Crochet Mesh Crop Sweater with Cotton & Mohair Lace Texture

Want texture with a lighter finish? This crochet mesh crop sweater pairs dense lemon peel stitches with delicate mohair lace for breathable contrast.

Dense cotton lemon peel sections give this crochet sweater body and definition, while delicate mohair mesh creates lighter bands that open up its texture. Alternating solid and airy sections give each panel visual contrast without complicated stitch shaping.

Made-to-measure sizing lets you decide body width, crochet sweater length, shoulder width, and sleeve fit from your own measurements. Four separate rectangular panels are worked first, then crocheting shoulder straps and seams bring everything together for relaxed drop-shoulder shaping.

Credit Kenikse Croche

Materials & Tools

• Color A: 5 balls of 50g Cotton Double Knit yarn
• Color B: 2 balls of 50g Lace Mohair yarn
• Crochet hook: 4.5 mm
• Scissors
• Yarn needle
• 1 stitch marker

Plan Your Measurements

This sweater is made to measure using four separate rectangular panels: front, back, and two sleeves.

For front and back width, make your starting chain long enough to stretch from shoulder to shoulder. For relaxed oversized drop-shoulder styling, let chain extend slightly beyond shoulder width.

Body length depends on the number of 7-row repeats. Crop length or full length can both work. Finishing body on Row 7, which uses Mohair, places delicate lace section across shoulder area for soft visual drape.

For sleeves, starting chain determines sleeve width. Fold chain in half and compare its length with measurement from top of shoulder toward armpit. Check that resulting width can comfortably fit around widest part of bicep.

Abbreviations & Stitch Guide

• ch: Chain
• sc: Single crochet
• dc: Double crochet
• tr: Treble crochet; yarn over 2 times
• dtr: Double treble crochet; yarn over 3 times
• sk: Skip
• st(s): Stitch(es)
• Lemon Peel Stitch: Alternating sc and dc pattern that creates dense textured fabric

Front and Back Panels

Make 2 identical panels. Both panels begin from the bottom edge and use the same 7-row repeat until shoulder shaping.

Starting chain must contain an even number of chains, which produces an odd number of working stitches after Row 1.

Tutorial uses 54 chains, producing 53 stitches.

Row 1 – Color A: Make slip knot and ch 54, or another even number based on desired width; sk first ch from hook; work sc into 2nd ch and each ch across; stitch count should be odd, with 53 sts when using ch 54; maintain this stitch count throughout panel.

Row 2 – Color A: Ch 1, turn; work sc into first st, dc into next st; repeat (sc in next st, dc in next st) across; final stitch should be sc.

Row 3 – Color A: Ch 1, turn; work opposite stitch over each stitch from previous row; dc into first st, which is sc from Row 2; sc into next st, which is dc from Row 2; repeat (dc in next st, sc in next st) across; final stitch should be dc.

Row 4 – Color A: Ch 1, turn; repeat Row 2 pattern with (sc in first st, dc in next st) across; when reaching final sc, begin stitch but stop before pulling through final 2 loops; drop Color A, attach Color B, and pull Color B through final 2 loops to complete color change; pull tails gently to secure.

Color change happens within the final stitch rather than after completing it. This keeps color transition neat and places Mohair directly into starting edge of lace section.

Row 5 – Color B: Ch 6, counting as 1 dtr + ch-1 space; turn; sk 2nd st of row; work dtr into 3rd st; repeat (ch 1, sk 1 st, dtr in next st) across; final dtr should land exactly in final stitch.

For each dtr, yarn over 3 times, insert hook, pull up loop, then work [yarn over, pull through 2 loops] 4 times.

Row 6 – Color B: Ch 1, turn; work sc into first st, which is dtr from previous row; sc into next ch-1 space; repeat (1 sc in dtr, 1 sc in ch-1 space) across; at ending ch-6 space, work 1 sc into large space and 1 sc into 5th chain from bottom to maintain stitch count.

This row converts open mesh into solid support before the next lace row. Keep sc placement consistent so next dtr row stays aligned.

Row 7 – Color B: Ch 6, counting as 1 dtr + ch-1 space; turn; sk 1 st, dtr in next st, making sure dtr aligns directly with dtr two rows below; repeat (ch 1, sk 1 st, dtr in next st) across; on final dtr, stop with 2 loops remaining on hook; cut Color B, attach Color A, and pull Color A through final 2 loops to close stitch.

Alignment matters most on this row. Each dtr should visually stack with the corresponding dtr below, creating straight vertical lace columns.

Row 8 and Onward: Repeat Rows 1–7 continuously until panel reaches preferred body length; finish final repeat on Row 7 using Color B; do not cut yarn after final row.

Finishing on Mohair Row 7 places lace section at upper shoulder area, giving shoulder area lighter drape.

Shape Shoulder Straps

After body length is complete, shoulder straps create neckline opening on both front and back panels. Treble crochet is used here instead of double treble to reduce strap height slightly.

Strap 1

Strap 1: With yarn still attached at the edge, ch 5, counting as 1 tr + ch 1; turn; sk 1 st, tr in next st; repeat (ch 1, sk 1 st, tr in next st) until reaching 8 tr posts, or preferred shoulder width; ch 1, pull through, cut yarn, and leave long tail for sewing.

Strap 2

Lay panel flat and move to opposite edge of top row. Count inward the same number of posts used for Strap 1, such as 8 posts.

Strap 2: Insert hook into 8th post and attach yarn; ch 5, counting as 1 tr + ch 1; repeat (sk 1 st, ch 1, tr in next st) across until outer edge is reached; ch 1, pull through, cut yarn; leave long tail on front panel for shoulder sewing; short tails can remain on back panel because only one set of long tails is needed for joining shoulders.

Check both straps visually before sewing. Matching strap width keeps neckline centered and prevents one shoulder from sitting wider than the opposite side.

Crochet Sleeves

Make 2 sleeves using the same 7-row repeat as the body.

Sleeve width comes from starting chain. Tutorial uses 58 chains.

Sleeve Foundation: Using Color A, ch an even number suitable for the widest arm measurement when folded in half; 58 chains are used in the tutorial.

Sleeve Row 1: Sk first ch; work sc in each chain across; stitch count becomes odd, with 57 sts when using ch 58.

Sleeve Rows 2-4 – Color A: Repeat Lemon Peel sequence used for body: Row 2 uses sc/dc, Row 3 uses dc/sc, and Row 4 returns to sc/dc; change to Color B during final step of Row 4.

Sleeve Rows 5-7 – Color B: Repeat Mohair mesh sequence from body: Row 5 uses dtr/ch-1 mesh, Row 6 uses sc across, and Row 7 uses dtr/ch-1 mesh; change to Color A during the final step of Row 7.

Repeat Rows 1-7: Continue until sleeve reaches desired length from armpit toward wrist; tutorial completes 5 total repeats.

Check sleeve width against bicep before adding all repeats. Since sleeve is made to measure, correcting width early is easier than altering completed seams.

Assemble Sweater

Secure Color-Change Ends

Before sewing panels together, thread a yarn needle and weave all loose color-change tails through the wrong side of the fabric. Secure each tail without pulling lace sections tightly.

This keeps color transitions stable while preserving the soft drape of Mohair.

Join Shoulders

Lay back panel with right side facing upward. Place front panel over back with right side facing downward, leaving wrong sides outward.

Use long tails from shoulder straps and whip stitch corresponding stitches and chains together. Keep matching points aligned across both panels, then secure and weave in tails.

Do not pull shoulder seam too tightly. Relaxed sewing allows the drop-shoulder shape to sit naturally.

Attach Sleeves

Open joined body panels and lay them flat with wrong side facing upward.

Find the exact center stitch along the top edge of one sleeve, using the final completed row as a reference.

Align this center stitch directly with the shoulder seam on the body. Secure temporarily with a stitch marker so the sleeve remains centered while sewing.

Using Mohair yarn and needle, sew sleeve top edge to side edge of body panels. Remove stitch marker after sewing beyond center point.

Repeat for second sleeve.

Center alignment is important because sleeve width extends on both sides of shoulder point. Even small shifts can make sleeve hang unevenly.

Sew Side and Underarm Seams

Fold sweater in half at shoulders with right sides facing inward and wrong sides outward.

Thread needle with long yarn length. Starting at the bottom hem of the body panel, sew upward along the side seam, continue through the armpit, then continue down the sleeve underarm all the way to the cuff.

Secure yarn firmly at the cuff.

Repeat the same continuous seam on the opposite side.

Turn sweater right side out.

Troubleshooting: Fixing Common Fit and Stitch Issues

• Mesh section mein stitch count change ho raha hai: Row 5 aur Row 7 mein har ch-1 ke baad next stitch skip karna zaroori hai, aur final dtr ko bilkul last stitch mein place karein. Row 6 mein ending ch-6 space ke andar dono sc placement check karein, kyunki ye body count maintain karta hai.
• Mohair section uneven ya wavy lag raha hai: Check karein ke dtr posts ek doosre ke directly upar align ho rahe hain. Row 7 mein dtr ko Row 5 ke dtr ke saath line up karna mesh ko neat rakhta hai.
• Shoulder straps bohat wide ya narrow hain: Strap banate waqt 8 tr posts sirf tutorial measurement hai. Apni shoulder width ke mutabiq inward posts count karein, aur opposite strap mein exactly same count repeat karein.
• Sleeve tight feel ho rahi hai: Sleeve starting chain armhole se wrist tak final length nahi, width decide karti hai. Chain ko half fold karke shoulder top se armpit tak measure karein aur widest bicep ke liye comfortable room zaroor rakhein.
• Sleeve center shoulder seam se match nahi ho raha: Sleeve attach karne se pehle final row ka exact center stitch mark karein aur us mark ko shoulder seam ke saath align karein. Is step ko skip karne se sleeve angle uneven ho sakta hai.
• Sweater expected length se chhota ya lamba ho gaya: Body length 7-row repeats se control hoti hai. Extra length ke liye repeat add karein, aur crop fit ke liye fewer repeats rakhein. Final repeat ko Mohair Row 7 par finish karna zaroori hai agar delicate lace shoulder area par rakhni hai.