Granny Square Crochet Top

I have finished a crochet top and I think it might be my favourite thing I have ever made. 67 granny squares (plus 15 half squares and 2 three quarter squares) joined together with a white border and all the summery colours in between. 

The colours are pretty bright, much brighter than I would usually choose, but I think they work with the balance of white overall. I feel like if I was the kind of person who liked camping and went to festivals, this it what I would wear. As it is, I wear it to Waitrose, and that's fine. 

The pattern is the Oma Goodness top by Little Golden Nook. I used Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK: 9 balls of white and 10 balls of different colours. I used a 4 mm hook throughout except for the cuffs, collar and hem, when you switch to a 3.5 mm for a slighter tighter crochet. I hesitated over which size to go for, but remembering how I crochet everything on the large side, went for medium not large and the fit is perfect. I wanted this top to be floppy and loose fitting, and it is.

While the squares were easy to make (although so many ends to darn in!), joining it took a bit more concentrating. I laid out all the squares on the floor and painstakingly attached them with safety pins so I wouldn't forget my layout. Then, the squares are all joined with a loose join-as-you-go method done in the final round of the square which gives a looser finish. The only tricky bit was making sure I sewed the arms and sides together correctly.

Once the joining is done, the neckline, cuffs and collar are all finished with a simple shell edging which I really like.

After a quick block it was ready to go. 

A summer top, made in time for midsummer.