the DK weight against the Craft Yarn Council standards and swatch before chaining a whole panel.

Three balls of sage green cotton with a gold hook, yarn needle, stitch markers, blocking pins and scissors on marble

Gauge

10 mesh boxes and 10 rows = 10 cm by 10 cm, blocked. One box is one dc plus one ch-1 space, so each box is about 1 cm square. Swatch 15 boxes for 12 rows, block it, then measure the middle 10. If your boxes run wide, go down half a hook size; narrow, go up.

Close up of the square mesh grid held between fingers, one dc post and one chain space per box

Abbreviations (US Terms)

ch: chain
dc: double crochet
sc: single crochet
sp(s): space(s)
mesh box: one dc plus one ch-1 sp

Sizing Chart

Size	To fit bust	Finished bust	Panel width (boxes)	Foundation chain	Rows (length)	Neck / armhole
S	81 to 86 cm	90 cm	45 cm (45)	ch 94	55 (55 cm)	24 cm / 18 cm
M	91 to 96 cm	100 cm	50 cm (50)	ch 104	58 (58 cm)	25 cm / 19 cm
L	101 to 106 cm	110 cm	55 cm (55)	ch 114	60 (60 cm)	26 cm / 20 cm
XL	111 to 116 cm	120 cm	60 cm (60)	ch 124	62 (62 cm)	26 cm / 21 cm
2XL	121 to 127 cm	130 cm	65 cm (65)	ch 134	64 (64 cm)	27 cm / 22 cm

Numbers are written as S (M, L, XL, 2XL) throughout. Want a longer tunic or a cropped version? Length is just rows: one row adds one centimeter, and nothing else changes.

Crochet Mesh Top Pattern: Step by Step

Step 1: The Panels (make 2 identical)

Every crochet mesh top panel starts the same way, whatever your size.

Foundation: Ch 94 (104, 114, 124, 134).

Row 1: Dc in the 6th ch from the hook (the 5 skipped chains count as 1 dc, 1 ch-1 sp and 1 skipped ch). *Ch 1, skip 1 ch, dc in the next ch.* Repeat from * to the end. (45 (50, 55, 60, 65) mesh boxes; 46 (51, 56, 61, 66) dc counting the turning chain)

Foundation chain and first row of dc and ch 1 mesh boxes in sage green cotton, hook mid stitch

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc plus ch 1), turn. Skip the first ch-1 sp, dc in the next dc. *Ch 1, skip the ch-1 sp, dc in the next dc.* Repeat from *, working the last dc into the 3rd ch of the previous row’s turning chain. (box count unchanged)

Rows 3 and up: Repeat Row 2 until you have 55 (58, 60, 62, 64) rows, or your desired length. Fasten off, leaving a 60 cm tail for seaming. Count your boxes every ten rows or so: the number never changes, and catching a lost edge stitch early beats frogging twenty rows later.

Optional square front neckline (the look in our photos): This is the one place this crochet mesh top offers any shaping, and it’s still just short rows. On the front panel only, stop 5 rows early. Next row: work across the first 11 (13, 15, 17, 19) boxes only, turn, and continue on just these boxes until the panel’s full row count; fasten off. Skip the center 23 (24, 25, 26, 27) boxes, rejoin with a standing dc in the next dc, and work the second shoulder strip to match. The center drop becomes a clean square neckline once the edging goes around it. Prefer zero shaping? Skip this: the plain slit neck from the seaming step works fine too.

Step 2: Block Both Panels

Do not skip this one. A crochet mesh top is mostly air, so wet block both rectangles to the panel measurements in the chart, pinning the edges straight and the corners square. Blocking is where it stops looking like a fishing net and starts looking like a garment.

One rectangular mesh panel wet blocked and pinned square on a foam mat with a measuring tape across its width

Step 3: Shoulder Seams

Lay the panels together, right sides out if your stitches have a side you prefer. Measure and mark the neck opening, centered: 24 (25, 26, 26, 27) cm. With the yarn needle, whip stitch each shoulder from the armhole edge in toward the marks, about 10.5 (12.5, 14.5, 17, 19) cm per side. The center stays open as the neckline. If you worked the square front neckline, whip stitch straight across each shoulder strip instead: the notch has already set your neck width.

Front and back mesh panels stacked with shoulder seams sewn and the square front neckline marked with yellow markers

Step 4: Side Seams

Mark 18 (19, 20, 21, 22) cm down from the shoulder fold on each side: that gap is the armhole. Whip stitch each side seam from the bottom hem up to the mark. Because the panels are wider than your body, the extra fabric folds over the shoulder and reads as a little cap sleeve.

Yarn needle whip stitching the side seam of the mesh top with a stitch marker holding the armhole opening

Step 5: Edging (optional but worth it)

Join yarn anywhere on the neckline and work one round of sc: 2 sc in each mesh box along chain and hem edges, 2 sc around each row-end dc along the sides. Repeat around each armhole and the bottom hem. One round firms up every opening; for the wider solid bands you see in our photos, work 2 or 3 rounds at the neckline and hem before fastening off.

Red hook working a round of single crochet edging along the curved neckline of the sage green mesh top

Tips for a Better Crochet Mesh Top

Chain loosely or go up a hook size for the foundation only. A tight foundation chain bows the hem inward permanently.
Count boxes, not stitches. Each row should end with exactly the box count from the chart; the turning chain is where miscounts hide.
Block before seaming, always. Seams sewn through unblocked mesh lock in the wobble.
Try the crochet mesh top on before edging. Slip it on after Step 4; if you want a deeper armhole, unpick a few whip stitches now rather than after the sc round.

Sage green crochet mesh top worn over a white tank with light jeans, boxy fit with little cap sleeves

Finish the set: our crochet mesh hat uses the same airy fabric in the round, the floral earring patterns cover the jewelry, and the granny square hub has 25+ blocks if you’d rather build fabric from squares.

Crochet Mesh Top FAQ

Can I make an in-between size?
Yes. Every 2 extra foundation chains add one box, about 2 cm around the finished body. Adjust in pairs from the nearest size.

Can I use worsted instead of DK?
Yes, with a 5.0 mm hook and a fresh swatch. Boxes run about 1.25 cm, so one chain-count size down usually lands near your target.

Will it stretch out?
Cotton mesh relaxes a little, mostly in length. Block the panels, dry it flat, and go down half a hook size for a firmer fabric.

What goes underneath?
A tank, bralette or slip. The see-through grid is the design, so let the underlayer be part of the outfit.

If you hook up this crochet mesh top, send a photo through the contact page: we feature reader makes, and garment photos help other crocheters pick their size. Happy crocheting!

Crochet Mesh Top: Free Pattern in 5 Sizes