April Sweater Crochet Pattern
Introducing: the April Sweater Crochet Pattern!
This sweater is my very first crochet pattern and I am so excited about it. This pattern combines everything I’ve ever wanted in a sweater — super soft and comfortable yarn, relaxed, oversize fit, and a squishy ribbed texture!
Continue on to read a bit about this design or scroll down to skip ahead to the pattern links.
Behind the Design
As I mentioned, this sweater is everything I’ve wanted in a cozy design. It’s just a bit oversize, has a relaxed design, and is made in the softest yarn — Lion Brand Touch of Cashmere (my new favorite).
To get the look I wanted with this sweater, I worked it sideways so that it looks like a true rib knit sweater. It is worked in four separate pieces: the front body piece, the back body piece, and each sleeve. You then seam the pieces together and add the neckline, sleeve cuffs, and hem afterwards.
One of my favorite parts is that the ribbed texture of this crochet stitch looks super similar to k1, p1, rib stitch in knitting. Rib stitch is pretty slow but this crochet stitch is FAST and works up so quickly. It makes the squishiest and softest fabric.
The stitch I used to get the ribbed stitch look is HDCSLSTBLO — Half Double Crochet Slipped Stitch Back Loop Only. This sounds like a lot but if you break it down it’s not that hard.
HDCSLSTBLO: yarn over, insert hook into the back loop only of the next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, pull this loop through both sts on hook.
Tips and Tricks
There are a couple techniques in this pattern that I think need noted.
First of all, this sweater is worked sideways, so from one side of the body to the other. This means that you definitely need to swatch beforehand (you should anyways!!) because you won’t really be able to add any length later like you can on a top down or bottom up sweater.
Second, when you do swatch, make sure you block your fabric and measure when it is dry and relaxed! Don’t stretch it heavily or bunch it together. This stitch makes a very stretchy and lofty fabric so you want to get as close to the true dimensions as possible.
When you are finishing and seaming your pieces together, you can use either a mattress stitch, a slipped stitch seam, or another method of your choice but I highly recommend a slipped stitch seam! I think its so fast and is a lot less tedious.
Choosing the Perfect Size
The most important decision you will make regarding your sweater starts at the very beginning — choosing the right size! This sweater is designed to have a loose, relaxed fit. Model is 6’ tall with a 33” bust, 36” hips, and is pictured wearing a size small with 9” of positive ease. To achieve best fit, choose a size that gives you 8-10” of positive ease around your bust. For example, if your bust measurement is 46 inches, you would wear a size X-Large (54” bust). If you prefer to have your sweaters more fitted, choose a size that gives you 4-6” of positive ease around your bust.
XS, (S, M, L, XL), (2X, 3X, 4X, 5X)
Finished Bust/Chest Circumference: 38, (42, 46, 50, 54), (58, 62, 66, 70)”
Materials
I designed this sweater using Lion Brand Touch of Cashmere yarn which is an acrylic blended with a bit of cashmere to make a super soft and luxurious easy care yarn. This yarn is a medium, worsted weight yarn so feel free to substitute with any worsted weight yarn that gives you the right gauge (16 stitches and 16 rows = 4″ in hdcslstblo).
7, (7, 8, 8, 10), (11, 11, 12, 13) balls / 1533, (1533, 1752, 1971, 2190), (2409, 2409, 2628, 2847) yards of Lion Brand Touch of Cashmere Yarn (shown in Gull Grey)
Size I-9 US (5.5 mm) crochet hook
I partnered with Lion Brand Yarn to offer this pattern as a kit on their website — this kit includes the pattern and yarn needed to make this sweater.
The Pattern
This pattern is available on Ravelry, Etsy, and as a kit with Lion Brand Yarn! Find the links below
CLICK HERE to shop the April Sweater Crochet Pattern on Ravelry
CLICK HERE to shop the April Sweater Crochet Pattern on Etsy
CLICK HERE to shop the April Sweater Crochet Kit with Lion Brand Yarn
I hope you enjoy this pattern as much as I do! If you make them, share your work using the hashtag #originallylovely or by tagging @originally.lovely on Instagram!
With Love, Kaitlin
Congratulations on your first crochet pattern ! – looking at it, it’s hard to imagine it as a first ! Most professional and pleasing.
I’m an Australian, so laying hands on American yarns means a big price hike: buying ’em locally means they have shipping costs factored in, and buying ’em from the good ol’ means hideous shipping fees. Sighh ..
I shall see what I can find that might be within screaming distance of this LB yarn.
Well done you ! 🙂
If I would like to add length to this pattern to wear it mid hip, is that easily done?