I don’t know about you, but I have a serious soft spot for bohemian crochet garments. There’s something about the combination of intricate motifs, flowing tassels, and that effortlessly artistic vibe that just speaks to my creative soul.
This halter top has been living in my head rent-free since I first sketched it out. Heart motifs nested inside mandalas, flower hexagons creating that lacy negative space, and those gorgeous multi-color tassels dancing at every point.
If you’ve been craving a statement piece that shows off your crochet skills while still being totally wearable, this is the project you’ve been waiting for. Let’s dive in.
About This Boho Heart Mandala Halter Top Pattern
This stunning halter top is built entirely from joined crochet motifs worked in the round. You’ll create three different motif types: a large Heart Square Motif for the center front, medium Flower Hexagon Motifs flanking those hearts, and smaller Half-Motifs along the top edges for that gorgeous V-neckline shaping.
The construction method is called join-as-you-go (JAYG for short), which means you’ll connect your motifs during the final round of each piece instead of sewing everything together at the end. Trust me, this saves so much time and creates a much neater finish.
The color palette uses four yarns: a dusty slate blue as your primary color, warm tan/camel for contrast, deep burgundy/wine for those bold pops, and muted teal as an accent. The combination creates that perfect bohemian aesthetic without being overwhelming.
Skill Level
I’d rate this pattern as Advanced Intermediate. You should feel comfortable with crocheting in the round, working bobble and popcorn stitches, joining motifs as you go, and making neat color changes.
If you’ve successfully completed granny square garments before and enjoy motif-based construction, you’ll find this project well within reach. Just take your time with the layout instructions and you’ll be fine.
How Long Will This Take?
Plan for approximately 25 to 35 hours total, depending on your experience level. Here’s the breakdown:
This isn’t a weekend project, but the satisfaction of wearing something this beautiful is absolutely worth the time investment.
Finished Measurements
The pattern is written for a 34-36 inch (86-91 cm) bust, which corresponds to a standard Small/Medium size.
The finished top measures approximately 14 inches (35.5 cm) wide across the fullest point of the motif panel and approximately 11 inches (28 cm) tall from the lower center point to the top edge at the shoulder tie attachment.
Don’t worry if you need a different size. I’ve included customization tips at the end of this pattern.
Materials You’ll Need
Yarn
You’ll need fingering weight yarn (CYCA #1), approximately 800 yards (730 m) total, divided as follows:
Yarn Suggestions
Malabrigo Sock (100% superwash Merino wool, 440 yards / 100 g per skein) is my top recommendation. This single-ply yarn has excellent stitch definition that highlights the bobble and popcorn textures beautifully. Purchase 1 skein each of Colors A, B, and C, plus a partial skein of Color D.
Cascade Heritage 150 (75% superwash Merino, 25% nylon, 492 yards / 100 g per skein) is another great option. The nylon content adds durability for a garment you’ll wear and wash regularly.
Knit Picks Stroll (75% superwash Merino, 25% nylon, 462 yards / 100 g per skein) offers an economical alternative with consistent tension and a broad color selection.
Important: Avoid heavily textured or fuzzy yarns since they’ll obscure your beautiful bobble and popcorn details.
Hooks
Notions
Gauge
With your D-3 hook and fingering weight yarn, after blocking:
This is critical. Because the top’s fit depends entirely on motif dimensions, please swatch and block at least one of each motif before beginning assembly. Adjust your hook size as needed.
Abbreviations
Let me walk you through every abbreviation you’ll encounter:
Special Stitches
Bobble Stitch (bo)
This creates a puffy, textured bump that pops to the front of your work. Here’s how:
Yarn over, insert hook into indicated stitch or space. Yarn over, pull up a loop. Yarn over, draw through 2 loops on hook. You now have 2 loops remaining on hook.
Repeat from the beginning 4 more times, inserting hook into the same stitch or space each time, until 6 loops are on the hook. Yarn over and draw through all 6 loops. One bobble made.
Popcorn Stitch (pc)
This creates a bold, dimensional cluster that really stands out:
Work 5 dc into the indicated stitch or space. Remove the hook from the working loop. Insert the hook from front to back through the top of the first dc of the group. Pick up the dropped working loop and pull it through the top of that first dc. Ch 1 to close and lock the popcorn. One popcorn made.
Beginning Bobble (beg-bo)
Ch 3 (counts as first yo-draw-through). Yarn over, insert hook into same stitch or space, yarn over, pull up loop, yarn over, draw through 2 loops. Repeat 3 more times into same space. Yarn over, draw through all 5 loops on hook. One beginning bobble made.
Shell Stitch
Work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all into the indicated stitch or space. One shell made.
Picot
Ch 3, sl st into first ch made. One picot made. These add a delicate, decorative edge.
JAYG Single Crochet Join
When joining motifs during the final round, instead of working a ch-2 corner space, work ch 1, then with RS facing hold the new motif against the already-completed motif, insert hook through the corresponding ch-2 corner space of the completed motif, yarn over, pull up loop, and complete a sc. Ch 1 to finish the join. Continue along the shared edge, replacing each ch-1 between stitches on the new motif with a sc worked through the corresponding ch-1 space of the completed motif.
Pattern Notes Before You Begin
1. All motifs are worked with RS facing throughout all rounds unless otherwise noted.
2. When working color changes, carry unused colors loosely on the WS or cut and rejoin as preferred.
3. When joining motifs using JAYG, always join with RS of both motifs facing you.
4. Total motif count: 6 full Heart Square Motifs, 4 full Flower Hexagon Motifs, 4 Half Flower Motifs.
5. The lower edge naturally forms a zigzag point silhouette from the corners of the motif arrangement.
6. Do not turn between rounds. Join each round with a sl st to the first stitch unless otherwise instructed.
7. Color A is your primary background and edging color. Use it to join all motifs.
Heart Square Motif (HSM)
Make 6 total.
The Heart Square Motif begins with a center medallion and expands outward. The heart shape is formed by bobbles and popcorns arranged in a heart silhouette.
With Color C, make a magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 11 dc into the ring. Join with sl st to top of ch-3. (12 dc)
Round 2: Join Color B. Ch 1. Work 2 sc into each st around. Join with sl st to first sc. (24 sc)
Round 3: Join Color C. Ch 2. Work beg-bo into first st. Ch 2. Skip 1 st. (Bo, ch 2, skip 1 st) 11 times. Join with sl st to top of beg-bo. (12 bobbles, 12 ch-2 spaces)
Round 4: Join Color B. Sl st into first ch-2 sp. Ch 1. Work (sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) into each ch-2 sp around. Join with sl st to first sc. (12 petals, 60 sts)
Round 5: Join Color A. Working behind Round 4 petals, sl st into the skipped st of Round 3 between any 2 bobbles. Ch 4 (counts as tr). Work tr into same st. Ch 1. (2 tr into next skipped Round 3 st between bobbles, ch 1) 11 times. Join with sl st to top of ch-4. (24 tr, 12 ch-1 spaces)
Round 6: Join Color B. Ch 1. Into each ch-1 sp work (sc, pc, sc). Join with sl st to first sc. (12 popcorns, 24 sc, 36 sts total)
Stitch check after Round 6: You should have 12 popcorn clusters visible, forming a ring.
Round 7: Join Color D. Sl st to top of first pc. Ch 3. Dc into same st. Ch 2. (2 dc into top of next pc, ch 2) 11 times. Join with sl st to top of ch-3. (24 dc, 12 ch-2 spaces)
Round 8: Join Color A. Ch 1. This round establishes your 4 corner ch-2 spaces and sc sides.
Designate ch-2 spaces as positions 1 through 12. Positions 1, 4, 7, and 10 become corners: work (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) into each. For positions 2, 3 between corners: work 2 sc into each ch-2 sp plus 1 sc into each dc between. Repeat for all four sides.
Each side between corners = 8 sc. Four sides = 32 sc, four corners = 16 sc. Join with sl st to first sc. (48 sc, 4 ch-2 corner spaces)
Round 9: Join Color C. Ch 3 (counts as dc). Dc into each sc around, working (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) into each corner ch-2 sp. Join with sl st to top of ch-3. (64 dc total, 4 ch-2 corner spaces)
Round 10 (Edging Round): Join Color A. Ch 1. Sc into each dc around, working (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) into each corner ch-2 sp. Each side has 12 dc = 12 sc. Each corner adds (2 sc + ch 2 + 2 sc). Join with sl st to first sc. (80 sc + 4 ch-2 spaces)
Fasten off for standalone motifs. For motifs to be joined, work Round 10 with JAYG on the appropriate sides.
Checkpoint: Completed and blocked Heart Square Motif should measure 4.5 in x 4.5 in (11.5 cm x 11.5 cm).
Flower Hexagon Motif (FHM)
Make 4 total.
With Color C, make a magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 1. Work 6 sc into ring. Join with sl st to first sc. (6 sc)
Round 2: Ch 1. Work 2 sc into each st around. Join with sl st to first sc. (12 sc)
Round 3: Join Color B. Ch 3 (counts as dc). Work 4 more dc into first st. Remove hook, insert from front through top of ch-3, pull up dropped loop and ch 1 (popcorn made). Ch 2. Skip 1 st. (Pc into next st, ch 2, skip 1 st) 5 times. Join with sl st to first pc. (6 popcorns, 6 ch-2 spaces)
Round 4: Join Color A. Ch 1. Into each ch-2 sp work (sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc). Join with sl st to first sc. (6 petals, 42 sts)
Round 5: Join Color C. Working behind petals, sl st into skipped st of Round 2 between any 2 popcorns. Ch 3 (counts as dc). Work 2 more dc into same st. Ch 2. (3 dc into next skipped Round 2 st, ch 2) 5 times. Join with sl st to top of ch-3. (18 dc, 6 ch-2 spaces)
Round 6: Join Color B. Ch 1. Work (sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc) into each ch-2 sp. Join with sl st to first sc. (6 larger petals, 54 sts)
Round 7: Join Color A. Working behind Round 6 petals into the space between 3-dc groups of Round 5, sl st to position. Ch 4 (counts as tr). Work (tr, ch 2, 2 tr) into same space. This forms one hexagon corner. Ch 1. Work (2 tr, ch 2, 2 tr) into next between-group space. Ch 1. Repeat around all 6 corners. Join with sl st to top of ch-4. (6 corner ch-2 spaces, 24 tr, 6 ch-1 spaces)
Round 8: Join Color D. Ch 1. Work 2 sc into each corner ch-2 sp with ch 2 between (corner), and 3 sc into each ch-1 side space. Join with sl st to first sc. (42 sc + 6 ch-2 spaces)
Round 9 (Edging Round): Join Color A. Ch 1. Sc into each sc around, working (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) into each corner ch-2 sp. (66 sc + 6 ch-2 spaces)
Fasten off for standalone motifs, or work JAYG on shared edges during assembly.
Checkpoint: Completed and blocked Flower Hexagon Motif should measure 4 in (10 cm) point to point.
Half Flower Motif (HFM)
Make 4 total.
These create the V-neckline shaping.
With Color A, ch 13.
Row 1 (RS): Sc into 2nd ch from hook, sc across. Turn. (12 sc)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc). Dc into each st across. Turn. (12 dc)
Row 3: Join Color C. Ch 1. (Bo, ch 1, skip 1 st) across, ending with bo into last st. Turn. (6 bobbles, 5 ch-1 spaces)
Row 4: Join Color B. Ch 1. Sc into first bo. (Sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) into each ch-1 sp. Sc into last bo. Turn. (5 petals, 27 sts)
Row 5: Join Color A. Ch 1. Sc into first sc. Working behind petals into Row 3 skipped sts, sc into each skipped st. Sc into last sc of Row 4. Turn. (8 sc)
Row 6: Ch 1. Sc into each st. Turn. (8 sc)
Row 7: Ch 1. Sc2tog, sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (6 sc)
Row 8: Ch 1. Sc2tog, sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (4 sc)
Do not fasten off. Work sc edging around the curved and straight edges with Color A to prepare for joining.
Motif Layout and Assembly
Lay out all motifs on a flat surface before joining. Here’s your layout from bottom to top:
Bottom Row (Row 1): 3 Heart Square Motifs placed side by side horizontally. The center HSM and one to each side. The lower points of the outer two HSMs hang down to create side points.
Second Row (Row 2): 2 Flower Hexagon Motifs, one placed between and above the left HSM and center HSM, one placed between and above the center HSM and right HSM.
Third Row (Row 3): 2 Heart Square Motifs, one on the left above the left FHM, one on the right above the right FHM.
Top Row (Row 4): 2 Flower Hexagon Motifs, one on upper left and one on upper right. 2 Half Flower Motifs fill the upper V-neckline gap.
Joining Order
Step 1: Begin with the center bottom HSM (Motif A). Set aside, blocked and complete.
Step 2: Join the left bottom HSM (Motif B) to Motif A along their shared edge using JAYG on Round 10 of Motif B.
Step 3: Join the right bottom HSM (Motif C) to Motif A using the same JAYG method.
Step 4: Join the lower left FHM (Motif D) above and between Motifs B and A.
Step 5: Join the lower right FHM (Motif E) above and between Motifs A and C.
Step 6: Join the upper left HSM (Motif F) above Motif D.
Step 7: Join the upper right HSM (Motif G) above Motif E.
Step 8: Join the upper left FHM (Motif H) to the upper left area.
Step 9: Join the upper right FHM (Motif I) to the upper right area.
Step 10: Join the 4 Half Flower Motifs along the upper center V edges.
Checkpoint: After full assembly, the motif panel should measure approximately 14 in (35.5 cm) wide and approximately 9 in (23 cm) tall before adding ties.
Upper Edge and Neck Tie Attachment
With Color A and RS facing, beginning at the upper left corner:
Round 1 of Upper Edging: Ch 1. Work sc evenly around the upper edge of the entire panel. Work 1 sc into each sc, 1 sc into each dc, 2 sc into each corner ch-2 sp, and sc2tog at each inward V junction. Target approximately 120 sc across the upper edge.
Row 2: Join Color C. Ch 1. Work (sc, picot, sc) into every 3rd st. Sc into remaining sts between picots. At the center-front V point, work sc2tog to maintain the V shape.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Neck Ties
Make 2.
Cut 8 strands of each color (32 strands total per tie), each 60 inches (152 cm) long. Hold 8 strands together and fold in half. Attach the fold to the corner ch-2 space of the panel using a lark’s head knot.
You now have 16 strand groups per tie. Divide into 4 groups of 4 strands each (one group per color). Braid in a 4-strand flat braid for approximately 22 inches (56 cm). Knot the end and trim, leaving 3 inches (7.5 cm) of fringe. Wrap the end tightly with Color C yarn to form a tassel.
Waist Tie
Cut 12 strands of each color (48 strands total), each 80 inches (203 cm) long. Attach at the center back lower edge. Divide into 4 groups of 12 strands each. Braid for approximately 30 inches (76 cm) on each side, leaving ends as tassels trimmed to 4 inches (10 cm).
Alternative method: With all four colors held together, make a chain of 200 sts. Thread through the lower edge eyelets created by the ch-2 spaces.
Lower Edge Finishing
With Color A and RS facing, work 1 rnd of sc around the entire lower edge. At the lower points of each corner motif, work 3 sc into the corner sp to emphasize the point. At inward junctions, work sc2tog.
Work 1 rnd of (sc, picot, sc) evenly around, placing picots every 4 sts. At each lower outer point, place 3 picots in a fan arrangement. Fasten off.
Thread 1 wooden bead onto 4 strands (one of each color) held together. Pull the folded strand through a lower point corner ch-2 sp, creating a bead-tipped fringe. Secure with an overhand knot below the bead. Repeat at each of the 5 lower points.
Tassels
Make 7 total: 5 for lower points, 1 for each neck tie end.
Cut 20 strands, 8 inches (20 cm) long, in a mix of all four colors. Hold together and fold in half. Using a separate 12 inch (30 cm) length, lash all strands tightly 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the fold. Trim ends even. Attach to designated points.
Blocking
Wet block all motifs individually before assembly. Soak in cool water for 15 minutes, gently squeeze out water in a towel, pin to blocking mats to exact gauge measurements, and allow to dry completely (12 to 24 hours).
After full assembly, lightly mist the joined panel and re-pin if needed. Do not apply direct heat to bobbles or popcorns, as this will flatten them.
Size Customization Tips
To size up (38-40 inch bust): Work one additional HSM on each side of the lower row (5 motifs instead of 3), and add one additional FHM on each side of the second row. Panel width increases to approximately 18 in (46 cm).
To size down (30-32 inch bust): Remove the lower outer HSMs (bottom row has only 1 HSM) and replace the flanking FHMs with Half Flower Motifs. Panel narrows to approximately 10 in (25 cm).
To add length: Work additional rows of sc below the lower edge before adding the picot edging. Each 10 rows adds approximately 1.5 in (4 cm).
Care Instructions
Hand wash in cool water with gentle wool wash or mild soap. Do not wring. Press flat in a towel to remove excess water. Lay flat to dry away from direct sunlight and heat.
If your yarn is superwash treated, machine wash on delicate cold cycle in a mesh laundry bag. Do not tumble dry. Store flat or rolled to prevent crease fatigue.
You Did It!
Thank you so much for choosing this crochet pattern for your next project. I truly hope you love making this halter top as much as I loved designing it. When you finish yours, I would absolutely love to see it! Tag me on Instagram or share a photo in our Facebook group.
If this pattern caught your eye, go ahead and pin it to your favorite Pinterest board so you can find it when you’re ready to start. And if you make one, please drop a comment below. I read every single one, and your finished projects genuinely make my day!
