33 Best Crop Top Sewing Patterns (10 FREE!)

We found 76 crop top sewing patterns and handpicked the best 33. We’ve included lots of free PDF options (10!) and different styles from basic cropped tees to unique ones. We rated each pattern based on how beginner-friendly it was, gave tips for suitable fabrics, and shared important sizing and design info.

For similar patterns, check out our list of free tops, easy tops for beginners, casual tunics, feminine blouses, button-down shirts, tank tops, and camisoles.

Contents list:

Free crop tops for women
Free patterns for kids
Fitted crop top styles
Trendy designs
Cropped t-shirts
Long sleeve crop top
Tied designs
Off-the-shoulder top
Halter neck tops
Ruffle crop top
Loose / baggy / boxy crop tops
Cropped woven shirts
Quick Q&A’s

Free crop tops for women:

“Luna” cropped, flowy, knit tank top

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Download now from Helen’s Closet Patterns – FREE (with newsletter sign up)

Sizes: US 0-34. Bust: 31” – 62” (79 – 157.5 cm).
Design: Cropped, flowy tank top. Curved, raw hemline. Arm and neck bands which can be sewn in a hidden or exposed way. Scoop back and neckline. Scooped sides.
Fabric: Four-way stretch knits with at least 20% horizontal and vertical stretch. Lightweight knit fabric with lots of drape like bamboo jersey, rayon jersey, modal jersey, lightweight cotton jersey, ITY, or rib knits.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size.
Instructions: Illustrated, detailed instructions are included with the pattern. A tutorial for making a woven version can be found here. An additional photo tutorial for sewing a knit neckband can be found here.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this pattern would be a great one for a confident beginner with a little previous sewing experience, who wants to advance their skills in sewing with knits. The Luna Tank is a very simple design with minimal pattern pieces to sew and the instructions are clear and well illustrated, including lots of tips for beginners. Some sewing experience would be helpful for handling the drapey knit fabric required for the top and sewing in the neck and arm bands.

“Orchard” cropped, woven camisole with thin straps

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Download now from Helen’s Closet Patterns – FREE (with newsletter sign up)

Sizes: US 0-34. Bust: 31” – 62” (79 – 157.5 cm).
Design: Cropped, woven camisole top. Scooped back and neckline. Spaghetti straps. Bias bound armholes, neckline and straps. No darts. A line silhouette. Includes a midi dress view.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics. For a flowy, floaty top use a fabric with drape like viscose, rayon, silk blends, or crepe. For a more structured top choose a more stable fabric like cotton blends, linen, chambray, or double gauze.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Illustrated, detailed instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this pattern would be perfect for a confident beginner with some sewing experience. The top is a very simple style with minimal pattern pieces to cut and sew. Some sewing experience would be helpful for sewing in the bias binding as this could be fiddly for a beginner without practice. However, the instructions are clear and easy to follow. Use a stable fabric such as a cotton or linen to make the sewing process easier and less slippery to sew.

“Shirt No.1” cropped boxy top with variations (+Video)

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Download now from Creative Bug – FREE (with sign up to free course trial)

Sizes: XS – 4XL. Bust: 32” – 53” (81 – 135 cm).
Design: Cropped, woven top with a boxy fit. Straight or scooped hemline. Grown on sleeves. Bias bound neckline. Options for a contrasting yoke, a bias-cut lower panel, or a button band.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics. For a flowy, floaty top use a fabric with drape like viscose, rayon, silk blends, or crepe. For a more structured look opt for cotton blends, linen, chambray, or double gauze.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size.
Instructions: An instructional video course is included with the free class trial.
Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think this pattern would be a great one for beginners. Since the pattern is part of a course, the instructions are very clear and helpful and assume complete beginner status. The shirt is designed for an absolute beginner but there are variations to the pattern that will keep a more advanced sewist interested as well. Use a stable fabric with less drape to make the sewing process easier.

“Evanthe” off-shoulder crop top with big shoulder ruffle

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Download now from Mood Fabrics – FREE

Sizes: US 00 – 32. Bust: 31” – 59.5” (79 – 151 cm).
Design: Cropped off the shoulder top. Large ruffle across the shoulders. Finishes at the natural waist. Elasticated hem and neckline.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with some drape, such as cotton voile, linen, chambray, viscose, rayon, or crepe.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size.
Instructions: Photo instructions are available on the blog post, but they aren’t very detailed and they assume some prior sewing knowledge.
Suitable for beginners? I think this pattern would suit an advanced beginner with some previous sewing experience. The style of the top is fairly simple but a complete beginner might struggle to sew the ruffle and create the fiddly elastic channels. The instructions aren’t that detailed, and some existing sewing knowledge is required. Choosing a fabric with some structure such as a cotton blend would make the sewing process easier.

“Trudy” cropped sun top with spaghetti straps and elastic channels

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Read tutorial now from The Hemming – FREE

Sizes: Custom sizing, the pattern is drafted on your own bust measurements.
Design: Super cropped sun top. Spaghetti straps. Elasticated top and bottom. Bottom frill.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics, such as cotton poplin, linen, chambray, viscose, rayon, or crepe.
Format: The pattern is self drafted based on your own bust measurements. Photo instructions are included on the blog.
Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think this pattern would suit a confident beginner. Some sewing experience would be helpful for creating the elastic channels which could be fiddly for a complete beginner, but this is a very simple top that only uses some rectangular pieces of fabric. Using a cotton blend fabric will make the sewing and pressing process easier.

Shirred crop top with tie straps (+Video)

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Read and watch the tutorial now on The Essentials Club – FREE

Sizes: Custom sizing, the pattern is drafted on your own bust measurements.
- Design: Cropped, shirred top. Large tie straps. Shirred bodice. Top and bottom frill.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics such as cotton blends, linen, chambray, viscose, rayon, or crepe. Scraps left over from other projects are perfect for this project.
Format: The pattern is self drafted based on your own bust measurements.
Instructions: Photo instructions are included on the blog. A video tutorial is also available here for free.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this pattern would suit a confident beginner. The trickiest part would be getting the correct machine settings for the shirring, but this video tutorial would definitely help. The top is very simple and since it is sewn from only rectangles there’s lots of easy straight sewing involved. Choose a cotton fabric for an easier time sewing and pressing.

High neck, cropped halter top with open tie back

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Read tutorial now from The Modern Maker – FREE

Sizes: Custom sizing, the pattern is drafted on your own bust measurements. A downloadable pattern can be purchased here.
Design: Cropped, high necked halter top with an open back. Straight neckline and side seams. Strappy tie back.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with some structure, like cotton blends, linen, chambray, or viscose-linen.
Format: The pattern is self drafted based on your own bust measurement. Photo instructions are included on the blog post. A PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and more detailed instructions are available for download at an additional cost.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this pattern would suit an advanced or confident beginner. One of the difficulties is that the drafting method isn’t very clear for other sizes so a beginner without any previous garment making experience could struggle here. However, the top itself is a simple design with minimal sewing and fitting involved. Some experience might be helpful for sewing the thin straps accurately as these can be fiddly.

Bustier style, knit crop top with wide straps (+Video)

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Download now from Make It Yours – FREE

Sizes: EU 34 – 50. Bust: 27.5” – 45” (70 – 115 cm).
Design: Very cropped, fitted, bustier style top. Wide straps. Straight hem. Fully lined.
Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics with good recovery, like cotton jersey, double knit, Scuba, Ponte, rib knits or athletic knits. Don’t choose something with too much drape like a bamboo or Tencel jersey.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size.
Instructions: Instructions are not included. A video tutorial in German is available here.
Suitable for beginners? No. Since the pattern does not include written or English instructions it would be difficult for a complete beginner to sew. A confident, advanced beginner to intermediate sewist with some sewing experience could have a go at this pattern by watching the video tutorial. The style overall is very simple, so if you’re feeling confident about the sewing process feel free to go for it.

“Fred” sleeveless crop top with open tie back

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Download now from Fabrics-Store – FREE

Sizes: US 0 – 30. Bust: 33” – 56” (84 – 142 cm).
Design: Crop top with high V-neck. Sleeveless. Bust darts. Open back with bow tie. Fully lined.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with some structure like linen, cotton blends, cotton lawn, poplin, or chambray.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes.
Instructions: Step by step instructions can be found in a separate blog post here.
Suitable for beginners? I think this pattern would best suit an advanced beginner to intermediate sewist with previous sewing experience. The design of the top is simple but sewing the lining and creating the bow tie could be difficult for a complete beginner. Using a stable fabric for the outer fabric would make the sewing process easier. The instructions are clearly photographed and detailed.

Free for kids:

“Crazy crop top” cropped, t-shirt with grown-on sleeves

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Download now from WISJ – FREE

Sizes: Ages 3 – 10. Chest: 21” – 27” (54 – 69 cm).
Design: Kids’ cropped, oversized t-shirt. Short, grown-on sleeves. Neckband. Hemmed sleeves and bottom.
Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics like cotton, bamboo or rayon jersey. Choose a fabric with more drape like bamboo or rayon jersey for a more swishy t-shirt.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes.
Instructions: Minimal instructions are included with the pattern.
Suitable for beginners? Since the instructions are very short, I think this pattern would best suit an advanced beginner to intermediate sewist with some previous experience sewing t-shirts. The pattern is simple enough to construct if you have made similar tops before but seam allowances are not included so a complete beginner might struggle to figure out the process. Using a stable jersey such as a cotton blend will make the sewing process much easier.

Fitted crop top styles:

“24/7” cropped tank top with multiple neckline options (+Video)

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Buy now from Patterns for Pirates – $12

Sizes: 2XS – 5XL. Bust: 30” – 60” (76 – 152 cm).
Design: Fitted, cropped tank top. Shelf bra. Options for high, low, or racer front and back necklines. Thick or thin neck and armhole binding.
Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics with high stretch percentage and good recovery. For example, athletic knits, swim knits, ribbed knits, double brushed poly, rayon/modal/bamboo knit, and ITY/DTY knit.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Projector files are included.
Instructions: A full tutorial including extra video links is included in the download.
Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think a confident beginner with a bit of sewing experience with knits could have a go at this pattern. The tank is a simple style and the instructions are aimed at beginners with videos included. A complete beginner to knits might struggle with some of the fabrics suggested, so stick to a stable knit such as a cotton spandex blend rather than a slippery swimwear knit for your first attempt.

“Zoey” cropped tank top with V neckline and center front & back seams

BUY NOW IN US 0-18

BUY NOW IN US 14-32

Buy now in standard sizes or plus sizes from True Bias – $16-20

Sizes:
- US 0 – 18. Bust: 32” – 44.5” (82 – 113 cm).
- US 14 – 32. Bust: 41.5” – 59.5” (105 – 152 cm).
Design: Fitted, cropped tank top. Soft V neckline. Low scooped back. Center front and back seams. Neck and armhole bands. Hemmed bottom. An add-on pack for alternative necklines can be purchased here.
Fabric: Medium weight knit fabrics with at least 25% stretch and good recovery, such as cotton / spandex blends, T-shirt jersey, and rib knits.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. A paper pattern can be purchased at an extra cost.
Instructions: Illustrated instructions are included with the pattern. A free sew-along can be found here.
Suitable for beginners? I think an advanced beginner to an intermediate sewist with some experience sewing with knits would better suit this pattern. The style is simple but constructing an accurate V neckline and sewing in the fiddly neck and armhole bands can be tricky. A complete beginner might struggle with these techniques, but the detailed sew-along would be helpful for those feeling adventurous.

“Audrey” cropped workout top with high round neckline and racerback

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Buy now from Jalie – $13-17

Sizes: F – GG. Bust: 20.5” – 51” (52 – 130 cm).
Design: Fitted, cropped workout top. Rounded high neckline. Racerback. Integrated bra. Optional removable bra cups. Forward side seam. Hemmed bottom.
Fabric: Athletic knits with at least 50% length and widthwise stretch and good recovery. Stretch mesh or swimwear lining for the lining layer.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Projector files are included. A paper pattern and a PDF+paper bundle are available at an extra cost. Illustrated instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? No, I think a complete beginner would struggle to sew this pattern. There are some tricky parts to the top such as sewing the integrated bra and sewing the curves or the racer back. The top also requires an athletic knit fabric, which can be difficult to sew as it’s slippery and stretchy. Some previous sewing experience with knits would be helpful for this project.

“Elevate” cropped workout top with back and hemline variations

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Buy now from Green Style – $12

Sizes: B-M. Bust: 30” – 61” (76 – 155 cm).
Design: Fitted, cropped workout top. Options for U-shaped back or racerback. Options for straight, curved, scalloped, or criss-cross hem bands. Neck and armhole bands.
Fabric: Athletic knits, lycra, swimwear or spandex with at least 50% length and widthwise stretch and good recovery.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Illustrated instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? No, I think some previous experience sewing with stretch fabrics would be helpful for sewing this pattern. Sewing with activewear knits can be tricky as they can be slippery. I think a complete beginner would struggle here without some experience. A simpler view and a more stable fabric can be used to make the project easier.

“Corset bra” crop top with princess seamed panels

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Buy now from Green Style – $12

Sizes: B-M. Bust: 30” – 61” (76 – 155 cm).
Design: Fitted, cropped, corset style top. Princess seamed panels. Wide shoulder straps. Low, scooped back.
Fabric: Medium weight jersey with high stretch percentage and good recovery. For example, cotton, bamboo, rayon jersey with spandex content, scuba, or Ponte. Athletic, swimwear and underwear knits can also be used.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Projector files are included. Illustrated instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? No, I think some previous experience in sewing with stretchy fabrics would be helpful for sewing this pattern. The top is fitted and has curved princess seams which can be difficult to sew for a complete beginner. Choose a more stable knit for an easier sew, such as a scuba or a Ponte.

“Vicy” minimal crop top with thin straps (+Video)

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Buy now from Juliana Martejevs – €7.95 (approx. $8.50)

Sizes: XS – 3XL. Bust: 32” – 45.5” (82 – 116 cm).
Design: Fitted, minimal crop top. Spaghetti straps. Option for straight or cross over straps. Hemmed bottom. Straight across neckline.
Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabric with moderate stretch and good recovery. For example, cotton, bamboo or rayon jersey with spandex content, lycra blends, or athletic knits.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes.
Instructions: Illustrated instructions are included with the pattern. A free video tutorial can be found here.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this pattern would suit a confident beginner wanting to advance their skills sewing with knit fabrics. The top is very simple in style and the illustrated instructions and the video tutorial would be helpful. Some previous experience with handling stretch fabrics could be helpful for sewing the thin straps, but isn’t essential. Use a cotton jersey for more stability when sewing.

“June” knit crop top with wide straps and neckline variations (+Video)

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Buy now from Dressmaking Amore – $9.67

Sizes: XS – 3XL. Bust: 32” – 45.75” (80 – 116 cm).
Design: Fitted, knit crop top. Wide straps. Options for V or square neckline. Scooped back neckline. Hem band.
Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabric with at least 40% stretch percentage and good recovery. For example, cotton, bamboo or rayon jersey with spandex or lycra content, rib knits, ponte, scuba, or double knit.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes.
Instructions: Illustrated instructions are included. A free video tutorial is also available here.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a confident or advanced beginner could sew this pattern. The top is simple with wide straps and a more stable knit fabric can be used. The instructions are clear and a video tutorial is also included. I think this would be a great pattern for someone wanting to advance their skills in sewing with knit fabrics.

Trendy designs:

“Sisko” wrapped and criss-cross top with keyhole detail

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Buy now from Named Clothing – €15 (approx. $16)

Sizes: US 0 – 24. Bust: 30” – 52.75” (76 – 134 cm).
Design: Fitted, knit crop top with interesting layered wrap bodice. Back ties. Sleeveless. Scoop neck. Keyhole detail. Nursing friendly.
Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabric with at least 40 – 50% stretch. For example, cotton, bamboo or viscose jersey, ponte, interlock, or double knit. Choose a fabric with more or less drape to get the desired effect.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. A paper pattern is available at an additional cost. Illustrated instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? No. The design of this top is quite complicated and it involves a lot of curved sewing, which can be difficult for beginners especially when sewing with a stretchy, knit fabric. I think this pattern would better suit an intermediate level sewist with some previous experience sewing with knits. Using a fabric with less drape will make the sewing process easier.

“Lorelei” scooped crop top with laced back

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Buy now from PaigesPattern on Etsy – $6.90

Sizes: XS – XL. Bust: 32” – 42” (81 – 107 cm).
Design: Fitted, knit crop top. Open lace-up back. Spaghetti straps. Deep V-neckline.
Fabric: Light to medium weight, 4-way stretch knit fabric with good recovery, such as cotton or bamboo jersey with added spandex, elastane, or lycra content.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Illustrated instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? Whilst the pattern level is rated ‘beginner friendly’, I think a complete beginner would struggle to sew this crop top. The front of the top is simple in style but the loops and ties would be fiddly to sew from a stretchy fabric. I think this pattern would best suit an intermediate sewist with some experience sewing with knits.

“Rosa” crop top with scalloped hem and straight neckline

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Buy now from Wissew – €11 (approx. $12)

Sizes: EU 34 – 42. Bust: 30” – 38” (77 – 97 cm).
Design: Cropped, sleeveless woven top. Scalloped hem and armholes. Cut-out open back. Straight, high neckline. Button fastenings. Lace trim. Fully lined.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabric with some drape and structure. For example, cotton blends, cotton lawn, linen, viscose, rayon, crepe, silk satin, or cotton sateen.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Illustrated instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? No. This top involves a lot of careful and precise sewing in the scalloped edges, cut out details and the lining. I think a beginner would struggle with sewing these design elements. I think this pattern would best suit a sewist with plenty of garment sewing experience.

Cropped t-shirts:

“Jesse” cropped boxy t-shirt

BUY NOW IN US 0-18

BUY NOW IN US 14-32

Buy now in standard sizes or in plus sizes from True Bias – $16

Sizes:
- US 0 – 18. Bust: 32” – 44.5” (82 – 113 cm).
- US 14 – 32. Bust: 41.5” – 59.5” (105 – 152 cm).
Design: Cropped, boxy T-shirt. Relaxed fit. Dropped shoulders. Sleeves hit just above the elbow. Neckband. Bottom hem.
Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics with 10% or more crosswise stretch, such as cotton interlock, cotton/spandex blends, T-shirt jersey, and merino wool jersey. You’ll also need some ribbing with at least 50% stretch for the neckband.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Illustrated instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a confident beginner could sew this pattern. Some previous experience sewing with knit fabric may be helpful with sewing the neckband but otherwise this pattern would make the perfect first t-shirt or knit fabric project for a beginner.

Long sleeve crop top:

“M8324” long puff sleeve crop top with open back (+Video)

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Buy now from Simplicity – $13.97

Sizes: US 6 – 24. Bust: 29.5” – 48” (75 – 122 cm). Different cup sizes are available.

Design: Cropped woven top with long puff sleeves. Sleeve cuffs. Round neckline. Large cut-out on the back. Options for a laced back, tie back, and criss-cross back. Hook and eye opening. Princess seams.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with drape, such as silk charmeuse, challis or cotton blends. You can also choose a fabric more structure such as cotton poplin, cotton lawn, or double gauze for a more voluminous look to the sleeves.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. A paper pattern is also available here.
Instructions: Illustrated instructions are included. There’s also a video tutorial available here.
Suitable for beginners? No, I think there are some difficult aspects to this pattern that would require a more advanced level of sewing. A beginner would likely struggle with setting in the sleeves, adding a sleeve cuff and sewing in the lacings.

Tied designs:

“Harriet” knotted cropped t-shirt with sleeve and neckline variations

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Buy now from DIBY Club – £9 (approx. $11)

Sizes:
- US 00 – 20. Bust: 31” – 45.5” (79 – 116 cm).
- US 14 – 36. Bust: 41” – 63” (105 – 160 cm).
Design: Cropped t-shirt with a semi-relaxed fit. Knotted front hemline. Standard or plunging V-neck options. Short, long, or elbow length sleeves. Center front seam. Neckband. Optional patch pocket.
Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics like cotton, bamboo or rayon jersey, T shirt knits, merino wool.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Illustrated instructions are included with the pattern, which also contain some video clips.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think an advanced beginner could sew this pattern. Some sewing experience in sewing knits would be helpful for sewing this t-shirt since there are a few elements that could be tricky for a complete beginner, such as sewing the neckband for the V-neck and sewing the tie knot.

“Ella” cropped wrap blouse with elbow length sleeves (+Video)

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Buy now from Sew Over It – £11.50 (approx. $14)

Sizes: UK 8 – 20. Bust: 33” – 45” (84 – 114 cm).
Design: Cropped wrap blouse. Grown on elbow length sleeves. Bust darts. Ties at the waist. Pleated waistline. Faced finish.

Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with lots of drape, such as viscose, georgette and lightweight crepes. A lightweight cotton lawn or voile would be great alternatives for beginners.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Illustrated instructions are included. Optional A0 printing is available at an additional cost.
Instructions: Illustrated instructions are included. A free sew-along video is also available here.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a confident beginner with some prior experience could make this pattern. Sew Over It instructions are always clear and easy to follow, and the YouTube video gives additional help. A complete beginner could find it tricky to sew the facing and the ties, but choosing a more stable fabric like a cotton would help.

“40-4” backless wrap top with halter neck

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Buy now from Sister Mag – £7 (approx. $9)

Sizes: EU 34 – 46. Bust: 32” – 46.5” (82 – 118 cm).
Design: Cropped backless wrap top. Halter neck style. The ties can be tied on the front or the back.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics such as linen, cotton blends, viscose, viscose-linen blends, or crepe.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size.
Instructions: Step by step instructions are NOT included with the pattern.
Suitable for beginners? No, I think this pattern would best suit an intermediate to advanced sewist with previous garment sewing experience since the seam allowances aren’t included and instructions are not provided. Whilst the style of the top is fairly simple, the lack of instructions could prove challenging for a beginner.

Off-the-shoulder top:

“M7757” off-the-shoulder crop top with optional ruffles

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Buy now from Simplicity – $13.97

Sizes: XS – XL. Bust: 30.5” – 46” (78 – 117 cm).
Design: Cropped off-the-shoulder top. Elasticated at the waist and shoulders. Gathered bodice. Optional, large, single or double ruffle across the shoulders. Long puff sleeves or short flutter sleeves.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics or stable knits, such as cotton gauze, crepe, viscose, challis, ponte, or scuba.
Format: Paper pattern with printed instructions.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this pattern would suit an advanced beginner with some sewing experience. The top is simple to construct but it does include some tricky parts, such as attaching the sleeves and the ruffles. The top is elasticated and therefore easy to fit, so it’s a good pattern for a beginner to practice their sewing skills.

Halter neck tops:

“M8114” bias cut crop top with back tie and lacing options

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Buy now from Simplicity – $13.97

Sizes: XS – XL. Bust: 30.5” – 46” (78 – 117 cm).
Design: Cropped bias cut halter neck top with a cowl neck. Spaghetti straps. Options for tie or lace up back. Optional peplum frill.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with drape, such as silk charmeuse, crepe, challis, viscose, rayon, or crepe de chine.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. A paper pattern is also available here. Instructions are included with both versions.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think an advanced beginner could sew this pattern but some previous garment sewing experience would be helpful. The top is an easy style to sew but involves some tricky elements such as cutting and sewing drapey fabric on the bias and sewing thin spaghetti straps. A complete beginner would likely struggle with these techniques.

“Amy” open back strappy top with large bow fastening

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Buy now from Fieldwork Patterns – £10 (approx. $12.50)

Sizes: UK 6 – 20. Bust: 30.5” – 44.5” (78 – 113 cm).
Design: Cropped, open back camisole. Straight neckline. Halter neck with a back tie or spaghetti straps. Large bow at the back of the waist. Bust and waist darts. Fully lined, can be made reversible.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with some structure, such as cotton poplin, linen, denim, or chambray.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think a confident beginner could sew this pattern. Some sewing experience would be helpful for certain techniques such as sewing the darts and the spaghetti straps, but the recommended fabric (a stable cotton) is easy to work with and the fitting isn’t that challenging thanks to the ties at the back.

Ruffle crop top:

“Sofia” shirred crop top with sleeve options

BUY NOW IN US 0-18

BUY NOW IN US 14-30

Buy now in standard sizes or in plus sizes from Victory Patterns – $16

Sizes:
- US 0 – 18. Bust: 32” – 44” (81 – 112 cm).
- US 14 – 30. Bust: 42” – 58” (107 – 147 cm).
Design: Shirred bodice crop top. Square neckline. Ruffle hem. Optional peplum. Options for puff shoulder long or ¾ length sleeves, or short flutter sleeves. Wide shoulder straps.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with some drape such as cotton, gingham, broadcloth, rayon, linen, single gauze, viscose, or crepe.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? No. I think this pattern would better suit an intermediate sewist with previous sewing experience. Shirring is easy to sew once the technique is mastered but it takes practice. Fitting the puff sleeves and sewing the gathering could also be tricky for a complete beginner.

Loose / baggy / boxy crop tops:

“Ashton” boxy cropped tank top with wide straps and optional sleeves

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Buy now from Helen’s Closet Patterns – $16

Sizes: US 0 – 30. Bust: 31” – 58” (78.5 – 147.5 cm).
Design: Boxy, sleeveless tank top. Wide straps. Bust darts. A-line shape. Options for bias bound or faced neckline and armholes. Hem is finished with a facing. An extension pack featuring four different sleeves can be purchased here.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics such as cotton, gingham, or linen for a top with some structure. Rayon, crepe de chine or tencel twill for a top with more drape.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a confident beginner could make this pattern. A simple pull-on tank top is a great garment for a beginner to sew as there are lots of basic techniques involved, making it a perfect learning experience. Helen’s Closet patterns include very detailed beginner-friendly instructions. Use a stable cotton or linen to make the sewing process even easier.

“Adria” boxy crop top with V-neck and short set-in sleeves

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Buy now from Seamwork – $16

Sizes: US 0 – 26. Bust: 33” – 54” (84 – 137 cm).
Design: Boxy cropped top with V-neck. Fitted shoulders and set-in short sleeves. Relaxed fit. Front and back waist darts.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics with some drape, such as cotton voile, linen, chambray, and Tencel.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this would be a good pattern for an adventurous beginner to try. The style of the top is fairly simple, and Seamwork patterns are very thorough with their instructions. The trickiest parts would be setting in the sleeves, sewing the darts, and sewing the neckline facing.

“Georgia” boxy woven t-shirt with cuffed armholes

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Buy now from Elizabeth Suzann – $18

Sizes: 2XS – 4XL. Bust: 29” – 58” (74 – 147 cm).
Design: Boxy cropped woven tee. Rounded neckline. Cuffed grown-on short sleeves. Relaxed fit. Straight hem. Bias bound neckline.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics such as linen, cotton voile, silk crepe, seersucker, tencel, rayon.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Illustrated instructions are included.
Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think this would be a good pattern for an adventurous beginner to try. Some previous sewing experience might be helpful for sewing the bias binding and sleeve cuffs, but it isn’t essential. This would be a great pattern for a beginner with a bit of sewing experience wanting to advance their garment sewing skills.

Cropped woven shirts:

“Gilbert” cropped camp-collar shirt with short or long sleeves

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Buy now from Helen’s Closet Patterns – $16

Sizes: US 0 – 30. Bust: 31” – 58” (78.5 – 147.5 cm).
Design: Cropped camp-collar button up shirt. Semi-relaxed fit. Fitted shoulders with two set-in sleeve styles: short or long bell sleeves. Optional tie front. Back yoke.
Fabric: Light to medium weight woven fabrics like linen, cotton (lawn, poplin, seersucker, double gauze, shirting), silk noil, cotton/linen blends, or cotton/hemp blends.
Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size.
Instructions: Detailed, illustrated instructions are included. Additional content like tutorials for making a sleeveless version or removing the dart can be found here.
Suitable for beginners? No, I think this pattern would better suit an intermediate sewist. A complete beginner would struggle with the more advanced techniques involved in the pattern such as sewing the burrito method, attaching the collar, and setting in the sleeves. Some previous garment sewing knowledge would be helpful here.

Quick Q&A’s:

Is it easy to sew a crop top?

Some crop top styles, like a basic t-shirt crop top or tube top, are very easy to sew since they involve sewing straight lines, rectangles, and inserting elastic channels. Other styles, like cropped button-up shirts or elaborate sleeves and back designs, can be trickier to sew.

Easy crop top patterns for beginners?

Some easy patterns you can try are:

How much fabric is needed for a crop top?

For a bustier or tube top style crop top, ½ – 1 yard will often be enough. For more involved styles, you might need 1-1.5 yards of fabric depending on the pattern and size.

What is the best fabric for crop tops?

Cotton or linen are often good choices for woven crop tops since they’re breathable and easy to sew and press. Fabrics with more stability, such as cotton or linen, will give a more structured, shapely finish; while fabrics with drape, such as viscose or rayon, will give a more fluid finish that hangs on the body rather than holds its shape.

What to read next?

This article was written by Sally Gauntlett, and edited by Nisan Aktürk.

Sally Gauntlett (author)
Sally started sewing as a child. In 2008, she started a handmade business selling personalized gifts and homeware. She then became a sewing content creator, sharing her makes on Youtube and Instagram. Read more…