Bandia Crochet Sweater

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If you’re looking for the perfect cosy sweater to carry you through Autumn and Winter…let me introduce the beautiful Bandia crochet sweater. Designed by the lovely Ami from Hook of Love, this crochet jumper is a deceptively simple make. Not only that, it’s seamless so there’s no tricky sewing afterwards! Inspired by a national park in Senegal, there’s a playful splash of animal print on the bottom of this sporty-shaped sweater. I can’t wait to make a pastel-coloured version!

Ami herself says, “The sweater is named after Bandia reserve in my home country of Senegal. Here’s what I love about it:

• Making it seamless was important to me (I dislike sewing crochet pieces!)
• The raglan construction with v-neck opening and the fpdc between sleeves and body of sweater give the sweater a sporty vibe.
• The animal print on hem and cuff”

As this is a guest post, Bella Coco Crochet is unable to answer any queries. If you have a question, please contact the designer directly and they will be happy to help you.

MATERIALS & TOOLS NEEDED

Yarn: Any worsted weight yarn. If you’re struggling to find worsted, you can use Aran and a smaller hook size – be sure to swatch! I love Caron Simply Soft.

Colour 1: 1100 to 1250 yards

Colour 2: 20 yards

Hook: 5.5mm

Scissors

Darning Needle

GAUGE

8 Rows of 14 dc = 4” x 4”

Gauge swatch  

Ch 16

Row 1: 1 dc in 4^th ch from hook, 1 dc in each ch, ch 2 turn (ch 2 turn does not count as a stitch) (14 dc)

Row 2: 1 dc in each st, ch 2 turn

Row 3 – 8: As row 2. Fasten off

SIZING

Size: S (M, L , XL)

Finished bust measurement: 36.5 (38, 42, 46) inches

PIN FOR LATER

PATTERN NOTES

The pattern is written in US terminology

CONSTRUCTION OF BANDIA CROCHET SWEATER

1. Work the sweater top down, back and forth, making increases where indicated until the v-neck is formed.
2.  Switch to working in the round with increases where indicated
3. Separate for sleeves and continue working the body of the sweater to the print design section
4. Use tapestry technique to work the print design
5. Finish the hem with ribbing
6. Work 1 sc round around the neckline
7. Work the sleeves in the round making decreases where indicated
8. End sleeves with the print design

CROCHET TERMS

Chain (ch): Yarn over, pull through one loop on hook.

Single Crochet (s): sc (s): Insert into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, you will have two loops on the hook. Yarn over, pull through two loops.

Double Crochet (s): dc (s): Yarn over, insert into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, you will have three loops on the hook. Yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops.

Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc): Yarn over, insert hook behind the post of the indicated stitch (from front to back, then back to front, so the post is in front of the hook), yarn over, pull up a loop around the post of the stitch, *yarn over, pull through two loops* twice.

Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc): Yarn over, working from the back of the fabric, insert hook in front of the post of the stitch from the row below (from back to front, then front to back, so the post is at the back of the hook), yarn over, pull up a loop around the post of the stitch, *yarn over, pull through two loops* twice.

Sp: Space

Sk: Skip

RS: Right side

WS: Wrong side

st(s) Stitch(s)

Unsure of the differences between UK and US terms? Need a refresher on how to do your stitches? In my ‘How to crochet: A handy reference guide’ EBook I help you with all of these terms and you can always have them to hand! You will also get exclusive access to free video instructions. You can find my EBook HERE.

BANDIA CROCHET SWEATER PATTERN

Yoke Section

Ch 56

Row 1 (RS): 1 dc in 3^rd ch from hook, 1 dc in each ch, ch 2 turn (54 dc) (the turning ch 2 does not count as a stitch, here and throughout this pattern)

The sts will be distributed this way:

3 sts for 1^st front panel

2 sts for 1^st corner

9 sts for 1^st sleeve

2 sts for 2^nd corner

22 sts for the back

2 sts for the 3^rd corner

9 st for the 2^nd sleeve

2 sts for the 4^th corner

3 sts for the 2^nd front panel

Increases are made this way:

When working flat (back and forth), Increase 1 dc at the beg of the row, 1 dc at the end of the row, and 1 dc increase before and after the two corner stitches.

When working in the round, 1 dc increase before and after the two corner stitches.

The two corner stitches are worked in Fpdc or bpdc

Row 2 (WS) (increase 10 sts): 2 dc in 1^st st, 1 dc, 2 dc in next st,  2 bpdc, 2 dc in next st, 7 dc, 2 dc in next st, 2 bpdc, 2 dc in next st, 20 dc, 2 dc in next st, 2 bpdc, 2 dc in next st, 7 dc, 2 dc in next st, 2 bpdc, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc, 2 dc in last st ch 2 turn (64 sts)

Row 3 (RS) (increase 10 sts): 2 dc in 1^st st, *1 dc in each st to last st before the next bpdc of previous row, 2 dc in that st, 2 fpdc, 2 dc in next st, repeat from * 3 times, 1 dc in each st to last st, 2 dc in last st, ch 2 turn (74 sts)

Row 4 (WS) (increase 10 sts): 2 dc in 1^st st, *1 dc in each st to last st before the next fpdc of previous row, 2 dc in that st, 2 bpdc, 2 dc in next st, repeat from* 3 times, 1 dc in each st to last st, 2 dc in last st, ch 2 turn (84 sts)

Row 5, 7, 9: as row 3

Row 6, 8: as row 4

End of row 9 (134 sts)

Start working in the round

Round 10 (increase 8 sts): *1 dc in each st to last st before the next bpdc of previous row, 2 dc in that st, 2 fpdc, 2 dc in next st, repeat from * 3 times, 1 dc in each st to end, sl.st to beg dc (142 sts).

Fasten off.

To hide the round joining, fasten off and reattach the yarn to the 1^st fpdc at the left of the front panel

Round 1 (increase 8 sts): ch 3, 1 fpdc, 2 dc in next st, *1 dc in each st to last st before next fpdc, 2 dc in that st, 2 fpdc, 2 dc in next st, repeat from * twice, 1 dc in each st to last st, 2 dc in that st, sl.st. to 3^rd ch (150 sts)

Tip: before the ch 3 at the beg of a round, sl.st. around the ch3 of the previous round then ch 3. This will make it look like a fpdc instead of a ch 3

Size Small: work Round 2-19 as round 1 (214 sts at end of round 10)

Size Medium: work Round 2-20 as round 1 (222 sts at end of round 11)

Size Large: work round 2-21 as round 1 (230 sts at end of round 12)

Size XL: work round 2-22 as round 1 (238 sts at end of round 13)

Separate for sleeves and work body of sweater

Round 1: ch 3, 1 fpdc, ch 0 (0, 6, 10), sk 45 (47, 49, 51) dc, 2 fpdc, 2 dc in next st, 56 (58,60,62) dc, 2 dc, 2 fpdc, ch 0 (0,6,10), sk 45 (47,49,51) dc, 2 fpdc, 2 dc in next st, 56 (58, 60,62) dc, 2 dc in last st, sl st to 3rd ch – [128 (132,136,140) sts]; 0 (0, 6, 10 ) ch

Round 2: ch 3, 1 dc in each st and in each ch, 128 (132, 148, 160) sts

Round 3-16: as round 1

Sweater Hem (shaded squares = color B)

Tip: use 2 stitch markers one at the beg and one at the end of the 16 sts repeat

The print design calls for a multiple of 16 sts

Setting up for the print design

Size Small and XL: ch 1, 1 sc in each st all around, sl.st to the 1^st sc (128, 160 )sts

Size Medium and Large (decrease 4 sts to get to a multiple of 16 sts): ch 1, 1 sc in each st, decrease 1 st by the middle front, 1 st on each side of the sweater, 1^st by the middle of the sweater (decrease by making sc2tog) (128,144) sts

Print design

This section is worked using the tapestry technique. The color not in use is carried in the back of the work. And when changing color finish the last stitch with the new color to be used

Round 1 to round 8: follow the chart

Example of how to read the chart.

Round 1 (attach color B)

*With Color B: 3 sc

With Color A: 2 sc

With Color B: 3 sc

With Color A: 1 sc

With Color B: 2 sc

With Color A: 2 sc

With Color B: 2sc

With Color A: 1 sc

Repeat from * 8 (8, 9, 10) times, slst. to beg sc, then continue to Row 2 with color A

Work all 8 rows of the chart

Finishing Hem

With color A

Round 1: Ch 3 (count as a stitch), 1 dc in each st all around, sl.st. to 3^rd ch 128(128, 144, 160) dc

Round 2-3: as round 1

Round 4-6: ch 3, 1 bpdc, *1 fpdc, 1 bpdc, repeat from * all around, sl.st. to 3^rd ch

Fasten off

Neckline finishing

Attach yarn A to middle back of neckline. Work a sc round this way:

22 sc in back of sweater, 1 sc in each fpdc, 9 sc in each sleeve section. In each side of the v neck, work 1 sc in each of the starting 3 dc, 1 8 sc in the 9 vneck rows (2 sc per row)

Work a second sc round. Fasten off

Short sleeve version         

Sleeves

1^st sleeve

Attach yarn by middle of armpit

Size Small & Medium

Work the previously skipped sts in round 1 of the Separate for Sleeves Section

Round 1: ch 3, 1 dc in each previously skipped stiches, sl.st. to 3^rd ch (45,47)sts

Round 2- 30: ch 3, 1 dc in each st, all around , sl.st. to 3^rd chain

In the next round we will adjust the st count to bring it to a multiple of 16 for the print design

Size Small only: increase 3 sts while working a sc round (increase 3 sts by putting 2 sc in one stitch, and repeat that 3 times) (48 sts)

Size Medium only: increase 1 st while working a sc round (increase by putting 2 sc in one stitch)

Print Design

Size Small & Medium

Work row 1-4 of the chart. Fasten off

Make 2^nd sleeve as first.

Weave in all ends

Size Large only

Attach yarn A by middle of armpit

Round 1: Evenly work 57 dc around sleeve.

Tip: Work 1 sc in each of the previously skipped 49 sts in round 1 of the Separate for Sleeves Section, 1 sc in each of the added 6 ch, and 2dctog in each corner between the added chain and the post of the sweater body

Round 2: ch 3, 1 dc in each st, all around , sl.st. to 3^rd chain (57 sts)

Round 3: (decrease 2 sts): dc round, decrease 2 sts by making a dc2tog twice (55 sts)

Round 4 – 6: as round 2 (55 sts)

Round 7: as round 3 (53 sts)

Round 8-10: as round 2 (53 sts)

Round 11: as round 3 (51 sts)

Round 12-14: as round 2 (51 sts)

Round 15: as round 3 (49 sts)

Round 16-31: as round 2 (49 sts)

Round 32: make a sc round with 1 st decrease (1sc2tog) to bring the total stitch count to 48

Print design on sleeve

Work row 1-4 of the chart.  

Work 2^nd sleeve as first

Fasten off

Size XL only

Attach yarn A by middle of armpit

Round 1: Evenly work 63 dc around sleeve.

Tip: Work 1 sc in each of the previously skipped 51 sts in round 1 of the Separate for Sleeves Section, 1 sc in each of the added 10 ch, and 2dctog in each corner between the added chain and the post of the sweater body

Round 2: ch 3, 1 dc in each st, all around , sl.st. to 3^rd chain (63 sts)

Round 3: dc round, decrease 2 sts by making a dc2tog twice (61 sts)

Round 4 – 6: as round 2 (61 sts)

Round 7: as round 3 (59 sts)

Round 8-10: as round 2 (59 sts)

Round 11: as round 3 (57 sts)

Round 12-14: as round 2 (57 sts)

Round 15: as round 3 (55 sts)

Round 16-18: as round 2 (55 sts)

Round 19: as round 3 (53 sts)

Round 20-22: as round 2 (53 sts)

Round 23: as round 3 (51 sts)

Round 24 – 26: as round 2 (51 sts)

Round 27: as round 3 (49 sts)

Round 28- 31: as round 2 (49 sts)

Round 32: make a sc round with 1 st decrease (1sc2tog) to bring the total stitch count to 48

Print design on sleeve

Work row 1-4 of the chart.  Work 2^nd sleeve as first. Fasten off.

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