Ombre Peak Tee: Free Crochet C2C Pattern

Introduction

The Ombre Peak Tee is a soft, breezy crochet top worked in corner-to-corner (C2C) blocks, so it's a wonderful first garment project for anyone who has mastered the basic C2C stitch. Two flat rectangles are seamed into a simple boxy tube with short sleeves, which means no complicated shaping, no waist increases, and no fuss. The front fades diagonally from pale apricot through peach, coral, and rose into deep wine, with a stepped mountain-ridge motif rising across the middle bands. Worked in a lace-weight mohair-silk blend held double, it feels featherlight and gently fuzzy against the skin, with a soft halo and a delicate drape that's perfect for warm evenings and Parisian-style layering.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Lace weight mohair-silk blend (70% mohair, 30% silk), held double throughout. 200 yd (183 m) each of: A pale apricot, B peach, C coral, D rose, E wine.
• Hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6), or the size needed to match gauge.
• Notions: Tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends, stitch markers, scissors, blocking mats and rust-proof pins.
• Finished size: To fit teen: width 16" (41 cm), length 18" (46 cm), sleeve opening 6" (15 cm).

Abbreviations

• ch — chain: yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook.
• dc — double crochet: yarn over, insert hook in stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops twice.
• sl st — slip stitch: insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.
• sc — single crochet: insert hook in stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops.
• sp — space: the chain-3 gap between blocks.
• st(s) — stitch(es).
• block — one C2C unit: ch 3 plus 3 dc worked into the same space.
• inc — increase: add one new block at the edge of a row.
• dec — decrease: skip one block at the edge of a row.

Gauge

1 block = 1 inch (2.5 cm) square, so 4 blocks = 4 inches (10 cm). Work a small swatch of a few blocks and measure across several blocks; if your blocks are larger than 1 inch, go down a hook size, and if smaller, go up.

Tips Before You Start

• Hold both strands of mohair-silk together as one working yarn the whole time, and keep your tension relaxed so the halo stays fluffy rather than tight.
• Count blocks at the end of every row — the diagonal edges make it easy to lose one, and a single missed block throws off the whole panel width.
• When changing ombre colors, change on the last pull-through of the final block of the row so the new shade begins cleanly at the edge.
• Carry the mountain-motif wine yarn loosely along the back of the front panel between motif rows, or cut and rejoin if the carry feels tight.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Back Panel (worked flat in C2C, all in color A)

R1: With A, ch 4, join to form a ring, ch 3, 3 dc in ring, turn (1 block).

R2: Ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, sl st to next sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, turn (2 blocks).

Rows 3-16: Increase 1 block per row, working a new block into the first space of each row and continuing across, until the row is 16 blocks wide (16 blocks).

Rows 17-24: Work even, 16 blocks per row (16 blocks).

Row 25: Sl st across the first block, ch 3, 3 dc in next sp, continue to end of row, turn (15 blocks).

Rows 26-39: Decrease 1 block per row in the same way until 1 block remains (1 block). Fasten off.

Front Panel (worked flat in C2C with ombre and mountain motif)

Work the same block counts and shaping as the back panel, changing colors as follows:

Rows 1-4: Color A (pale apricot).

Rows 5-8: Color B (peach).

Rows 9-12: Color C (coral).

Rows 13-16: Color D (rose).

Rows 17-20: Color E (wine).

Continue the ombre sequence for the remaining rows, repeating A, B, C, D, E in 4-row bands, while keeping the same increase, even, and decrease shaping as the back.

Mountain motif (worked in E over the ombre):

Row 7: Work blocks 6-8 in E, all other blocks in B (8 blocks).

Row 8: Work blocks 5-9 in E, all other blocks in B (9 blocks).

Row 9: Work blocks 4-10 in E, all other blocks in C (10 blocks).

Row 10: Work blocks 3-11 in E, all other blocks in C (11 blocks).

Continue the ombre bands for all remaining rows. Fasten off.

Sleeves (make 2, in color E)

R1: With E, ch 4, join to form a ring, ch 3, 3 dc in ring, turn (1 block).

Rows 2-4: Increase 1 block per row (4 blocks).

Rows 5-6: Work even (4 blocks).

Row 7: Decrease 1 block (3 blocks).

Row 8: Decrease 1 block (2 blocks). Fasten off.

Assembly Seams

Shoulders: Place back and front panels together with right sides facing. Join yarn at the armhole edge and sc evenly across the shoulder seam, approx 16 sc. Repeat for the other shoulder.

Sides: From hem to underarm, sc evenly to join the side edges, approx 18 sc. Repeat for the other side.

Sleeves: Align each sleeve top with an armhole and sc evenly around to attach, approx 24 sc. Repeat for the other sleeve.

Edging

Neckline: With E, sc evenly around the neck opening, approx 40 sc. Fasten off.

Hem: With A, sc evenly around the bottom edge, approx 64 sc. Fasten off.

Sleeve cuffs: With E, sc evenly around each sleeve opening, approx 24 sc. Fasten off.

Assembly and Finishing

Seam the shoulders, sides, and sleeves as described above, working your sc seams evenly so the fabric doesn't pucker. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, threading each tail through a few stitches before trimming. Block lightly to measurements: mist the tee, pin it to 16" (41 cm) wide and 18" (46 cm) long on blocking mats, and let it dry fully — the mohair-silk will relax and the C2C blocks will even out beautifully.

Pro Tips and Variations

• For a longer, tunic-style tee, add extra even rows in the middle of both panels before the decrease section.
• Swap the wine mountain motif for a contrasting color like cream or charcoal to make the ridge pop against the ombre.
• Make a matching summer version by working the whole tee in one color and adding a scalloped sc edging at the hem and cuffs.