Way back in February 2016, I was inspired to make a cabled blanket of some sort after the popularity of my “Cabled Slouchy Beanie” and since I was designing my “Cabled Legwarmers” at the same time.  It was around this time that I also began my partnership with Lion Brand Yarn, so I excitedly browsed through their website to determine which yarn I wanted to use for this blanket.  I came across their “Color Clouds” that they had just launched, and it looked very intriguing!  It is classified as a Jumbo level 7 yarn, a brand new weight class that has been added due to the popularity of very thick yarns and arm knitting.  It is 100% acrylic and machine washable.

I decided to go with the “Travelers Tan” colourway as I loved the blend of tan and white, and of course I always gravitate towards neutrals.  I knew cables would look gorgeous in this colourway!

I was inspired to learn new cabling methods when a reader sent me a message through Ravelry and told me to check out these “Cable Crochet Squares” by Elizabeth Ham.  In her free Ravelry download and post HERE, Elizabeth details how to do various crochet cables and has accompanying YouTube videos as well.  I was drawn to the “Single Plaited Square” as it had a braided look to it, and I decided to use this technique to design my blanket!  I would HIGHLY recommend checking out her Youtube tutorial HERE to see the braided cables in action as this is how I learned how to do it (be sure to check out all three videos as Elizabeth has divided the tutorial into three parts)!  I started off by doing a series of foundation single crochets (see how to do this stitch HERE) with my Clover Amour 15 mm hook.

I drew up my design, determining how many stitches I would need to have three braided cables, front post stitches framing these cables, and three stitches in between each cable and frame.  I was done the first row of my blanket after doing 50 foundation single crochets.

Next, I worked single crochets across for Row 2.  It is important to note that ALL EVEN ROWS are worked the same, by working single crochets across.

Row 2 is complete!

Row 3 is when the cabling begins!  

To begin Row 3, I did three single crochets in the first three stitches.  Next, I worked two Front post double crochets (Fpdc) in the next two stitches 2 rows below (of Row 1, where the arrow is pointing).

The Front post double crochets have been worked.  See how they bump out?

After the two Fpdc’s, I then single crocheted three stitches.  Next, I did six Fpdc’s across the next six stitches 2 rows below.

The six Fpdc’s have been worked!

I then did three single crochets across the next three stitches.  I then repeated the pattern again until the end (i.e. two Fpdc’s, three sc’s, six Fpdc’s across).

Row 3 is complete!

I then flipped my work and began Row 4.  Remember that all even rows are worked the same: by working single crochets across.

The even rows work up quickly since you’re just single crocheting along!

Row 4 is complete!

I then turned my work and began working Row 5.

I started Row 5 by once again doing three single crochets.  Then, I worked 2 Fpdc’s across the next two post stitches from two rows below (the previous Fpdc’s from Row 3) as indicated by the arrows. 

These Fpdc’s really help frame the braided cables as you’ll see later on.  Working around the posts from two rows below helps to build the framing upwards!

Next, I skipped two post stitches (1 and 2 in photo below) and worked two Front post triple crochets (Fptc) in the next two post stitches (3 and 4 in photo below).

Below you can see I’ve worked Fptc’s across the third and fourth posts.  Next, I need to work BEHIND the post stitches I just made and work 2 Fptc’s in the two skipped post stitches (1 and 2 in the photo above).

I’ve placed my fingers behind the post stitches to show where you need to insert your crochet hook.

Thus, your crochet hook goes behind the posts and works Fptc’s around those initial skipped posts.

Now four Fptc’s have been worked.  You then work 2 Fpdc’s across the next two post stitches.

Your initial set of cabling is complete!  Now you repeat the same process across!

For Row 6, you once again single crochet across.  Now we will begin Round 7!

The beginning of Row 7 is worked the same as the beginning of Row 5 where you do three single crochets, two front post double crochets, and three single crochets.  Now we will approach the cabling!  You work two Front post double crochets in the next two post stitches as indicated below.

You then skip 2 post stitches and work two Front post triple crochets in the next two post stitches as indicated below.

Now it gets a little tricky.  You need to work IN FRONT of the post stitches you just made and work two Front post triple crochets around the two skipped posts.  These two skipped posts are hard to see in the picture below!

In the picture below, I am showing you where those “hidden” stitches are that we skipped.  It is around these stitches that you need to work your two Front post triple crochets (note that the orientation of my finger is NOT how you would insert your hook- I’m just demonstrating where the stitches are).

Thus, you swing your crochet hook in front of the stitches you just made, and work your front post triple crochets in the indicated stitches.

You keep repeating this pattern across for Row 7.  Below I’ve indicated the order of the stitches so you can see where all six stitches of the cabling are located for subsequent rows as you build up the cabling!

You keep repeating rows 4-7 until Row 77!  It’s amazing watching your beautiful braided cables build up!

Don’t these braided cables look gorgeous?  The texture is stunning, and the light colours really help show off the intricacy of the design!

I had so much fun working up my blanket as it kept me warm as I was crocheting it.  Repeating rows of these gorgeous braided cables was very relaxing!

I started a couple of afghan projects as a pre-teen when I was first learning how to crochet, but I never ended up finishing any of them.  Thankfully, this blanket works up very quickly since it uses jumbo yarn and such a large crochet hook!

For the edging of my blanket, I joined my working yarn at any point and began single crocheting around.  

I worked three single crochets in each of the four corners.

Single crocheting around helps finish off the edges!

I then slip stitched to close my round and began working back post single crochets around to really help define the border and give it beautiful edging!

You work back post single crochets by inserting your crochet hook in front of the post of the stitch!

Doesn’t this border edging look beautiful?  It has an almost braided look to it too!

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Here is the free pattern for the “Chunky Braided Cabled Blanket”!  

***You can purchase an INEXPENSIVE AD-FREE PDF of this pattern on Etsy HERE and on Craftsy HERE!  This beautifully formatted PDF includes the cabling tutorial, step-by-step pictures and pattern, and is a total of 7 pages including the cover page! 

Materials:

• 15 mm Clover Amour hook
• Jumbo Yarn (I used Lion Brand Yarn’s “Color Clouds” in “Travelers Tan”, 20 balls.  Each skein of Color Clouds is 55 yd/50 m for reference.)  In total, I used 1100 yards of Color Clouds for my blanket.

Special stitches:

• Front Post Treble Crochet (Fptc): Yarn Over (YO) twice, insert hook behind post of stitch (insert hook from front to back). YO and pull up a loop, [YO and draw through 2 loops on hook] 3 times.
• Front Post Double Crochet (Fpdc): YO, insert hook behind post of stitch (insert hook from front to back of stitch), YO, pull up a loop, YO, (pull through 2 loops) twice.
• Back Post Single Crochet (Bpsc):  Insert hook in front of post of stitch (insert hook from back to front of stitch), YO and pull up loop, YO and draw through two loops on hook.

Notes: 

• All even rows are single crochet rows.  
  
• All Fptc’s and Fpdc’s are worked in indicated stitches 2 rows below.
  
• To increase the width of this blanket with more cable cycles, add multiples of 14 stitches.
  
• Try holding two strands of super bulky yarn (level 6) together as a substitute for the Jumbo level 7 yarn.
• To see videos of the Braided cables, see Elizabeth Ham’s very helpful 3-part YouTube tutorial HERE!
  

Row 1: Foundation single crochet 50. (50 sts)

Row 2 & all even rows: Ch 1, turn.  Starting in second st from hook, sc in each st across.  

R3: Ch 1, turn.  Sc 3, Fpdc in next 2 sts 2 rows below, sc 3. *Fpdc in next 6 sts 2 rows below, sc 3, Fpdc in next 2 sts 2 rows below, sc 3*, rep 3 times. 

R5: Ch 1, turn.  Sc 3, Fpdc in next 2 post sts, sc 3.  *Skip 2 post sts, Fptc in next 2 posts, working BEHIND post sts just made, Fptc in 2 skipped post sts.  Fpdc in next 2 post sts, Sc 3, Fpdc in next 2 post sts, sc 3*, rep 3 times.

R7: Ch 1, turn.  Sc 3, Fpdc in next 2 post sts, sc 3.  *Fpdc in next 2 post sts.  Skip 2 post sts, Fptc in next 2 post sts.  Working IN FRONT of post sts just made, Fptc in 2 skipped post sts.  Sc 3, Fpdc in next 2 post sts, Sc 3*, rep 3 times.

Repeat Rows 4-7 until Row 77.

Border: 

Row 1: With cabled side of blanket facing you, Sc around perimeter, making sure to do 3 sc in each corner.  Sl st to first sc.

Row 2: Chain 1, Back post single crochet around.  Sl st to Chain 1 and fasten off.

Finished Dimensions: 42″/107 cm x 53″/135 cm

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I love the luxurious look of my Chunky Braided Cabled Blanket!  Even though I finished this project in March, I thought I would wait to post about it in the fall/winter when everyone is picking up their crochet hooks again and getting ready for the dip in temperature.  T’is the season for cuddling up in warm blankets whilst sipping hot chocolate and apple cider!

Note that this blanket is more of a throw blanket with its sizing.   I underestimated how much yarn I would need to complete my blanket as I originally thought I would only need 10 skeins of Color Clouds.  However, as I started working up the pattern, I could quickly tell that I would need much more.  Keep in mind that each skein of Color Clouds is 55 yards/3.5 oz, compared to a skein of Wool-Ease Thick & Quick which is 106 yds/6 oz.  In the end, I needed 20 skeins to complete my project.  Out of all the crochet projects I’ve worked on, this definitely used up the most skeins of yarn.  You can try playing around with the sizing and possibly hold two strands of super bulky (level 6) yarn as a substitute for the jumbo (level 7) yarn.  Always keep an eye out for sales, and jumbo yarn can sometimes be found on clearance too, especially at the end of the season!

While we were out during a family walk enjoying the beautiful fall landscape, I brought my blanket along so we could snap some pictures!  I love snuggling the girls and I make sure I get enough cuddles with them each and every day! Just look at their adorable expressions!

Here I am wrapped in my blanket!  Wouldn’t the braided cables make a gorgeous sweater or wrap?  I think the girls ran off to play with leaves along the side and I was trying to peek at them and see what they were up to!

I am so glad I learned the technique of braided cables as they are simply stunning!  It was so much fun seeing the braided cables build up, and I am in love with my finished blanket.  If you are a knitter, be sure to check out Jessica of Mama in a Stitch’s “Endless Cables Chunky Knit Throw Pattern” as she also used Color Clouds in the same colourway!  We thought it was so funny when we were working with the exact same yarn…and using it for cabled blankets!  It’s neat seeing the different looks of crochet and knit cables, and I hope to learn the technique of knitting cables one day.  Keep up to date with my work through my Facebook page, Twitter (@AllAboutAmi) and Instagram (@AllAboutAmi)!  I know many of you are looking for a good blanket project to tackle, so I hope this inspires you to try a cabled one!

{This post is sponsored by Lion Brand Yarn!  I’ve loved working with their yarn throughout the years and I’m thrilled that I get to collaborate with them every month!}

This pattern is an original pattern by Stephanie Lau of All About Ami.  Please do not claim this pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but please do not reprint it on your site. You may keep a copy for your own personal use but please DO NOT sell the pattern or distribute it.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please clearly credit the design to me, Stephanie Lau of All About Ami, and provide a link to my blog www.AllAboutAmi.com.  Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind.  Thank you for being respectful and for your understanding!

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Recently I blogged about my amigurumi Jiji the black Cat that I crocheted HERE as a part of our family cosplay at the Edmonton Expo.  It’s been a tradition of ours to dress up as a family, and last year we went with a Totoro theme as pictured below!  The girls look so little!  I crocheted the red ball accessories adorning my ponytails, as well as the red strip around my hat.

As you can probably tell, we love Studio Ghibli!  Ryan and I actually went to visit the Ghibli Museum four years ago when we traveled to Japan, and it was amazing!  It was neat seeing the exhibitions, the beautiful artwork, and going to the rooftop garden.  Here are just a couple of photos from that trip four years ago…

I was actually pregnant with Myla too, so it was our babymoon!

We weren’t allowed to take pictures within the museum, but we could on the rooftop garden!  Fans of “Laputa: Castle in the Sky” will get excited to see this!

I picked up some little Totoro souvenirs back then!  Inside the museum, they even had a catbus for children to play in- we’ll definitely have to come back with the girls sometime in the future as they would LOVE it!

Another Ghibli movie that we love is “Kiki’s Delivery Service”!  If you read my previous Jiji blog post, there will be some repeat pictures, so bare with me! Kiki’s Delivery Service is a 1989 film about a young witch who moves to a new town and learns how to be independent and make a living!  Kiki goes on this adventure with her loyal cat, Jiji.  As you can see in the picture below, she wears a large red bow headband, a black/navy blue dress, a brown satchel bag, and red flats.

Kiki’s love interest is Tombo, a boy who wears a red and white striped shirt, black glasses, blue jeans, and brown shoes.

There are two adorable cats in the movie: a white cat named Lily and a black cat named Jiji!

I decided to crochet Kiki’s big bow headband, and I actually had experience crocheting headbands before with my Minnie Mouse Ears Headband as pictured below (free pattern HERE)!  This was actually from the same Japan trip when we went to Tokyo Disneyland!  This time, however, I would be making a much LARGER bow!

I used Lion Brand Yarn’s Vanna’s Choice in the colour “Scarlet” as it is the perfect bright red!

I started off with a series of foundation single crochets.  This was the height of my bow as each subsequent row would add to the width of the bow.  I used a 2.75 mm crochet hook to get nice and tight stitches which would allow my bow to be more stiff and hold its shape better!

After crocheting 48 rows, i was happy with the width.

Don’t those stitches look tight and even?

I then smoothed out the edges by single crocheting around the entire rectangle, doing three single crochets in each corner.

It was then time to pinch the rectangle together to form the bow!  I pinched it as shown below with the rectangle folded in the middle.

I threaded some yarn through a yarn needle and passed it upwards through the center…

And then passed it back down through the center.

I then tied a couple of knots very tightly.

I then crocheted a narrow strip as the middle knot that would later be folded around the bow!

I grabbed an extra headband I had in my house and began crocheting around it as shown HERE.  I would definitely recommend using a headband that has “teeth” towards the top (e.g. see HERE) so that it can better grip the yarn and stitches so they won’t slide around.  To really hold the stitches in place, we also added some hot glue on both edges so that there was no way that the stitches could slide off.

After that, we placed the bow ontop of the headband and wrapped the middle knot around both the bow and the headband.  I sewed it into place and Ryan also added some hot glue to help secure the bow and middle knot onto the headband!

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Here is the free pattern for my “Kiki’s Delivery Service Bow Headband”!

Materials:

• 2.75 mm Clover Amour Hook
• Red medium worsted weight yarn, level 4 (I used Lion Brand Yarn’s Vanna’s Choice in “Scarlet”.)
• Headband with teeth
• Glue gun

Rectangle:

Row 1: Foundation single crochet 30 (30 sts)

Row 2: Chain 1, turn.  Starting from second st from hook, Sc 30 (30sts).

Row 3-48: Repeat Row 2.

Do not cut yarn.  Single crochet around border of rectangle, doing 3 single crochets in each of the 4 corners.

Pinch rectangle as shown in picture above.  Thread yarn needle and pass it up through the middle and then back down towards the bottom.  Tie multiple knot and pull tightly.

MIddle Knot:

Row 1: Foundation single crochet 8 (8 sts)

Row 2: Chain 1, turn.  Starting from second st from hook, Sc 8 (8 sts).

Fasten off and leave long end for sewing.

Headband: Crochet around headband using tutorial found HERE.  Add hot glue to secure the ends onto the headband.

Place scrunched rectangle ontop of headband.  Wrap middle knot around rectangle and headband.  Sew ends of middle knot together.  Use hot glue to secure bow and middle knot onto headband.

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I was so excited to try on my Bow Headband and was delighted that it kept its shape very well!  At first we thought we would need to add some wiring, but the stitches were tight enough that the bow could stand up well by itself.

I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find a dress that looked like Kiki’s, but I was sooo happy when I found this navy blue dress at Forever 21!  It is very comfortable, and it was less than $20.  I found my comfortable red flats from Forever 21 as well, and they were only $15!  My brown purse is an old Coach satchel, and Ryan found this wooden broom at a Halloween store.  We bought the girls’ cat shirts from Old Navy, their tutus from Walmart, and their cat ears from H&M and Claire’s.  We tried looking for a red and white striped shirt for Ryan at the mall, but it’s surprisingly hard to find (hehe I guess they’re not in style right now), so we had to buy a Waldo costume to get the Tombo look!

The girls thought it was so fun that we were dressing up as characters from Kiki’s Delivery Service!  We wanted to make sure they were comfortable so they could walk and sit with ease, and they loved wearing their tutus!

It was fun putting together this costume with items from the mall and at home, and I’m so proud of my crocheted bow headband!  I love the shape and how it turned out, and I hope you found my pattern helpful in case you want to dress up as Kiki and make one for yourself too!  I think it would make a cute headband when visiting the Disney parks too!

Don’t forget that you can check out my full blog post about my amigurumi Jiji HERE!  If you’re a Kiki’s Delivery Service fan, you must crochet him!  The pattern is very simple and the results are adorable!

I hope you enjoyed reading about our family cosplay!  It’s so fun dreaming up what we want to dress up as and figuring out our costumes.  Let us know if you’ll be doing any family or group costumes this year for Halloween too!  

We love dressing up as a family and cosplaying at events!  Last year, we went with a Totoro theme as you can see HERE!  It’s neat because as the girls are getting older, they understand more, so they are excited to dress up with us!  This year, we decided to go with another Studio Ghibli film that we love: Kiki’s Delivery Service!  It’s such a lovely movie that is a favourite of many, and the music is so beautiful.  Here are some pictures of the characters in case you’ve never seen the movie before!  Kiki is the main character as she goes off on a special journey with her loyal black cat named Jiji!

Kiki’s love interest is a boy named Tombo who wears thick black glasses and a red and white striped shirt!

The two adorable cats in the movie are named Jiji and Lily!

I knew I wanted to implement some crochet elements into our costume, so I decided to crochet Kiki’s giant bow headband (which I’ll share more about in a separate blog post), and my own Jiji!  I searched online to look for a Jiji pattern to see what was already out there, and  I decided to go with Anne Gee White of “A Gamer’s Wife’s” free Jiji pattern which can be found HERE on Ravelry!  Lion Brand Yarn’s Vanna’s Choice has a great colour selection, and I used their “Black” and “Scarlet” colours for my Jiji!

This pattern is interesting because it is worked from the top down as a whole piece.  That is, the head, neck and body are one continuous piece!  Here I am crocheting the top of Jiji’s head!  For reference, I used a 3.25 mm hook to get tight stitches.

The head is complete, and now it is time to crochet the neck and body!

I followed the pattern exactly in terms of stitch counts and did not change anything!

Here is the relative size of the body and head as you can see when I’m holding it!

We decided to make his tail poseable so that it could curve upwards!  Thus, we used wire and bent it into a circle with a long extention.  We inserted this circle into the bottom of Jiji before closing him up.  The wire that extends outwards is where we will add the tail (see my Monkey pattern HERE for more pictures and tips on adding wiring to amigurumi).  Keep in mind that wiring should be avoided if the amigurumi is for a baby or small child!

Then I crocheted the ears, front legs, and tail!

Ryan and I finished Jiji late one evening, and I did not take too many progress photos towards the end.  After attaching the ears, front legs and adding the tail to the wiring, it was now time for the felt details!  We used black and white felt for the eyes, white felt for the lining of the ears, and pink felt for the nose.

We decided to crochet an adorable red bow for our amigurumi Jiji as a nice finishing touch too!  I’ve written out the pattern I made up for the bow below!

**********************

Jiji Red Bow Collar Pattern

Using 2.75 mm hook and Vanna’s Choice yarn in “Scarlet”,

Rectangle:

Chain 10

Row 1: Starting from 2nd chain from hook, Sc 9 (9 sts).

Row 2: Chain 1, turn.  Starting from 2nd chain from hook, Sc 9 (9 sts).

Row 3: Repeat Row 2.  Fasten off.

Middle Knot:

Chain 8

Row 1: Starting from 2nd chain from hook, Sc 7 (7 sts)

Fasten off and leave long end for sewing.  Sew around middle of rectangle.

Collar

Chain 25.  Sew one side onto back of middle knot of bow.  Wrap around Jiji’s neck and sew other side onto back of middle knot of bow.  Alternatively, use hot glue to attach collar onto bow.

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I am delighted with how my amigurumi Jiji turned out!  The felt details make him look so adorable with his huge eyes and dainty little nose.  Ryan did all the precise felt cutting, and he always does an amazing job!

The little red bow collar is such a cute touch and a bright pop of colour!  It also makes him match with the giant bow that I was wearing too!

Adding wiring to the tail makes it very fun since you can bend and pose it in so many different ways!

Here are some pictures of us wearing our Kiki’s Delivery Service costumes before heading out to the Edmonton Expo!  Ryan is Tombo, I’m Kiki, Myla is Jiji, and Brie is Lily.  Myla is holding a plush Jiji that my parents bought for her from Japan (an official Ghibli souvenir), and my crocheted Jiji is on the floor haha…because Brie dropped him!

Here we are about to head into the Expo!  

It’s so much fun dressing up, and I’m glad I could add some crochet to my costume!  As you would imagine, Ryan got mistaken as Waldo a lot and people frequently exclaimed, “I found Waldo!” as they passed by Ryan haha.  Only astute Ghibli fans knew who we were dressed up as and they loved how the girls were involved too!  I’ll be blogging about the giant bow headband I made as I’d love to share the pattern with you in case you’d like to make one too!

If you’re a fan of Kiki’s Delivery Service, Jiji is a great amigurumi to work up quickly as it is a very straight-forward pattern.  If you don’t know who Jiji is, this black cat would also make an adorable Halloween decoration for your home!  You can also use different coloured yarn if you’re just looking for an amigurumi cat pattern too.  Once again, you can find the free pattern HERE!  Stay tuned for the bow headband pattern that I’ll be sharing soon, and I’ll also list where I got all the items for my Kiki costume!

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I am so thankful to have joined a local crochet and knitting group several months ago, and I always look forward to our get-togethers!  Everyone brings their projects as we chat, sip, and busily work away on our crochet hooks and knitting needles.  Many of the women who are part of this amazing group run their own shops and businesses, and one such talented woman who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know is Allison Barnes!  She is an indie dyer who spins her own yarn, sometimes with the help of her adorable son.  It was very memorable meeting Allison for the first time as she brought her wheel to the coffee shop, and I got to see her spin her gorgeous thick and thin wool in person.  From that moment on, I knew I wanted to try working with her gorgeous fiber as it was unlike any I had seen or felt before! 

I asked Allison if she could dye a custom colourway for me in one of my favourite combinations: blush pink, grey, and white (as evident throughout my blog)!  She excitedly accepted and we were thrilled to collaborate together!  A couple weeks later, my jaw dropped when I saw the absolutely perfect and gorgeous colourway Allison had created.  It is such a special feeling knowing that this wool was custom spun and dyed just for me!  This hank of wool in and of itself is such a beautiful piece of art.  Every once in a while I would take it out and marvel at its beauty before I actually began working with it!

On the label it states that this wool is a super bulky 100% merino wool, with about 82 yards/4 oz.

I unwound the hank and turned it into a ball so that it would be easier to work with!  Isn’t this a beautiful mess?

The thickness variation of this wool is AMAZING.  Look at the difference between the fluffy super bulky sections versus the very thin section.

Here is my wool all wound up in a ball!

I knew I wanted to knit a cowl with this wool since it is extremely soft and warm.  Knitting requires less yardage, so I knew I would be able to make a larger cowl than if I were to crochet with it.  I wasn’t quite sure what needle size to go with since there is such a large variation in thickness.  I ended up starting with my 12.75 mm Clover Takumi needles and casting on 60.

I decided to use the basic stockinette stitch for this cowl as I love the classic look of it, and a simple pattern really shows off the gorgeous texture.  For other projects, you use more complex stitches and patterns to build texture (e.g. puff stitches, granite stitch, etc).  However, in this case the wool itself has texture, so a simple stitch is best to show off that texture (e.g. stockinette for knitting or double crochets for crocheting).  You can see the difference in sizes of the V’s below!

I am in love with these colours, as you can tell by my matching leggings!  It’s such a romantic and pretty colourway!

After I used up all my wool, I tried on my cowl.  It was too big for my liking (I wanted it to hug my neck more), and the stitches were looking too compressed and dense.  Thus, much to my chagrin, I decided to frog my work and start over.

I decided to use my 15.0 mm Clover Takumi knitting needles and casted on 40 stitches.  I was much happier with my result as the stitches were more relaxed and the cowl was tighter against my neck!  I was able to knit 29 rounds with enough wool to cast off.

Instead of weaving in my ends, I used my trusty Clover felting needle to felt the end to the rest of the cowl.  Felting wool is such a handy trick to know!

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Here is the free pattern for my Knitted Thick and Thin Cowl!

Materials:

• 4 oz Thick and Thin Merino Wool - mine is from Allison Barnes Collection (See Etsy listing for my custom colourway “Blush Bloom” HERE!)
• Clover Takumi Bamboo 15 mm circular 24 inch knitting needles (US size 19) 
• Optional: Felting needle, felting board/foam

Cast on 40 stitches.  Join

Round 1-29: Knit 40.

Cast off stitches.

Felt end to body of cowl using felting needle and foam board.  

Finished dimensions: 11″/28 cm in height, 13″/30 cm wide

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I adore my gorgeous Thick and Thin Cowl so much!  Since it is 100% merino wool, it is incredibly soft and warm and feels so luxurious against the skin.  

This will be my go-to cowl this winter as it perfectly exemplifies my style!  It’s elegant, classic, and my absolute favorite colours!  It’s amazing how simply adding a cowl immediately warms you up and makes such a bold fashion statement!

Allison was kind enough to let me name my custom colourway, and we decided to name it “Blush Bloom”!  I wanted to highlight the pretty blush pink in this colourway, and the wool can become so many different items…much like how a beautiful flower blooms!

Allison has created a custom listing for “Blush Bloom” HERE in her Etsy shop in case you want to get this exact colourway that I requested in our collaboration!  If you have a certain colour scheme in mind, do not hesitate to contact her!  You can check out the rest of her hand dyed and spun yarns HERE in her Etsy shop and keep up to date with her work on Facebook and Instagram too.  I am so pleased with how my cowl turned out and am incredibly honoured that we could collaborate together!  I must say that my gorgeous custom thick and thin yarn is the prettiest wool I’ve ever worked with, and I had so much fun!

Note: Thank you to Allison Barnes for providing me with the wool for this project!.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own!

We had the pleasure of visiting family in Nova Scotia last August, and we had such a fun trip!  The girls had wonderful cousin time, we filled our bellies with delicious seafood and fresh fruit that we picked ourselves, and we enjoyed the picturesque scenery.  One of the highlights of the trip for me was visiting a local farm wool shop called “Gaspereau Valley Fibres”!  My sister-in-law had told me about this shop before, and she was very excited to bring us for a visit!

My jaw dropped as soon as I entered the store as it had a warm, rustic, and welcoming atmosphere, and the walls had shelves upon shelves of beautiful wool!  I immediately gravitated towards the wool and started feeling it!

Ryan and the girls walked around too and Ryan took some gorgeous shots as I was feeling all the wool!  Their displays are lovely as they showcase both the beautiful yarn and also finished products made using their yarn, such as these pretty shawls!

According to their website, “Gaspereau Valley Fibres is a full service yarn store and offers classes in knitting, spinning, weaving, felting, weekly knitters’ group and many special events.”  They also “supply yarn, natural fibres and equipment to knitters, spinners, weavers, felters and dyers.”  Their “extensive yarn and fibre collection includes many Canadian, organic and local natural and handpainted yarns” and even fibre from their own flock of Cotswold sheep! 

What a lovely place to take classes and get supplies!  This spinning wheel is beautiful!

The sales associate was very friendly and commented on how she adored working in this shop.  Who wouldn’t be happy surrounded by all this incredible wool in this serene environment?  And yes, that is a bathtub full of wool roving!

Sweet Myla was walking around as something caught her attention…

It was this adorable fairy knitting a sheep!  What a whimsical display!

I love being able to share my love of yarn and fibers with the girls at such a young age!  They were examining some mittens and feeling how warm they were in the photo below.  Isn’t the light magical?

These were some of the yarns that caught my eye!  These soft greys and pinks were so pretty!

I had never seen such a mix of fibers before: 70% silk and 30% baby camel!!!

I loved all the colours in this particular section…pretty much my blog colours right there!

I ended up buying some lovely colourways in their “Mineville Single Ply 100% Merino” which I’ll show you below!

I had such a blast visiting this local yarn store and bringing some woolly goodness home with me as a souvenir!

If you have travel plans for Nova Scotia, see if you can swing by Gaspereau Valley Fibres as it is a beautiful farm wool shop!  It’s so neat being able to see what is local and unique to a particular area!

These are the yarns I ended up purchasing!  Most of them are the Mineville Wool Project and the second from the top is Tree Wool (70% superfine merino, 30% Tencel) by “Fleece Artist” that is hand dyed by fine artists in Nova Scotia.  I’m not quite sure what to make with them yet, so please let me know if you have any ideas below (feel free to link to projects, especially for that tree wool)!

Exploring the locally dyed and spun yarns is such a neat part of traveling!  What are some of your favourite local yarn shops?  Please let us know in the comments below as we adore traveling, and we’ll try and put them on our to-visit lists!  I’m sure others would like to know as well!  Our crochet and knit community is worldwide, and it’s amazing being able to share our insights, loves, and favourites with each other!

I’ve adored being able to crochet my own clothing items in recent years as my crochet skills have developed.  Two years ago, I modified a pattern I found online to make my “Easy Chunky Crochet Sweater”.  Last year, I designed my very first sweater called “The Granite Cape” which is a great transitional piece for the fall and winter.  This year I knew I wanted to try my hand at designing another sweater, this time with long sleeves!  People love cozying up with long-sleeved sweaters as the temperatures plummet! 

At the beginning of the year, I started an exciting collaboration with Lion Brand Yarn, and I am so honoured that I get to do monthly projects with them!  Sometimes they send me new yarns to try, and one such yarn was their “Shawl in Ball”!  I was very intrigued by this yarn as it was not available in stores at the time, and they said that you could create a shawl with just one ball of yarn, hence the name!

The construction of this yarn is unlike any I’ve worked with before.  As described on the website, “the self-striping brushed acrylic, run with a 100% cotton slub, has the look and feel of silk mohair”.  Thus, the acrylic has cotton wrapped around it, and it has a definite “halo” around the yarn because of its fuzziness.  This is a good choice of yarn for people who are allergic to wool since it has a beautiful texture but no actual wool in it. It is also classified as a level 4 (medium) yarn but, as I’ll show you below, I think it’s closer to a lightweight/DK level 3 yarn.

There are 8 colourways currently available, and since I love my neutrals, I went with the “Feng Shui Grey”!  I knew it would work up beautifully with the blacks, whites, and greys.  You can see the different colourways available HERE.    

Below you’ll see a side-by-side comparison of Shawl in a Ball to other level 4 (medium) yarns.  Number 1 is Shawl in a Ball, Number 2 is Heartland (which I used for my Granite Cape), and Number 3 is Vanna’s Choice.  As you can see, Shawl in a Ball looks much thinner than the other two!

Here is a close-up of a strand of Shawl in a Ball.  You can see some of the fuzziness which can make it a bit difficult to see your stitches when knitting or crocheting with this yarn.  I kept this in mind when designing my sweater and used stitches that would be easy to locate.  It is also important to note that the thickness of this yarn is variable: some areas are quite thin while others are much thicker where it becomes very fuzzy.  I think this adds a lot of character and visual interest to the piece, so don’t be alarmed if you come across a very thick and fuzzy section of yarn- just keep crocheting along!

Shawl in a Ball reminded me a little bit of Homespun yarn (see my Cozy Crochet Mittens made with this yarn HERE) as they both have a boucle texture with their looped/curled ply.  As you can see below, Homespun is much thicker (bulky level 5) compared to Shawl in a Ball though. 

Last week I was delighted to see Shawl in a Ball at my local Michaels!  They had all the colours available, making this yarn much more accessible for everyone.  You can also find it on Amazon HERE.  I personally don’t know of any yarn alternatives to Shawl in a Ball with its thinness and unique composition.  If you have any suggestions, leave a comment below as you now know its relative thickness compared to other yarns and what it looks like close-up!  If you would like more information about this yarn, you can also see a great video review of Shawl in a Ball by Brittany of BHooked HERE!  There are many beautiful shawl patterns out there for this yarn, but I thought it would be neat to design a sweater with it as I knew it would be gorgeous!  

Now we will begin the tutorial showing you the basic stitches you’ll need to know in order to crochet this sweater.  I decided to use white worsted yarn (Vanna’s Choice) for this part so you can see the stitches more easily!  After doing a row of foundation half double crochets (see how to do this HERE), you chain 2 and turn.  In this pattern, the Chain 2 counts as a stitch.  You then need to locate the 4th stitch from your hook as you will be working around the post of that stitch.

We will be working a row of Front post half double crochets.  This means that you will be inserting your hook behind the post of the stitch (insert hook from front to back of stitch) and working a half double crochet.   

You keep working front post half double crochets until you reach the last stitch, the Chain 2 from the beginning of the previous row.  Here you will work a normal half double crochet (not a front post half double crochet).

As your piece builds, you’ll see the middle section of front or back post half double crochets and two defined edges on each side (where the arrows are located) consisting of normal half double crochets and chain 2′s.

After completing your row of front post half double crochets, you Chain 2 and turn your work.  You’ll see a ridge of stitches protruding outwards as they are the front and back loops from the previous row (created when we worked around the posts).  Once again, you locate the 4th stitch from the hook as you will be working around the post of that stitch.

Now we need to work our Back post half double crochets.  Thus, you insert your hook in front of the post of the stitch (insert hook from back to front of stitch) and complete your half double crochet.  You can check out Sarah of Repeat Crafter Me’s video on how to do front and back post half double crochets HERE if you want some extra help!

Here you can see this from a better angle at the top.  Working around the posts of the stitches makes it much easier when working with fuzzier yarn when it’s hard to locate the front and back loops of the stitches.  It also creates a beautiful texture and almost knitted look!

Once you’ve worked your row of back post half double crochets, remember to do a normal half double crochet in that last stitch (the chain 2 of the previous row).

You keep alternating rows of front post half double crochets and back post double crochets for this pattern!  Pretty simple, right?

The only other concept we need to go through is working a Front post half double crochet Increase (Fphdc Inc).  We will be working many increases when we shape the sleeves of the sweater.  In the picture below, we will be working a Fphdc Inc in the next stitch.

First you complete a Fphdc as normal around the post of the stitch.

Next, you work a second Fphdc around the post of the same stitch.  There will be two Fphdc’s protruding from the post of the stitch below!  In the sleeve pattern, these increases are always worked along the edges only.  Remember where you work these increases as you crochet along the following row as they sometimes might be hard to see with Shawl in a Ball yarn.  When working Back post half double crochet Increases (Bphdc Inc), you do the same thing by working two Bphdc’s around the same post!

Now that we know how to do the stitches, we will begin crocheting our sweater with Shawl in a Ball!  Here I started doing my row of foundation half double crochets with a 4.5 mm hook.  

I started off with 102 foundation half double crochets, measuring 24″/61 cm long.

Then I chained 2 and worked the first front post half double crochet around the post of the 4th stitch from the hook.  Then I completed Row 2 consisting of front post half double crochets (and don’t forget that last half double crochet in the last stitch).

I kept alternating rows of front and back post half double crochets and my piece was building up gorgeously.  I LOVE how the colour changes so seamlessly, and it was very fun to work with this yarn because of the gorgeous self-striping.  This side shows the back post half double crochets.  You’ll notice that the sides tend to curl a lot, but we will be seaming the sides later on and you won’t notice it at all.  This is technically the “wrong side” of the sweater, but I love this look and texture too- I’ll have to keep it in mind for a future design!

This side shows the front post half double crochets!

The raised stitches create such a gorgeous effect!

This was how much I completed after using up 1 skein of Shawl in a Ball!

When it was time to join a new skein, I tried my best to match the colour with the skein that I had just used up.  For example, since I had left off with a white/light grey section, I tried to find a new skein that began with a white/light grey section to help continue the seamless colour change!

After completing 95 rows, my body rectangle was complete!  This body rectangle measured 24″/61 cm across and 30.5″/77 cm in height.

Here’s another look at these gorgeous colour changes and beautiful texture…

I then began working my first panel by alternating rows of 40 Fphdc’s and Bphdc’s.  I continued this pattern until I completed 95 rows (to match with the body rectangle).

Then I rejoined my working yarn on the far right side and began working the second panel the same way.

Both panels are complete!  My middle gap had 22 stitches (102 - 40 - 40).  

Now it was time to construct the sleeves!  I did a row of 31 foundation half double crochets.  The sleeves are constructed from the bottom up, so I measured it around my wrist and hand to see how big I wanted it to be.  To create a beautiful ribbed effect, I alternated Fphdc’s and Bphdc’s for Row 2.  I then alternated Bphdc’s and Fphdc’s for Row 3, causing every other stitch to either be raised forward or pushed back.

After 15 rows, my ribbing was complete!

I learned how to shape sweater sleeves by knitting my Bahia Sweater!  I love learning new skills and techniques and adding them to my repertoire so I can use them for future projects.  I systematically worked my increases after completing every 6 rows.  When doing the increases, I worked two increases on each side so that each increase row was adding four stitches (see written pattern below for further details).  This pattern makes it easy to adapt if you’re making larger or smaller sleeves since the increases are only worked towards the sides.

Towards the end I increased more rapidly to get a sort of “batwing” effect for the sleeves as I knew it would drape beautifully.

When I determined the length of my sleeve, I had to keep in mind that part of the front panels and body rectangle would fold downwards past my shoulders to become part of the sleeves (you will see more pictures further on).  Thus, the sleeve did not have to measure the whole length of my arm (just approximately before the deltoid muscle).  I was so excited to see how the sleeve would look attached to the body rectangle and panels!

First I flipped the sleeve inside-out.

Next, I began whip stitching the edges shut.

The seaming is complete!

This is what the right side facing outwards looks like!

It was time to assemble my sweater!

I then flipped the body rectangle and front panels inside out and used safety pins to help close the edges, leaving the arm hole open.

I whip stitched the edges together, removing the safety pins as I went along.  For reference, I sewed 19.5″/50 cm of the side and had an arm hole of about 10″/25 cm long.

I measured the opening of the sleeve to the arm hole to make sure I left the appropriate size.  I also made sure the slanted edge of the sleeve was facing downwards when I attached it to the arm hole!

Making sure the sleeve was also inside-out, I then whip stitched the sleeve to the arm hole!

One sleeve is attached!  You’ll notice that the body rectangle and front panels curve downwards past the shoulders in this sweater design.  This helps create beautiful drape and a very soft look. 

I repeated the same process on the other side so that both sleeves were attached!  

The bottom and collar were looking a little rough, so I needed to add some edging!

I flipped my sweater upside down and opened it up so that the wrong side was facing me.  I joined my yarn at the top right corner of one of the front panels as indicated below and began working in joined rounds across the bottom of the sweater and around the collar.

I moved down a whole hook size and used my 3.5 mm hook to get tighter and denser stitches.  I began working half double crochets along the bottom.

After working half double crochets along the whole bottom, it was time to work around the collar.

I decided to work my half double crochets around the post stitches of the collar sides as it seemed like a sturdier base compared to the lower chain 2/hdc edge.

This is where I inserted my hook when working my hdc’s.

The transition seemed more seamless as I worked these stitches along the posts.

You can compare this to the picture below when I first worked the hdc’s along the Chain 2/hdc edge.  It seemed to be a more flimsy attachment and there was a more noticeable decrease in height/depth.  In the end it did not matter too much though since I made the collar very large, so it actually splayed open and this edge was not visible.  It is up to you where you want to attach your hdc’s around the collar!

If you work your hdc’s around the posts of the stitch, this raised edge of stitches will be created on the inside of the sweater.  Once again, it’s not a big deal, but I ended up sewing this edge down as you’ll see later on.

After working hdc’s around one side of the collar, I went across the top of the collar.

I worked my hdc’s as normal.

Remember that for this part, you will be working in joined rounds, across the bottom of the sweater and around the collar.  For the edging, I alternated Fphdc’s and Bphdc’s to create a neat seed stitch/crosshatched effect.  I wanted to use the same stitches but in a different way to create a unique look for the edging.

After completing five rounds, I was happy with the width of the bottom edging which measured about 1.25″/3 cm.

Thus, I stopped at the end of Round 5 and instead of continuing on in a round, I turned my work and began working the other way in turned rows.  

The beginning of the row is indicated by the circle below and the arrows show you which direction you will be working!

I then kept building upon the collar, working in turned rows and alternating Fphdc’s and Bphdc’s.  The two circles below show you the beginning and end of each turned row as you keep going back and forth.

It was fun building up the width of this collar!

Here is a close-up of the gorgeous texture created by these stitches!  It is a very simple pattern to work through since if your next stitch is a raised stitch, work a Bphdc around it.  If your next stitch is pushed back, work a Fphdc around it.  This creates that staggered effect!

I ended up going until Row 27 and ended up using most of my 6th skein of Shawl in a Ball!  My collar edging was 7″/18 cm wide.  The wide collar actually helps to push the front panels down towards the sleeves when you wear it.

I love how the collar can be folded so that it drapes and hangs outwards.  The right and wrong side of the collar look exactly the same, so it looks gorgeous no matter which side is showing!

Once again, here is that raised inner edge that was created when I crocheted the hdc’s to the posts of the collar.  It was bugging me, so I sewed this edge flat.

I did this by simply sewing the raised edge to the front and back loops found on the inside of the sweater.

Here is a close-up showing where I attached this raised edge.

Doesn’t that look much better?

As a finishing touch, I sewed two ultraleather garment tags to my sweater (I got mine from BrickBubble)!  I sewed the first square tag to the inner top part of my sweater- it’s so neat having my own label and “brand”!

I sewed the second foldover tag to the bottom edging of my sweater so that it would be visible when I wore it!  My sweater was now complete!

***************************************

Here is the free pattern for our second original sweater, “The Cascade Cardigan”!  

***You can purchase an INEXPENSIVE AD-FREE PDF of this pattern on Etsy HERE and on Craftsy HERE!  This beautifully formatted PDF includes the stitch tutorial, step-by-step pictures and pattern, and is a total of 11 pages including the cover page!

Note:

• The Chain 2 at the beginning of each row counts as a stitch.
  
• Do not worry if your pieces seem to be curling as it will be not be noticeable once you seam the pieces together.
• Whenever it says to seam two pieces together, always flip them inside out and whip stitch them together to get a cleaner look.
• When joining a new skein of yarn, try to match the colours.  For example, if you ended off with a white/light grey section, try to find a new skein that begins with a white/light grey section to help continue the seamless colour change! 
  
• For sizing suggestions, see end of pattern.

Special stitches & Abbreviations:

• Front post half double crochet (Fphdc): YO, insert hook behind post of stitch (insert hook from front to back of stitch), YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 3 loops. 
  
• Back post half double crochets (Bphdc): YO, insert hook in front of post of stitch (insert hook from back to front of stitch), YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 3 loops.
  
• Front post half double crochet increase (Fphdc Inc): Work two Fphdc’s around post of next stitch.
  
• Back post half double crochet increase (Bphdc Inc): Work two Bphdc’s around post of next stitch.
  
• Stitch = st
  
• Stitches = sts
  
• Half double crochet = hdc

Materials:

• 4.5 mm Clover Amour hook and 3.5 mm hook (for the edging and ribbing)
  
• DK or Light Worsted yarn, level 3 (I used Lion Brand Yarn’s Shawl in a Ball in “Feng Shui Grey”, 6 skeins- total yardage: 3108 yards).  Note that this yarn is classified as a level 4 yarn on the label, but appears to be level 3.
• Yarn needle
• Garment tags (optional)

Gauge:  10 stitches and 7 rows in alternating front post and back post half double crochets = 2.5 inches (6.35 cm)

BODY RECTANGLE:

Using 4.5 mm hook,

Row 1: Foundation half double crochet 102. (102 sts)

R2: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (102 sts)

R3: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (102 sts)

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until Row 95.

After Row 95, split off into 2 front panels.

Body panel dimensions: 24″/61 cm wide, 30.5″/77 cm long.

PANEL 1:

R1: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (40 sts)

R2: Ch 2, turn. Starting from 4th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (40 sts)

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until Row 95.  Fasten off.

PANEL 2:

Flip piece, join working yarn on far right side.  

R1: Ch 2 in Chain 2 from previous row. Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (40 sts)

R2: Ch 2, turn. Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (40 sts)

R3: Ch 2, turn. Starting from 4^th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (40 sts)

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until Row 95.

SLEEVES (make 2)

Using 4.5 mm hook, 

First we will crochet the ribbing of the sleeve, working from the bottom up:

R1: Foundation half double crochet 31. (31 sts)

R2: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Fphdc, Bphdc* till end.  Hdc in last st. (31 sts) [Note your 2nd last stitch will be a Fphdc and your last stitch will be a Hdc]

R3: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Bphdc, Fphdc* till end.  Hdc in last st. (31 sts)

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until Row 15.  

[Note that whether you do a Fpdc or a Bphdc may vary depending on your numbers if you adapt the pattern.  If your next stitch is a raised stitch, work a Fphdc.  If your next stitch is a pushed-back stitch, do a Bphdc to continue the ribbing.  For example, if you do an even number of foundation hdc’s in R1, you will be doing *Fphdc, Bphdc* for Row 3!]

The ribbing is complete. We will now begin the increases to shape the sleeves. 

R16: Ch 2, *Fpdc 3, Inc*, repeat 7 times.  Fphdc 1.  Hdc in last st. (38 sts)

R17: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (38 sts)

R18: Chain 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Fphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Fphdc 32.  *Fphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (42 sts)

R19: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (42 sts)

R20: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Fphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Fphdc 36.  *Fphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (46 sts)

R21: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (46 sts)

R22:  Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (46 sts)

R23: Repeat R21.

R24: Repeat R22.

R25: Repeat R21.

R26: Repeat R22.

R27: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Bphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Bphdc 40.  *Bphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (50 sts)

R28: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (50 sts)

R29: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (50 sts)

R30: Repeat R28.

R31: Repeat R29.

R32: Repeat R28.

R33: Repeat R29.

R34: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Fphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Fphdc 44.  *Fphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (54 sts)

R35: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (54 sts)

R36: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (54 sts)

R37: Repeat R35.

R38: Repeat R36.

R39: Repeat R35.

R40: Repeat R36.

R41: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Bphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Bphdc 48.  *Bphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (58 sts)

R42: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (58 sts)

R43: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (58 sts)

R44: Repeat R42.

R45: Repeat R43.

R46: Repeat R42.

R47: Repeat R43.

R48: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Fphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Fphdc 52.  *Fphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (62 sts)

R49: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Bphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (62 sts)

R50: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (62 sts)

R51: Repeat R49.

R52: Repeat R50.

R53: Repeat R49.

R54: Repeat R50.

R55: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Bphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Bphdc 56.  *Bphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (66 sts)

R56: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (66 sts)

R57: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Bphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Bphdc 60.  *Bphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (70 sts)

R58: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (70 sts)

R59: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Bphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Bphdc 64.  *Bphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (74 sts)

R60: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (74 sts)

R61: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Bphdc Inc*, repeat 2 times.  Bphdc 68.  *Bphdc Inc*, rep 2 times.  Hdc in last st. (78 sts)

R62: Ch 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, Fphdc across.  Hdc in last st. (78 sts)

Fasten off and leave long end for sewing.

Sleeve dimensions: 

• Sleeve hole circumference at wrist (ribbed band): 8.5″/22 cm
  

• Sleeve hole circumference at widest part (where attaches to panels): 10″/25 cm
  

• Sleeve length: 19.5″/49.5 cm 
  

Assembly:

Flip sleeve inside out and sew sides together.

Flip body and panels of cardigan inside out and sew sides together (approximately 19.5″/50 cm), leaving arm hole.

With slanted edge of sleeve facing downwards, sew sleeve to arm hole (all inside out).

COLLAR & BOTTOM EDGING

With 3.5 mm hook,

Position piece upside-down with inside (wrong side) facing you.  Join working yarn to right corner of panel.  We will begin working in joined rounds.  The front and back post half double crochets should be staggered every round to create a crosshatched, criss-cross pattern (not ribbing like the sleeve).

Round 1: Chain 2.  Hdc around bottom and collar of piece.  Sl st to first chain 2.

[Note: When I crocheted Round 1, I worked my half double crochets along the post stitches of the collar sides (rather than the Chain 2 edges) so that they had a sturdier base.  After I completed my sweater, I was left with an inner raised edge, so I sewed this raised edge down.]

Round 2: Chain 2.  *Fphdc, Bphdc* around.  Sl st to first chain 2.

Round 3: Chain 2, *Bphdc, Fphdc* around.  Sl st to first chain 2.

Round 4: Rep Round 2.

Round 5: Rep Round 3.

We will now begin working in turned rows and working ONLY around the collar (no longer on the bottom of the sweater).  Note that whether you work a Fphdc or a Bphdc will vary depending on your numbers.  Whenever you see a raised stitch, work a Bphdc, and whenever you see a pushed-back stitch, work a Fphdc since we are staggering them!

Row 6: Chain 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Fphdc, Bphdc* across.  Hdc in last st.

Row 7: Chain 2, turn.  Starting from 4^th st from hook, *Bphdc, Fphdc* across.  Hdc in last st.

Repeat Rows 6 and 7 to desired length.  More rows will create more drape in the front.  I went until Row 27.

Fasten off and weave in end.  If needed, sew down inner raised edge created by Round 1 of collar edging.

My bottom edging measured 1.25″ wide and my collar edging measured 7″ wide.

Optional: Sew square garment tag on inner top of sweater and fold-over garment tag on bottom edging.

Final measurements:

Height of Sweater: 30.5″/77 cm

Width of Sweater: 24.5″/62 cm across body

Guidelines for Size Adaptations:

• I sized this cardigan for myself!  For reference, I am 5′6.  This cardigan is meant to be loose and oversized with beautiful drape so that it is not too tight.  With that being said, you can modify the general pattern to make a larger or smaller cardigan to fit your needs.  If you have a cardigan in your wardrobe that you love, you can try and size this cardigan to match it!
  
• To make your cardigan wider, increase your initial foundation chain of half double crochets (more than 102).  Measure your width a little bit past shoulder to shoulder.  The width of the collar will naturally push down the front panels and body rectangle to become part of the sleeve.
• To make your cape longer, increase the number of rows in the body rectangle (more than 95) and panels (more than 95).  Make sure that the total number of rows of the body rectangle matches the total number of rows of the front panels.
• To increase the size of the sleeves, increase your initial foundation chain of half double crochets (more than 31).
• For Row 16 of the sleeves, do a general increase (I increased by 7- you could also increase by the same number or more).
• From then on, all increases are worked along the edges of the sleeve: two on one side and two on the other.  Follow the same pattern- the only difference will be the Fphdc and Bphdc numbers in the middle (e.g. the Fphdc 32 of R18- if increasing, you will have a higher number).
• Each increase row adds 4 stitches.
• Between Rows 20-54, increase after every 6 rows.
• Row 55-62 increases more steeply as the increase rounds are every other row.  If you want to make your sleeves longer, you can continue on with this pattern.
• When determining the length of your sleeve, keep in mind that part of the body rectangle and front panels will curve downwards past your shoulders to become the sleeves.  Thus, the length of the sleeve does not need to be your full arm length (measure from wrist to just before deltoid muscle).
• Edging of bottom and collar is worked the same.
• Keep measuring and trying on piece as you work along.

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I periodically tried on my sweater throughout the process (e.g. when I was done the first sleeve, working the edging etc) and was incredibly excited to try it on at the very end with the thick and luxurious collar!  I am overjoyed with how it turned out!

It has such incredible drape and a flowy, romantic feel to it.  It hangs off the body gorgeously and is so flattering!  

I am in love with the beautiful blend of colours as it has an ombre effect!  I am usually not a huge fan of variegated yarn, but this colourway is so elegant and contemporary.  You can’t go wrong with black, grey, and white!  The fuzziness and halo around the yarn helps to blur the stitches, giving it such a soft and seamless look.

Sometimes it can be hard naming pieces, and I’m so glad that I could ask YOU my readers to help give suggestions!  A couple of you included the word “cascade” which I love since it is a small waterfall.  I wanted to highlight the gorgeous drape of the piece, and the word “cascade” evokes a sense of peace and elegance for me.  Thus, I decided to name my sweater “The Cascade Cardigan”- I also love the alliteration!

The ultraleather garment tag adds such a beautiful finishing touch to this handmade piece!

This is my new favourite sweater and the crochet design that I’m most proud of aside from my amigurumi.  It is the perfect cardigan to cozy up in and is such a beautiful piece in my wardrobe!  Isn’t it amazing how we can crochet our own clothing?

I am delighted I learned how to shape sleeves for sweaters!  The long sleeves really make it perfect for any weather and are just so cozy!

Self-striping yarn is so neat!  It really was a lot of fun working with it since you never knew what section of colour was coming next!

Here is the back!  I love the length of the sweater and the oversized look of it!

In case you’re curious, I am wearing: Joan of Arctic Mid Wedges in “Oxford Tan” by Sorel, Preston Leather Backpack by Fossil, Floppy Black Hat by Simons, Camper Socks by Garage Clothing.

Ryan thought it would be fun to do a jumping shot!  This was easier said than done since I was wearing wedge heels.  I also had to hold onto my hat as it flew off a couple times!  I love this dynamic shot!  Haha don’t I look like the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland who’s late for a very important date?  We also filmed some videos of me wearing the Cascade Cardigan so you can really see how it moves and flows- check it out on Instagram HERE!

This Cascade Cardigan photoshoot was very memorable for Ryan and I as we actually took these photos on our 6th wedding anniversary!  We took advantage of the fact that Ryan’s parents were taking care of the girls for the evening, so we snapped some photos before heading to our anniversary dinner!  We tried out a new restaurant and were reminiscing over our 6 wonderful years of marriage and how surreal it is that we have two daughters now!

I am delighted to share that Lion Brand Yarn loved my cardigan so much that they made a fabulous Crochet Kit for it!  It is currently on sale for 20% off until September 24th, and you get a copy of this pattern and 6 balls of Shawl in a Ball.  Keep in mind that this project also requires a 4.5 mm hook (Lion Brand does not have this size available, which is why a 5 mm is listed), a 3.5 mm hook, and a yarn needle.  I am honoured to have one of my designs as a part of a kit on their website, ready for purchase- you can check it out HERE!  Kits are so convenient!

I hope you enjoyed seeing the design process behind my “Cascade Cardigan”! People tend to like knitted garments better for their drape and look, but I’m delighted that I could provide this crochet alternative that has a knitted look!  I am so excited to see your Cascade Cardigans as it is such a perfect piece to work on as fall and winter approach!  Don’t forget to visit my Etsy store HERE and my Craftsy store HERE for a concise PDF of this detailed tutorial and pattern!  I would LOVE to see your in-progress and final pictures, so feel free to share them with me on my blog and social media here: Facebook page, Twitter (@AllAboutAmi) or Instagram (@AllAboutAmi).  You can also use the hashtags #cascadecardigan and #allaboutami on social media to show everyone your work too!  Have fun making your own clothes and cuddling up with your Cascade Cardigans, everyone!  

{This post is sponsored by Lion Brand Yarn!  I’ve loved working with their yarn throughout the years and I’m thrilled that I get to collaborate with them every month!}

This pattern is an original pattern by Stephanie Lau of All About Ami.  Please do not claim this pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but please do not reprint it on your site. You may keep a copy for your own personal use but please DO NOT sell the pattern or distribute it.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please clearly credit the design to me, Stephanie Lau of All About Ami, and provide a link to my blog www.AllAboutAmi.com.  Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind.  Thank you for being respectful and for your understanding!