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Worked in two identical panels, seamed at the shoulders and down the sides, with sleeves worked in the round off the arm hole.
Sizes:
S/M: finished chest circumference is 38”, length 14.5”
L/XL: finished chest circumference is 40”, length 16”
2X: finished chest circumference is 42”, length 17”
3X: finished chest circumference is 44”, length 18”
Supplies Needed:
- 6.5 mm crochet hook (or size to meet gauge)
- Caron Cotton Cakes yarn (250g per cake/530 yards) (weight 4/worsted)
- Approx. 1250, 1500, 1750, 2000 yards needed
- Tapestry needle (for weaving in ends)
- Scissors
Sizing and adjustment notes:
The sizing is intentionally designed to have a comfortable fit with neutral to negative ease, but it may stretch more or less depending on the yarn used. I had quite a lot of stretch in mine, made with the caron cotton cakes yarn, but you may have less vertical stretch with a different yarn. There will always be a decent amount of ease horizontally because of the stitch type, but obviously there will be more or less based on yarn choice.
Width/circumference and length can be easily adjusted to personal preference by adding or subtracting stitches and rows.
Gauge:
FOR BODY: 12 stitches x 12 rows lemon peel stitch = 4 inches x 4 inches.
FOR SLEEVES: 14 stitches x 14 rows lemon peel stitch = 4 inches x 4 inches.
Gauge is pretty important to this design as it will control the drape and the fit of the top. If making a yarn substitution, I would make sure that the yarn/swatch has good drape to it – very soft and relaxed.
Stitches/abbreviations: US terms
Ch = Chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
FSC = foundation single crochet
fpdc/bpdc = front post or back post double crochet
sc3tog = single crochet 3 stitches together
Lemon peel = alternating double and single crochet, with the alternate rows starting with the opposite stitch of the previous row. All DC stitches should be worked into the top of the SC from the row below, and reverse for the SC into DC stitches
Instructions:
Main body panel: (Make 2)
Start: Ch 60, 63, 66, 69 and sc back across (1 sc in each stitch starting in the 2nd chain from the hook) or FSC 60, 63, 66, 69 stitches (foundation row, does not count as a row)
Begin working in lemon peel stitch:
Row 1: Ch 1, *sc 1, dc 1*. Repeat *…* around. join with sl st to top of first stitch. (60, 63, 66, 69 stitches)
Row 2: Ch 1, *dc 1, sc 1*. Repeat *…* around. join with sl st to top of first stitch. (60, 63, 66, 69 stitches)
Continue working in lemon peel stitch for 47, 49, 51, 53 rows.
Row 3 – 47, 49, 51, 53: Repeat rows 1 & 2. (Alternating sc and dc around). (60, 63, 66, 69 stitches)
Row 48, 50, 52, 54: Ch 1, alternate sc and dc in lemon peel pattern for 17, 20, 23, 26 stitches
Row 49, 51, 53, 55 – Row 54, 56, 59, 61: Ch 1, alternate sc and dc in lemon peel pattern for 17, 20, 23, 26 stitches
Break yarn, reattach on the other corner, and repeat rows 48, 50, 52, 54 – 54, 56, 59, 61, on the other side of the top edge of the panel to make the second shoulder portion. The top of your panel should make a shallow “U” shape.
Assembly:
To make this from 2 rectangles into a sweater, you’ll simply line up the shoulders and seam the shoulders then add a seam down the sides. I like larger armholes on shirts, especially this relaxed fit style, and I wanted a balloon sleeve, so I left a lot of room in the arm area of the seam, but this could be easily modified to be a tighter seam – it will just affect the number of stitches in the sleeve:
To make your top exactly as I did here are the directions.
Shoulder seams:
Line up the shoulder portions of both panels and seam across the shoulders.
Neckline Ribbing: (Do not turn)
After seaming shoulders, join yarn with sl st to the back inside neckline edge.
Row 1: Ch 1, 1 dc in each stitch/row end (at the shoulder seams area) around.
Row 2: Ch 1, *1 fpdc, 1 bpdc* repeat *…* around.
Row 3 – 5: repeat row 2. Alternating fpdc and bpdc around to create a ribbed look.
Row 6: If you want, you can change to a hook that is one size smaller for the last row of ribbing.
Side seams:
From the shoulders, count down 30, 31, 33, 35 rows from the shoulder seam. Join the sides with whatever seaming method you prefer.
Hemline Ribbing: (Do not turn)
After seaming sides, join the yarn back to the bottom edge of the sweater body with a sl st.
Row 1: Ch 1, 1 dc in each stitch/row end (at the shoulder seams area) around. Join with sl st.
Row 2: Ch 1, *1 fpdc, 1 bpdc* repeat *…* around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch.
Row 3 – 7: repeat row 2. Alternating fpdc and bpdc around to create a ribbed look.
Sleeves: (worked in the round, do not turn)
Starting at the seam of the underarm, attach yarn with a slip stitch, work single crochet stitches along the edge of the rows up around towards the neckline.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc 60, 63, 66, 69, join with sl st to top of first stitch. (60, 63, 66, 69 stitches)
Row 2: working in lemon peel stitch, Ch 1, *sc 1, dc 1*, repeat *…* around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch. Do not turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, *dc 1, sc 1*, repeat *…* around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch. Do not turn.
Continue working in lemon peel stitch for 55, 57, 60, 63 rows.
Row 4 – 55, 57, 60, 63: Repeat rows 2 & 3. (Alternating sc and dc around). (60, 63, 66, 69 stitches)
Begin decrease and cuffs:
Row 56, 58, 61, 64: Ch 1, sc3tog around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch (20, 21, 22, 23 stitches)
Row 57, 59, 62, 65: Ch 1, 1 sc in each stitch around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch (20, 21, 22, 23 stitches)
Row 58, 60, 63, 66: Ch 1, 1 hdc in each stitch around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch (20, 21, 22, 23 stitches)
Row 59, 61, 64, 67: Ch 1, *1 fpdc, 1 bpdc*. Repeat *…* around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch (20, 21, 22, 23 stitches)
Row 60, 62, 65, 68 – Row 66, 68, 71, 74: Ch 1, *1 fpdc, 1 bpdc*. Repeat *…* around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch (20, 21, 22, 23 stitches)
Break yarn and tie off.
Repeat all rows on the other side for the second sleeve.
Finishing:
Weave in all ends. You can block or steam block, but I chose to just give it a good stretch with my hands and then let the stitches relax as I wore it.
If you enjoy this pattern or have any comments or questions, please feel free to reach out via email, facebook, or instagram, and I will happily help you however I can! Tag me in your finished makes @skeinsandstitchesco and #bluemoonsweater!
Feel free to sell finished products from this pattern (giving me credit as the designer), but please link to the blog post version of this pattern rather than copy and pasting if you want to share it on your platforms. Thanks!
Copyright © 2021, Abby Doan, Skeins and Stitches Co.
