Sara's Jumper Journey - My Precious Sweater By Katerina Designs

So let me take you on a ‘Jumper Journey’. This is the story of how my ‘My Precious’ crocheted sweater, designed by Katerina Crochets, came to be.

As the nights started to get ever so slightly longer, I began dreaming about the perfect spring sweater. A throw on with jeans, perfect for weekends or casual days in the shop, easy TV knitting. Then my shoulder started to ache, my arthritis came back with a blast and I had to slow down and start to alternate my crafts again. I tend to obsess about one craft at a time and recently it has been knitting. I needed to find the elusive crocheted perfect project so I can knit one night and then crochet the next.

I didn’t want a granny square top, I wanted one colour, lightweight and not very patterned. Loose fitting and easy to wear and ideally in a yarn that we stock. It took a couple of lost hours online but I found a stunning design, easy to make, sweater on Katerina Crochets blog. She is not a designer I have used before but her pattern was great. I used the paid for copy on Ravelry. I do believe that if you can you should pay for the pattern. It was easier to follow, I felt, than the free copy. But the fact it is available for free is so generous of the designer. Patterns take hours of work and lots of investment.

The yarn used is Scheepjes Stone Washed which is one of my favourites to crochet with. I have used it for the ‘Cherry Blossom’ Blanket, the Ubuntu and other blankets. It’s a beautiful blend of cotton and acrylic, lightweight and a gorgeous marled effect. It’s also really economical to use and there are loads of colours. I loved the citrus it is done on in the pattern but then Lucy (our Web Manager, Continental Knitter and all-round tech queen) suggested an oatmeal colour, really easy to wear and before I knew it, I was casting on!

You make this top down and start at the neck. The rib pattern is really effective and I was on the yoke really quickly. I had to add a sneaky stitch to fit in the pattern but I don’t mind fudging it when no-one will notice. The first round sets the pattern for your size. You are always increasing or decreasing a diamond, the increases at the side are easy V stitches, once you have you head round this it’s a super easy repetitive pattern.

The construction of the garment works really well. You can try it on all the way through your making process, ensuring it fits and it’s easy to customise. I used smaller crochet hooks as I went down the sleeves and also made these a bit shorter, I hate long sleeves that trail. 

I wasn’t keen on the 3 ch at the start of the row being ignored so I tried it both ways, and as a standing UK treble, it actually did look better the way the pattern was written! And that’s why Katerina is a designer and I’m not. 

It took me about 6 weeks to make it, that is alongside lots of other projects, so a quick make if you were a ‘loyal to just one project’ type of person. Now it’s finished I love it. It’s the same length as my Gemma sweater so perfect. The colour goes with everything and I’ve worn it for three days on the trot. I used ten balls of yarn, just. I have had so many great comments on it already. I am tempted to make another one but I don’t have huge success with second timers, my claret coloured Worsted Boxy is a UFO these days.

However imagine it in navy, plain with no diamonds, and embroidery on the front! Mmm you never know I could be tempted.