“VALERIE” CROCHET HEART SWEATER PATTERN
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That time of year is approaching when we celebrate love in all its forms and I am introducing you to the Valerie Crochet Heart Sweater to mark the occasion. It’s not just Valentine’s Day on Feb 14, however, it’s also my birthday and this year mark’s my (eek!) 50th!!!
So, cheers to love in all its forms and manifestations and I just happen to love hearts and filet crochet. So I’ve combined them together in this very easy and VERY quick sweater pattern (the whole think took me about 10 or 11 hours, so there’s plenty of time to make one before V-Day)
If you’re familiar with filet crochet, then this is an easy sweater to make as the motif is very straight-forward and you’re likely well-versed in reading a chart. If you’re not familiar, filet crochet is basically creating a grid by alternating DC and CH 1 / SK ST’s and then you create an image or motif by using blank spaces and filling spaces in that grid. In the case of this filet crochet top, the entire grid of the sweater is blank and the image of the heart is created simply by ‘filling in’ certain blocks in the grid. The whole thing really is a lot easier than it sounds once you get the hang of it.
I’ve been working a lot with lighter weight yarns, but for this project I decided to use some beautiful red yarn I had, Caron One Pound in Scarlet, which is a Category 4 yarn. The lightness of the filet stitch keeps it from feeling too bulky as a sweater, which I love.
The assembly on this sweater is easy as it’s made as one piece front and back with a neck hole, the sleeves are crocheted right off the side and the cuffs, hems and neckline ribbing added, then you only need to seam from cuff to hem on each side to finish it off. I *love* an easy sweater!
You can be sure, I’ll be celebrating my 50th by wearing this sweater on my birthday/Valentine’s Day and I hope you all get to make one and join me in celebrating the love of love on Feb 14!
To see some of my other filet crochet or sweater projects, check out the Mariposa Filet Sweater, the Middleton Filet Sweater or the Meadow Pullover.
PURCHASE THE AD-FREE PDF OF THIS PATTERN ON ETSY, RAVELRY or LOVECRAFTS (or scroll down for the free pattern).
| SUPPLY LIST |
| 6mm hook Any Category 4 yarn (Used: Caron One Pound in Scarlet) Approximate Yardage: XS 510Y/466M, S 550Y/503M, M 590Y/540M, L 620/567M, XL 670Y/612M, 2XL 730/668M, 3XL 790Y/722M, 4XL 840/768M, 5XL 890Y/814M Stitch Markers Scissors Tapestry Needle |
| STITCHES / ABBREVIATIONS |
| **All stitches are in North American terms** YO – yarn over CH – chain BB – back bump ST – stitch SK ST – skip stitch SL ST – slip stitch SC – single crochet SCBLO – single crochet back loop only (for the cuffs, hem and neckline ribbing) DC – double crochet DCFS – double crochet Filet Stitch |
| SIZE |
| XS through 5XL |
| FINISHED MEASUREMENTS |
| ** This filet crochet heart sweater is measured in circumference (based on chest measurement) and is a true fit, but also has about 4” of negative ease if required. Length is also measured here based on top shoulder to bottom of hem. XS: 31” C, 21” L S: 33” C, 21” L M: 37” C, 24” L L: 41” C, 26.5” L XL: 45” C, 26.6” L 2XL: 49” C, 29” L 3XL: 53” C, 29” L 4XL: 57” C, 29” L 5XL: 61” C, 29” L |
| GAUGE |
| Gauge for the body portion (in DCFS only) is 12 stitches x 6 rows – 4” x 4” — keep in mind that this mesh stitch can have stretch in both directions, so gauge can be hard to determine based on how you’re stretching your fabric and, as such, the stitch counts are a better basis per size. ( 3 ST / inch & 1.5 Rows / inch) |
| DIFFICULTY LEVEL |
| Advanced Beginner to Intermediate |
| PATTERN AND SIZING NOTES |
| – For this VALERIE filet crochet heart sweater, you must have knowledge of: working in the BB of the foundation chain, slip stitch, skipping stitches, double crochet, double crochet Filet technique, decreasing in filet and working ribbing on to a piece. You must also be able to read a filet crochet motif chart. – This filet crochet top is made as one piece for the body (creating a neck hole as you go) from the bottom up and back down the back and the sleeves are worked on to the sides. At the end, the ribbed cuffs, bottom hem and neck ribbing is worked directly on to the piece. – The double crochet Filet Stitch is created by doing a DC then chaining 1 and skipping the next ST, then doing another DC. This creates a “hole”. All DC stitches go in top of a DC from the row below so that all the ‘holes’ line up and create a grid. The CHART from this pattern indicates where DC’s are placed to ‘fill in’ a hole that would have otherwise been there. – For ease of counting with visual aid in this pattern, I will give counts in ‘holes’ instead of, or as well as, stitch counts because it’s easier to count the holes. – Note about the heart motif: It is the same size for all sweater sizes and is 15 rows tall and 31 ST’s wide. – The pattern for this filet crochet heart sweater is given for XS with all respective counts given in parentheses ( ) after the XS count. – Turning CH’s do NOT count as stitches. – To easily count your ST’s in a row to make sure you’re on track, just skip count by 2’s at each DC (not including the turning chain) – The stitch count is given in parentheses ( ) at the end of each row. |
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE VALERIE CROCHET HEART SWEATER:
VALERIE CROCHET HEART SWEATER – FRONT & BACK (worked as 1 piece):
Front Side:
CH 46 (50,54,62,66,74,78,86,90) + 4 to turn
Front Side Row 1: Starting in the 5th CH from the hook, DCFS across the row (meaning in that 5th CH you will DC, then CH 1 & SK ST, then DC in the next BB etc), CH 4 & turn (46,50,54,62,66,74,78,86,90)
Front Side Row 2: Starting in the 2nd ST from the hook, DCFS across the row (46,50,54,62,66,74,78,86,90)
Front Side Rows 3 to Various:
– For sizes XS & S, Repeat Front Side Row 2 to end of Row 6
– For size M, Repeat Front Side Row 2 to end of Row 8
– For sizes L, XL, Repeat Front Side Row 2 to end of Row 10
– For sizes 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL, Repeat Front Side Row 2 to end of Row 12
** You should have the following number of ‘holes’ in a row for each size and the following number of rows until we work on the heart motif:
XS: 23 holes, 6 rows
S: 25 holes, 6 rows
M: 27 holes, 8 rows
L: 31 holes, 10 rows
XL: 33 holes, 10 rows
2XL: 37 holes, 12 rows
3XL: 39 holes, 12 rows
4XL: 43 holes, 12 rows
5XL: 45 holes, 12 rows
Heart Motif:
In row 7 (7,9,11,11,13,13,13,13) you will start working on the heart motif.
Heart Motif Row 1: DCFS until you reach the following ‘hole’ per your size, where you will start following the chart to ‘fill in’ the holes which are indicated by DC’ing where you would normally CH & SK ST. To this effect, you can follow the chart from here to determine which holes get ‘filled’ and which stay open.
XS: Hole 12 starts the bottom center of the heart
S: Hole 13 starts the bottom centre of the heart
M: Hole 14 starts the bottom centre of the heart
L: Hole 16 starts the bottom centre of the heart
XL: Hole 17 starts the bottom centre of the heart
2XL: Hole 19 starts the bottom centre of the heart
3XL: Hole 20 starts the bottom centre of the heart
4XL: Hole 22 starts the bottom centre of the heart
5XL: Hole 23 starts the bottom centre of the heart
** Follow the same pattern of repeating Front Side Row 2, filling in the appropriate ST’s per the chart. Reminder that the Heart Motif is 15 rows in height and a total of 31 stitches in width..
Front Side Rows above the Heart Motif:
Once you have completed the heart motif, continue DCFS for the following number of rows until we get to the neck row:
XS: 6 rows (for a total of 27 rows in the front)
S: 6 rows (for a total of 27 rows in the front)
M: 8 rows (for a total of 31 rows in the front)
L: 10 rows (for a total of 35 rows in the front)
XL: 10 rows (for a total of 35 rows in the front)
2XL: 12 rows (for a total of 39 rows in the front)
3XL: 12 rows (for a total of 39 rows in the front)
4XL: 12 rows (for a total of 39 rows in the front)
5XL: 12 rows (for a total of 39 rows in the front)
Neck Hole Row:
* The neck hole row counts as it’s own separate row from the number of front rows and back rows in your respective size *
Neck Hole Row: Starting in the 2nd ST from the CH, DCFS for the following count relevant to size:
XS: DCFS for 5 ‘holes’, CH and SK 25 stitches, then DCFS creating 5 more holes, CH 4 & turn
S: DCFS for 6 ‘holes’, CH and SK 25 stitches, then DCFS creating 6 more holes, CH 4 & turn
M: DCFS for 7 ‘holes’, CH and SK 25 stitches, then DCFS creating 7 more holes, CH 4 & turn
L: DCFS for 8 ‘holes’, CH and SK 29 stitches, then DCFS creating 8 more holes, CH 4 & turn
XL: DCFS for 9 ‘holes’, CH and SK 29 stitches, then DCFS creating 9 more holes, CH 4 & turn
2XL: DCFS for 11 ‘holes’, CH and SK 29 stitches, then DCFS creating 11 more holes, CH 4 & turn
3XL: DCFS for 12 ‘holes’, CH and SK 29 stitches, then DCFS creating 12 more holes, CH 4 & turn
4XL: DCFS for 14 ‘holes’, CH and SK 29 stitches, then DCFS creating 14 more holes, CH 4 & turn
5XL: DCFS for 15 ‘holes’, CH and SK 29 stitches, then DCFS creating 15 more holes, CH 4 & turn
Back Side:
Back Side Row 1: Starting in the 2nd ST from the hook, DCFS across the row being sure to place the neck hole DC’s in the BB of the CH’s they are placed in to, CH 4 & turn (46,50,54,62,66,74,78,86,90)
Back Side Row 2: Starting in the 2nd ST from the hook, DCFS across the row (46,50,54,62,66,74,78,86,90)
Back Side Rows 3 to Various:
– For sizes XS & S, Repeat Back Side Row 2 to end of Row 27
– For size M, Repeat Back Side Row 2 to end of row 31
– For sizes L & XL, Repeat Back Side Row 2 to end of row 35
– For sizes 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL, Repeat Back Side Row 2 to end of row 39.
YO and tie off as we will be working on the sleeves next.
VALERIE CROCHET HEART SWEATER: SLEEVES:
*Repeat the following instructions for both sides of the filet crochet sweater*
– Turning your piece sideways, find the neck hole row and mark.
– For all sizes, count out the following number of holes on either side of the neck hole row (do not count that neck hole row ‘hole’ as a hole) and use a stitch marker to mark the junction on the outside of last hole on each side.
XS & S: Count out 8 holes either side and mark junction
M & : Count out 9 holes either side and mark junction
XL: Count out 10 holes either side and mark junction
2XL: Count out 12 holes either side and mark junction
3XL: Count out 13 holes either side and mark junction
4XL & 5XL: Count out 14 holes either side and mark junction
– You can remove the centre hole stitch marker
– TIE ON at the right hand ST marker and DCFS across to the other ST marker so that you have the following ‘hole’ counts and stitch counts:
XS & S: 17 ‘holes’, 34 ST’s
M & L: 19 ‘holes’, 38 ST’s
XL: 21 ‘holes’, 42 ST’s
2XL: 25 ‘holes’, 50 ST’s
3XL: 27 ‘holes’, 54 ST’s
4XL & 5XL: 29 ‘holes’, 58 ST’s
For all sizes, Repeat each sleeve row for a total of 24 rows decreasing by one hole at the start and end of Rows 6, 10, 14, 18. (To decease this filet stitch, Start the row by only CH’ing 2 and DC’ing in to the 1st DC from the row below… and ending the row with a decrease by DC2together for the last 2 DC ST’s)
** CUSTOMIZATION OPTION: You can repeat each sleeve row as-is for a bell sleeve instead of decreasing for a tapered sleeve **
VALERIE CROCHET HEART SWEATER: HEMS, CUFFS & ASSEMBLY:
*The following instructions are the same for all sizes. Please note that, for a cleaner edge on this filet crochet sweater, I always make the last stitch in an UP row a SC instead of a SCBLO, going through both loops*
[[[To add ribbing directly on to a piece, you work at a 90 degree angle, chain a foundation, and work SCBLO up and down, with the down rows attached by 2 subsequent SL ST’s in to 2 subsequent ST’s ** except the 1st row which I always SL ST back in to that same ST I chained from ]]]
– With the right side front facing you, TIE ON to the bottom right ST on the bottom of the sweater, CH 8 + 1 and work a SCBLO ribbing all across the bottom hem (with the last ST in an up row being a regular SC). Repeat this for the back side hem.
– With the right side end of the sleeve facing you, TIE ON to the bottom right ST on the end of the sleeve, CH 8 + 1 and work a SCBLO ribbing all across the end of the sleeve cuff (with the last ST in an up row being a regular SC) . Repeat this for both sleeves.
– With the right side BACK of the filet crochet sweater facing you, TIE ON to a middle back stitch, CH 4 + 1 and work a SCBLO rigging all around the neckline (with the last ST in an up row being a regular SC). Once you reach the end, turn it inside out and SL ST the 2 edges of the neckline ribbing together, TIE OFF.
– To seam together, turn the work inside out so the wrong side is facing out. Using a 3 or 4 foot length of yarn and your tapestry needle, whip stitch (or any joining stitch of your desire) from the end of the sleeve cuff, through the armpit and down to the bottom hem. Repeat this on each side and turn the work right side out, Weave in all ends.VOILA, an absolutely adorable file crochet heart sweater with which to celebrate Valentine’s Day – or to celebrate love any day of the year!
