Forest Green Puff Stitch Sleep Tee: Free Crochet Pattern

Forest Green Puff Stitch Sleep Tee: Free Crochet Pattern

Introduction

This loose, straight-tube sleep tee is the kind of project that looks far more complicated than it is. Worked entirely in puff stitch from the bottom up, it builds a dense, bumpy, deeply textured fabric that feels soft and cozy against the skin. The forest green fingering-weight wool gives it a rich, dark academia mood, and a row of little rust crocheted strawberries along the bottom hem adds just the right touch of whimsy. It's beginner-friendly, made almost entirely of one repeating round, and sized to fit a 36–40 inch chest comfortably.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Fingering weight wool (100% wool, approx. 400 yds/100 g). Main color (MC) Forest Green: 800 yds. Contrast color (CC) Rust: 50 yds.
• Hook: 3.5 mm (US E/4)
• Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle, small amount of polyester fiberfill for the strawberries, scissors
• Finished size: Chest circumference 40 inches (101.5 cm), length 26 inches (66 cm), sleeve length 6 inches (15 cm). Fits chest 36–40 inches (91.5–101.5 cm).

Abbreviations

• ch – chain
• sl st – slip stitch
• sc – single crochet
• inc – increase: work 2 sc in the same stitch
• dec – decrease: work 2 sc together into 1 stitch
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• puff st – puff stitch: [yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull up loop] 3 times, yo, pull through all 7 loops on hook, ch 1 to close
• MR – magic ring
• RS – right side
• MC – main color (Forest Green)
• CC – contrast color (Rust)

Gauge

4 puff stitches and 8 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in puff stitch pattern. Work a small swatch in the round and measure across the middle of the fabric, counting each puff stitch as one stitch, to check your gauge before starting.

Tips Before You Start

• Puff stitches eat yarn and grow tall, so keep your loops even and slightly loose — pulling them too tight makes the fabric stiff and hard to work into on the next round.
• The ch 2 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch. Always join to the first puff stitch of the round, not to the ch 2.
• Use a stitch marker at the start of each round and at the underarm joins so you never lose your place in the long straight body.
• When you join the chain into a ring, double-check it isn't twisted — a twist here will spiral all the way up the 52-round body.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notes: The tee is worked in the round from the bottom up. The strawberry motif is worked separately and sewn on at the end.

Body (MC)

Ch 80, join with sl st to first ch to form a ring, being careful not to twist.

Rnd 1: Ch 2, puff st in same ch as join, puff st in each ch around, join with sl st to first puff st. (80 puff sts)

Rnds 2–52: Ch 2, puff st in each puff st around, join with sl st to first puff st. (80 puff sts)

Do not fasten off. Continue to Shape Armholes.

Shape Armholes (Back)

Row 1: Ch 2, puff st in next 36 puff sts, turn. (37 puff sts) Leave remaining 43 puff sts unworked.

Rows 2–16: Ch 2, puff st in each puff st across, turn. (37 puff sts)

Fasten off.

Front

With RS facing, skip 3 puff sts from the last puff st of Row 1 of armhole shaping, join MC with sl st to next puff st.

Row 1: Ch 2, puff st in same st, puff st in next 36 puff sts, turn. (37 puff sts) Leave remaining 3 puff sts unworked.

Rows 2–16: Ch 2, puff st in each puff st across, turn. (37 puff sts)

Fasten off.

Join Shoulders

With RS facing, sew or crochet together 10 puff sts at each shoulder, leaving the center 17 puff sts open for the neck.

Sleeves (make 2, MC)

Work directly into the armhole opening.

Rnd 1: Join MC with sl st to center of underarm, ch 2, work 24 puff sts evenly around armhole, join with sl st to first puff st. (24 puff sts)

Rnds 2–10: Ch 2, puff st in each puff st around, join with sl st to first puff st. (24 puff sts)

Fasten off. Repeat for the second sleeve.

Strawberry Motif (make 6, CC)

Work in rounds.

Rnd 1: MR 6 sc. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] x6. (18)

Rnd 4: Sc in each st around. (18)

Rnd 5: [Sc, dec] x6. (12)

Stuff lightly.

Rnd 6: Dec x6. (6)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Leaves (make 6, MC)

Ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, ch 3, sl st in same ch, ch 3, sl st in same ch, ch 3, sl st in same ch. Fasten off, leaving a tail.

Assembly and Finishing

Sew one leaf to the top of each strawberry using the yarn tails. Sew the six strawberries evenly spaced along the bottom hem of the body, about 1 inch above the edge. Weave in all ends securely, especially at the underarms and shoulders. Block lightly to measurements: mist with water, pin the body to 40 inches around and 26 inches long, and let dry flat.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the rust strawberries for a different contrast color — deep burgundy, mustard, or cream all keep the dark academia feel.
• For a warmer sleep tee, work the sleeves two or three rounds longer; the straight tube shape means no other adjustments are needed.
• Add a simple sc border around the neck opening for a neater finish, working 1 sc in each puff st around.