Ever since I started designing with yarn, I’ve loved crochet garments.
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When I was in college I majored in Fashion Design and used to love sewing up eveningwear and bridal gowns. I dreamed of moving to NY and becoming a big name designer.
But, as often happens, I fell in love and my life took a different path. (And I’m oh, so glad it did!)
Now that I have many kiddos at home I don’t have as much time as I used to devote to creating sweaters and other large projects, but I still like to have a larger project going on in the background while working on smaller ones.
This is one of those projects that I really enjoyed creating and I’m super excited to share it with you!
A friend of mine has a daughter the same age as my oldest son and she graciously agreed to model this design for me. This was her first time modeling and she did an amazing job!
I used Malabrigo Rastita in this design, and I have to say I really love Malabrigo yarns. They are so rich in color variation, so even if you choose a more solid color yarn, you still get subtle shifts in color that always look amazing.
The Rastita is the lightest weight yarn I’ve tried from them (it is a DK weight) and it exceeded my expectations just like all the other yarns I’ve tried!
This yarn has the same subtle texture and shade variations as the super bulky Rasta yarn that I used for the Rasta Mittens. I’m in love with this yarn!
Other DK yarns will substitute well for this if you don’t want to use a wool yarn for such a lightweight sweater. Just be sure to check your gauge!
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Perfect Layering Sweater
What You’ll Need
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Rastita (100% Merino wool; 310 yards [283 meters]/100 grams): #RTT132 No Me Olvides (4 (5, 5, 6, 6) balls)
Hook: US size H/8 (5.0mm), US size G/6 (4.0mm)
Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch markers
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: Finished Bust Size 34 (38, 42, 46, 50)” to fit bust 32 (36, 40, 44, 48)”
1-2” positive ease recommended.
Shown in size 34”
Gauge: 24 sts and 24 rows = 4” [10 cm] in sc worked in back loops only (blo);
24 sts and 12 rows = 4” [10 cm] in (dc, ch 1) mesh pattern
Abbreviations:
Blo: Back loop only.
Notes:
Sweater is worked in rounds. Some rounds are joined, but other rounds are worked continuously. Read instructions carefully and only join when instructed to do so. Do not turn at the end of round.
Ch 4 at beginning of round counts as dc, ch 1.
Collar and cuffs are worked back and forth in rows, at a right angle to the body or sleeve. The ribbing is attached at the end of every other row by working the last stitch of the ribbing and the next stitch of the body together. Be sure to skip a stitch in between each join.
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Pattern
Hem Ribbing
With smaller hook, ch 13 (13, 19, 19, 19), leaving a long tail for sewing.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, turn. (12 (12, 18, 18, 18) sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc blo in each sc across, turn.
**Rep Row 2 until Ribbing meas 34 (38, 42, 46, 50)”, ending with WS row. Do not turn at end of last row.
Change to larger hook.
Body
Work across long side of ribbing as follows:
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc 204 (228, 252, 276, 300) evenly across, join with slip st to first sc to join round, turn.
Rnd 2: Ch 4, *sk next st, dc in next st, ch 1; rep from * around, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg of rnd. (102 (114, 126, 138, 150) dc, 102 (114, 126, 138, 150) ch-1 sps)
Rnds 3-7: Ch 4, *sk ch-1 sp, dc in next dc, ch 1; rep from * around, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beginning of rnd.
Rnd 8: Ch 1, sc in each dc and ch-1 sp around. (204 (228, 252, 276, 300) sc)
Rnds 9-19: Sc blo in each sc around.
Rep Rnds 2-19, twice more.
Armholes
Rnd 1: Sc blo 94 (106, 116, 128, 138), ch 52 (58, 62, 70, 82), sk next 8 (8, 10, 10, 12) sts, sc blo 94 (106, 116, 128, 138), ch 52 (58, 62, 70, 82), sk last 8 (8, 10, 10, 12) sts, join to first sc with sl st, leaving remaining sts unworked. (292 (328, 356, 396, 440) sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 4, *sk next st, dc in next st, ch 1; rep from * around, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg of rnd. (146 (164, 178, 198, 220) dc, 146 (164, 178, 198, 220) ch-1 sps)
Rnds 3-7: Ch 4, *sk ch-1 sp, dc in next dc, ch 1; rep from * around, join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beginning of rnd.
Yoke
Rnd 1 (Dec): Ch 1, *sc blo in next 2 sts, sc2tog blo; rep from * around. (219 (246, 267, 297, 330) sts)
Rnds 2-12: Sc blo in each sc around.
Sizes 38 (42, 46, 50) Only
Work 6 (6, 9, 12) rnds even in sc blo
All Sizes
Rnd 13: *Sc blo in next st, sc2tog blo; rep from * around. (146 (164, 178, 198, 220) sts)
Rnds 14-25: Sc blo in each sc around.
Sizes 42 (46, 50) Only
Work 4 (6, 9) rounds even in sc blo
All Sizes
Rnd 26: *Sc blo in next st, sc2tog blo; rep from * to last 2 (2, 1, 0, 1) sts, sc in last 2 (2, 1, 0, 1) sts. (98 (110, 119, 132, 147) sts)
Collar
Change to smaller hook.
Row 1: Ch 5 (5, 7, 7, 7), sc in 2nd ch from hook and next 2 (2, 4, 4, 4) ch, sc last ch and next st of Body together. (4 (4, 6, 6, 6) sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc back lp only in each sc across.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc back lp only in first 3 (3, 5, 5, 5) sts, sc last sc back lp only and next st of body together. (4 (4, 6, 6, 6) sc)
Rep Rows 2-3 around neckline until you reach beginning of Collar.
Note: Be sure to work Row 3 in every other st of Body, not every st.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing up seam.
Sleeves
With larger hook, join yarn in first skipped underarm st.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc blo in 8 (8, 10, 10, 12) skipped sts at Armhole, sc in base of each dc and ch-1 sp. (60 (66, 72, 80, 94) sts)
Rnd 2: Sc blo in each sc around.
Rnd 3: Sc blo in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog in last st. (59 (65, 71, 79, 93) sts)
Rnds 4-10: Rep Rnd 3. (52 (58, 64, 72, 86) sts)
Rnds 11-12: Rep Rnd 2.
Rnd 13: Ch 4 (counts as first dc, ch-1), *sk next st, dc in next st, ch 1; rep from * around, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beginning of rnd. (26 (29, 32, 36, 43) dc, 26 (29, 32, 36, 43) ch-1 sps)
Rnds 14-18: Ch 4, *sk ch-1 sp, dc in next dc, ch 1; rep from * around, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beginning of rnd.
Rnd 19: Ch 1, sc in each dc and ch-1 sp around. (52 (58, 64, 72, 86) sc)
Rnd 20: Rep Rnd 2.
Rnds 21-28: Rep Rnd 3. (44 (50, 56, 64, 78) sc)
Rnds 29-30: Rep Rnd 2.
Rnd 31: Rep Rnd 13.
Rnds 32-36: Rep Rnds 14-18.
Rnd 37: Rep Rnd 19. (44 (50, 56, 64, 78) sc)
Rnd 38: Sc in next 2 (1, 0, 0, 3) sts, *sc blo in next 6 sc, sc2tog blo; rep from * around, sc blo in 2 (1, 0, 0, 3) sc. (39 (44, 49, 56, 69) sc)
Sleeve Ribbing
Switch to smaller hook.
Row 1: Ch 11 (11, 16, 16, 16), sc in 2nd ch from hook and next 8 (8, 13, 13, 13) ch, sc last ch and next st of body together. (10 (10, 15, 15, 15) sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc blo in each sc across.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc blo in first 9 (9, 14, 14, 14) sts, sc last sc blo and next st of body together. (10 (10, 15, 15, 15) sc)
Rep Rows 2-3 around Sleeve until you reach beginning of Ribbing.
Note: Be sure to work Row 3 in every other st of body, not every st. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing up seam.
Repeat for second Sleeve.
Finishing
Sew seams of ribbing on hem, sleeves and collar.
Weave in ends.