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El’s Top-down Sweater- Free Crochet Pattern

Well it’s been a minute since I had a pattern to share with you all, but I’m happy to be back with a bang!

This is the first top-down raglan style pattern that I’ve written and we’ve had so much positive feedback already.  I hope you all love it as much as we have been around here!

If you’re looking for an ad-free, large font PDF version of this pattern, you can purchase it from our Etsy shop here or you can purchase from or ad to your Ravelry que here.  The PDF also includes comprehensive notes to adjusting sizing to fit your exact needs, and instructions to working with a different amount of colors than is written in the pattern provided below.

If you’re looking for more detailed instructions, I highly recommend checking out our blog post with step-by-step pictures here.

What You’ll Need: 

Approximately 290 (360, 370, 430, 450, 470) yards of bulky weight (5) yarn- I used 2 braids of Caron X Pantone Yarn to make a 3/6month sweater.

6.0mm (US J) crochet hook

stitch marker

scissors

embroidery needle (for weaving in ends)

Approximate Completed Sizes: 

Abbreviations Used: 

ch=chain

St (s)= stitch(es) 

Sc= single crochet 

blo= back loops only

dc= double crochet 

ss=slip stitch 

sk= skip (stitch) 

Ch sp= chain space 

Fo= fasten off 

p/u= pick up

Gauge Used

6 Suzette Stitches ((sc, dc ) into 1 sc) = 4″

10 rounds= 4″

Pattern Notes:

Neck Ribbing

Foundation: ch 5, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in blo, turn (4)

Row 1- 51: ch 1, sc in blo, turn (4)

Join foundation and row 51 together with ss in all 4 sts, continue onto yoke pattern (do NOT cut yarn)

Yoke Pattern

Foundation: ch 1, working one st into each row of the ribbing: sc 6, ch 2, sc 12, ch 2, sc 12, ch 2, sc 12, ch 2, sc 6 (48)

Round 1: *(sc, dc) in first st, sk 1, repeat from * to 1st ch 2 sp, *(sc, ch 2, dc) in ch 2 sp, (sc, dc) in next st, sk 1,  repeat from * around (56)

Round 2: *(dc, sc) in 1st sc, sk dc, repeat from * to ch 2 sp, *(dc, ch 2, sc) into ch sp, sk dc, (dc, sc) in each next sc, repeat from * around, ss into last dc (64)

Round 3: *sk dc, (sc, dc) in next sc, repeat from * to ch 2 sp, *(sc, ch 2, dc) into ch sp, (sc, dc) into sc, sk dc, repeat from * around (72)

Round 4- 6 (7,7,7,8,8): repeat rounds 2 & 3, changing colors as indicated in graph

Splitting the yoke for 0/3 mo, 18 mo, 2 T:

Round 7 (9,9): *sk dc, (sc, dc) in sc, repeat from * to first ch 2 sp, sc into ch sp, fold yoke in half so that starting st is in back.  dc into ch 2 sp opposite (1st arm hole created), *sk dc, (sc, dc) into next sc, repeat from * to next ch 2 sp, sc into ch sp, dc into ch 2 sp opposite (2nd arm hole created), *sk dc, (sc, dc) into next sc, repeat from * around.

Splitting the yoke for 3/6mo, 6/9mo, 9/12mo:

Round 8 (8,8): *(dc,sc) in sc, sk dc, repeat from * to first ch 2 sp, dc into ch sp, fold yoke in half so that starting st is in back.  sc into ch 2 sp opposite (1st arm hole created), *(dc, sc) into next sc, sk dc, repeat from * to next ch 2 sp, dc into ch sp, sc into ch 2 sp opposite (2nd arm hole created), *(dc, sc) into next sc, sk dc, repeat from * around.

Body [continued from “splitting the yoke” working into the center portion only] 

Round 8 (10,10) *for 0/3mo, 18mo and 2T only*: *sk dc, (sc, dc) into sc, repeat from * around (49, 57, 57)

Round 9 (9,9,9,11,11) *for ALL sizes*: *(dc, sc) into sc, sk dc, repeat from * around, ss into last dc (48, 52, 52, 56, 56, 56)

Round 10 (10, 10, 10, 12, 12): *sk dc, (sc, dc) into sc, repeat from * around (49, 53, 53, 57, 57, 57)

Round 11 (11, 11, 11, 13, 13)- 16 (19, 19, 20, 22, 23): repeat rounds 9 & 10, changing colors as indicated, if you so choose, leave yarn in tact and move on to ribbing.

Ribbing for the body

**If you are working with multiple colors, you will work a ss into the 1st st, picking up your ribbing color as you go, cut the last color of the body, leaving an approximate 2″ tail, and follow on to the foundation, working this tail into the ribbing slip stitches as you go.

Foundation: ch 4, sc in blo back towards the body, ss into the next 2 sts of the body, turn (3)

Row 1: sc in blo, turn

Row 2: ch 1, sc in blo, ss into next 2 sts of the body, turn (3)

Row 3- 48 (52, 52, 56, 56, 56): repeat rows 1&2

Row 49 (53, 53, 57, 57, 57): bring last row towards foundation row, work a series of ss across both rows to join the ribbing, fo and cut yarn, weave in ends.  (3)

Right Sleeve for: 0/3mo, 18mo, 2T

Left Sleeve for: 3/6mo, 6/9mo, 9/12mo

Foundation: in 1st sc, p/u loop, *(dc, sc), sk next dc, repeat from * working into sc sts only, ss 3 into spacing at armpit. (24, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28)

Round 1: *(sc, dc) into sc, sk dc, repeat from * around ss into 2nd ss from previous round. (24, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28)

Round 2: *(dc, sc) into sc, sk dc, repeat from * around, ss into last dc (24, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28)

Round 3: *sk dc, (sc, dc) into sc, repeat from* around (25, 28, 28, 29, 29, 29)

Round 4:  *(dc, sc) into sc, sk dc,  repeat from * around (24, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28)

Round 5- 13 (14, 15, 17,18,19): repeat rounds 3 & 4, changing colors as you go if you are working with multiple colors. 

Round 14 (15, 16, 18, 19, 20): sc2tog around, move on to “Wrist Cuff” portion of the pattern, sc in last for 6/9mo and ss in last for 18mo. (12, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14)

Left Sleeve for: 0/3mo, 18mo, 2T

Right Sleeve for: 3/6mo, 6/9mo, 9/12mo 

Foundation: In first sc: pu loop, *(sc, dc), sk next dc, repeat from * working into sc sts only, ss 3 into spacing at armpit. (24, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28)

Round 1: *(dc, sc) into 1st sc, sk dc, repeat from * around, ss into last dc, and 2nd ss from previous round. (24, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28)

Round 2: *sk dc, (sc, dc) into sc, repeat from * around, ss into 2nd ss (24, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28)

Round 3: *(dc, sc) into sc, sk dc, repeat from * around, ss into last dc (24, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28)

Round 4: *sk dc, (sc, dc) into sc, repeat from * around (25, 28, 28, 29, 29, 29)

Round 5- 13 (14, 15, 17,18,19): repeat rounds 3 & 4, changing colors as you go if you are working with multiple colors.

Round 14 (15, 16, 18, 19, 20): sc2tog around, move on to “Wrist Cuff” portion of the pattern, sc in last for 6/9mo and ss in last for 18mo. (12, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14)

Wrist Cuff:

**If you are working with multiple colors, you will work a ss into the 1st st, picking up your ribbing color as you go, cut the last color of the sleeve, leaving an approximate 2″ tail, and follow on to the foundation, working this tail into the ribbing slip stitches as you go.

Foundation [continuing from each sleeve]: ch 4, sc 3 in blo, ss into 2 of the sts of the wrist

Row 1: sc in blo, turn (3)

Row 2: ch 1, sc in blo, ss into 2 of the ss of the sleeve (3)

Row 3- 12 (14, 14, 14, 14, 14): repeat rows 1 & 2

Row 13 (15, 15, 15, 15, 15): bring last row towards foundation row, work a series of ss across both rows to join the ribbing, fo and cut yarn, weave in ends.  (3)

That’s all there is to it!  I hope you enjoyed making this sweater as much as I did, and if so, I hope you’ll also enjoy our Mary’s Cardigan for adults and the Easy Crochet Pullover for children.

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