Free Crochet Top With Linen Shorts Pattern | Bell Sleeve Top & Ribbed Shorts
There is something deeply satisfying about creating your own warm-weather wardrobe from scratch. When you can sit down with a hook, some yarn, and a clear pattern and walk away with an outfit you actually want to wear, crochet stops feeling like a hobby and starts feeling like a superpower. This pattern brings together two pieces that were made for each other: a breezy bell sleeve crochet top and a pair of ribbed linen shorts that look effortlessly put-together whether you are heading to a farmers market, a beach boardwalk, or just lounging on your porch with an iced coffee.
This is a free crochet pattern for both pieces, written in detail so that crafters at an intermediate level can follow along with confidence. If you have mastered basic stitches like single crochet, double crochet, and working in the round, you are ready for this project. Let’s talk materials, measurements, stitches, and everything in between before diving into the actual pattern rows.
Why You Will Love This Crochet Outfit Set
Before we get into the how, let’s talk about the why. Matching crochet sets have had a massive moment in handmade fashion, and for good reason. When you make your own coordinated pieces, you get to control the fit, the color, the drape, and the details in a way that no fast fashion brand will ever offer you.
The bell sleeve top in this pattern is designed to feel light and feminine without being fussy. The sleeves flare gently from the elbow, giving just enough drama to make the top interesting while still keeping it wearable for everyday life. The body of the top is worked in a simple but textured stitch pattern that lies flat and breathes well in warm weather.
The ribbed shorts are where things get a little extra special. Linen yarn or a linen blend gives the shorts a structured but soft finish that holds its shape through the day. The ribbing runs vertically along the legs, creating a clean, elongating effect that flatters all body types. An elastic waistband keeps them comfortable without any complicated construction, and the length hits at a relaxed mid-thigh that works for most people.
Together, these two pieces look intentional and polished. They also happen to be genuinely fun to make.
Materials You Will Need
For both pieces together, gather the following before you start:
For the bell sleeve top, you will want approximately 400 to 600 grams of a lightweight cotton or cotton blend yarn in a worsted or DK weight, depending on your gauge and your size. Cotton works beautifully here because it has enough drape to give the sleeves that soft bell shape while still holding structure in the body. A 5.0 mm or 5.5 mm crochet hook is recommended, but always swatch first and adjust accordingly.
For the ribbed shorts, you will want approximately 300 to 500 grams of a linen yarn or linen blend in a light to medium weight. Linen is stiffer than cotton when you first start working with it, but it softens considerably after the first wash and only gets better over time. Use a 4.5 mm or 5.0 mm hook for this piece. You will also need a length of wide elastic (roughly 1 to 1.5 inches) cut to your waist measurement, a yarn needle for seaming and weaving in ends, scissors, and a tape measure.
Optional but helpful: stitch markers to keep track of rounds, a row counter, and blocking mats if you want to block the pieces before wearing.
Gauge and Sizing
Getting gauge right is especially important for garments. For the top, aim for 14 stitches and 16 rows per 4 inches in your main stitch pattern with a 5.0 mm hook. For the shorts, aim for 16 stitches and 20 rows per 4 inches in the ribbing pattern with a 4.5 mm hook.
This pattern is written for sizes Small through Extra Large, with finished bust measurements ranging from approximately 32 to 44 inches. The shorts are written with finished hip measurements from approximately 34 to 46 inches. Adjustments for sizing are noted throughout the pattern where applicable, with the numbers for each size listed in order as S, M, L, XL.
Take time to swatch. It takes maybe thirty minutes and it will save you hours of frustration later.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
dc — double crochet
hdc — half double crochet
fpdc — front post double crochet
bpdc — back post double crochet
sk — skip
sp — space
st(s) — stitch(es)
rep — repeat
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
BLO — back loop only
rnd — round
The Bell Sleeve Crochet Top Pattern
Body of the Top
The top is worked from the bottom hem upward in two flat panels (front and back) that are later seamed at the sides, leaving openings for the sleeves. Alternatively, if you are comfortable working in the round for garment construction, you can join the panels at the bottom and work upward seamlessly, splitting for the armholes when you reach that point. This written pattern uses the flat panel method for clarity.
Foundation Chain: Chain 57 (63, 69, 75). This gives you a foundation edge that measures approximately 16 (18, 20, 22) inches.
Row 1 (RS): Starting in the 4th chain from the hook, work 1 dc in each chain across. Turn. You will have 55 (61, 67, 73) dc.
Row 2 (WS): Chain 3, turn. Work 1 dc in each stitch across. Turn.
Rows 3 through 10: Repeat Row 2. This creates a smooth, dense double crochet fabric for the lower portion of the body.
Textured Section (Rows 11 onwards): For added visual interest in the mid-body, switch to an alternating shell and v-stitch pattern for approximately 6 inches, or continue in plain double crochet if you prefer a simpler finish. The plain version is great for beginners and looks just as polished in a striped or tonal yarn.
Continue working rows of dc until the back panel measures approximately 14 (14.5, 15, 15.5) inches from the foundation edge, or your desired crop length. The top as written is cropped, hitting just below or at the natural waist.
Fasten off and set aside.
Make a second panel identical to the first.
Seaming and Armhole Shaping
Lay both panels flat with right sides facing each other. Using your yarn needle and a length of yarn, seam the side edges together, leaving 7 (7.5, 8, 8.5) inches open at the top of each side for the armhole openings. Seam the shoulder edges together across the top, leaving a centered neck opening of approximately 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5) inches.
Turn the top right side out and try it on or measure it against a dress form to check the armhole and neck openings before moving to the sleeves.
Neckline Finishing
Join yarn at any point along the neckline edge with a sl st. Work one round of sc evenly around the entire neckline, then sl st to join. For a clean finished edge, work one more round of BLO sc or a simple crab stitch (reverse single crochet) around the neck. Fasten off and weave in ends.
The Bell Sleeves
This is the feature that makes this top feel special, and the good news is that the sleeves are worked flat and seamed, then attached, which makes them straightforward to construct.
Sleeve Foundation: Chain 31 (33, 35, 37).
Row 1: Work 1 dc in the 4th chain from the hook and in each chain across. Turn. You will have 29 (31, 33, 35) dc.
Rows 2 through 6: Work even in dc across, turning at the end of each row. These rows form the upper portion of the sleeve, which sits snugly around the upper arm.
Begin the Bell Flare (Row 7): Chain 3, turn. Work 2 dc in the first stitch (increase made), 1 dc in each stitch across to the last stitch, work 2 dc in the last stitch (increase made). Turn. You now have 31 (33, 35, 37) dc.
Rows 8 through 14: Continue making one increase at each end of every row. By the end of Row 14 the sleeve will have grown noticeably wider, forming that classic bell shape.
Rows 15 through 18: Work even without increasing. This stabilizes the bell before the hem edge.
Hem Edge: Work one row of sc across the lower edge of the sleeve for a neat finish. Fasten off.
Fold the sleeve in half lengthwise and seam the long edge together. You now have a bell-shaped sleeve tube. Pin the top edge of the sleeve to the armhole opening of the top, matching the seam of the sleeve to the underarm seam of the body. Using a whip stitch or mattress stitch, sew the sleeve into the armhole evenly, easing any extra fabric as you go.
Repeat for the second sleeve.
The Ribbed Linen Shorts Pattern
Construction Overview
These shorts are worked in vertical ribbing panels, meaning each panel runs from the waistband down to the hem. Two panels are made and seamed together at the sides and inseam to create the full shorts. A final waistband casing is added at the top to enclose the elastic.
Ribbing Panel (Make 2)
Foundation Chain: Chain 61 (67, 73, 79). This chain runs along the length of the leg (from waistband to hem) rather than across the width, which is what creates the vertical ribbing effect.
Row 1: Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, work 1 sc in each chain across. Turn. You will have 60 (66, 72, 78) sc.
Row 2: Chain 1, turn. Work 1 fpdc around the first stitch, 1 bpdc around the next stitch. Continue alternating fpdc and bpdc across the row to create the ribbing. Turn.
Row 3: Chain 1, turn. Rep Row 2, working fpdc over previous fpdc and bpdc over previous bpdc to maintain the rib pattern.
Continue in ribbing pattern until the panel measures 18 (19, 20, 21) inches wide, which will be roughly 50 to 65 rows depending on your yarn weight and gauge. The width of the panel determines the circumference of the shorts, so measure carefully.
Fasten off and set aside. Make a second panel.
Seaming the Shorts
Fold each panel in half lengthwise with right sides together. Seam one short edge on each panel — this becomes your inseam. You will now have two leg tubes.
Place the two leg tubes together, right sides facing, and seam them together along one long edge (this is the front rise) from the waistband down to the crotch point. Repeat for the back rise seam. The crotch depth should be approximately 10 (10.5, 11, 11.5) inches from the top edge.
Try the shorts on or check measurements before seaming the final side seams. Adjust if needed, then seam the outer leg seams on both sides.
Waistband Casing
With RS facing, join yarn at any point along the top edge of the shorts with a sl st. Chain 1 and work a round of sc evenly all the way around the top edge. Work approximately 8 more rounds of sc (or until the casing is about 1.5 inches tall), then fold the casing to the inside and sl st it down to the inside of the shorts, leaving a small opening to thread the elastic through.
Cut your elastic to your waist measurement plus 1 inch for overlap. Thread it through the casing using a safety pin attached to one end. Once through, overlap the elastic ends by about half an inch and sew them securely together. Close the opening in the casing with a few sl sts or hand stitches.
Hem Finishing
Work one round of sc around the bottom edge of each leg opening. For a slightly more finished look, follow the sc round with a round of reverse sc (crab stitch), which creates a small, polished rolled edge.
Putting the Outfit Together
Once both pieces are finished, weave in all remaining ends and give everything a gentle hand wash in cool water with a small amount of gentle soap. Press out any excess water by rolling the pieces in a towel (never wring), then lay them flat to dry. Linen and cotton both benefit from blocking, and you will notice the stitches even out beautifully as the pieces dry in shape.
After blocking, the shorts in particular will soften considerably if they are made from linen. Linen fiber has this wonderful quality of becoming more supple and drapey with every wash, so this is genuinely an outfit that gets better with age and wear.
Styling the Bell Sleeve Top and Ribbed Shorts
The beauty of a handmade set is that it works across different aesthetics depending on how you style it. Pair the top and shorts in matching cream or ecru tones for a minimalist, monochromatic look that photographs beautifully. Go for contrasting colors — a warm terracotta top with ivory shorts, or a sage green top with linen-beige shorts — for something more dynamic.
The bell sleeve top also works beautifully tucked loosely into the ribbed shorts for a slightly more polished silhouette. Add strappy sandals, a woven bag, and some simple gold jewelry and the outfit is entirely outfit-of-the-day worthy.
For cooler evenings, layer a lightweight linen overshirt or a simple blazer over the top while keeping the shorts. The ribbed texture of the shorts plays well with different fabrics and layers.
Tips for Success
Work a gauge swatch before starting either piece, and wash that swatch before measuring it so you know exactly how the yarn will behave in finished form. This is especially important with linen, which can shrink slightly in the first wash.
When seaming garment pieces, use a yarn needle and the same yarn you crocheted with so your seams are invisible. Mattress stitch is great for side seams and gives a smooth, professional join.
If you want to adjust the length of the shorts, simply chain more or fewer stitches at the foundation. Each 6 to 8 chains added will add approximately 1 inch of length to the leg.
For the top, if you want more coverage, extend the back and front panels before seaming. Adding 2 to 4 rows to the body brings it from a crop top to a longer blouse length.
Do not skip the finishing rounds around the neckline, hem, and leg openings. These small details are what separate a garment that looks homemade from one that looks handmade in the best possible way.
A Note on Yarn Substitutions
The yarns suggested for this pattern (lightweight cotton for the top and linen blend for the shorts) work best because of how they behave in warm weather. That said, crochet is wonderfully forgiving with substitutions. If you cannot find linen yarn, a tightly spun cotton or bamboo blend will give similar results for the shorts. Just make sure to check your gauge with any substitute and adjust your hook size accordingly.
Avoid very fluffy or textured yarns for either piece, as these will obscure the stitch definition that makes the ribbing and bell sleeves look their best. Clean, smooth, plant-based fibers are your best friend for this kind of warm-weather garment work.
This free crochet set pattern is yours to use, enjoy, share, and make your own. Make it in a single colorway for something serene and elegant, or go bold with color blocking for something that turns heads. However you make it, there is something uniquely satisfying about wearing something beautiful that your own hands created from a length of yarn and a single hook.
Happy crocheting.
