Eat Cake Crochet Sweater

A crochet sweater completely inspired by yarn cakes. Grab your fingering weight yarn and let’s make the eat cake crochet sweater.

Inspiration

I have never experienced the marvel that is looking at a yarn and it speaking to you. Until this sweater. Let’s travel back a bit to January 2021 when knitpicks/wecrochet accepted me as a collaborator! Thinking about this email still makes my heart sing!

When I was confirmed for the #kpcollab2021 all I knew was that I wanted to crochet a sweater using modular crochet. Went on the wecrochetofficial website found what I thought was the perfect yarn. I didn’t realize how perfect this yarn actually was until I wound it up into a marvelous hunger inducing yarn cake. Don’t believe me, ask the dishes.

Yes, I baked a cake entirely inspired by the yarn cake. There is even a reel about it if you wish to further explore yarn cake/edible cake shenanigans…

Anyway, once I had this yarn cake and the edible one, I knew I wanted to recreate it in a sweater. Does that seem like a bit much? Seriously though, I did choose the name crochetcakes…

So, there it is, the inspiration behind this design was the yarn cake, and a desire to explore the modular crochet technique. Both of these reasons make this sweater number 1 in my heart.

The yarn

Having expounded on how a yarn cake can inspire a whole cake related project, I must now write the ode to the yarn. When I chose the Panettone color from the Hawthorne Speckle range, I did so because on screen it came out as a lightly speckled yarn. Perfect for crochet. The real life yarny goodness did not disappoint!

Just look at how perfect the speckles look in these stitches. They are randomly spread throughout the sweater without becoming variegated. I’m utterly in love with this yarn. Not only are the light speckles perfect for crochet but the high twist in the yarn also provides a wonderful stitch definition.

If speckles are not to your liking, fear not the Hawthorne yarn range comes in handpainted, tonal, special editions, kettle dyed etc. All beautifully dyed and awaiting an eager crafters loving hand.

Can I make the Eat Cake crochet sweater?

I am never one to tell people what to do, but if you fancy practicing the modular crochet technique then hop on the eat cake crochet sweater bandwagon! The sweater was designed in the modular crochet technique making it easy to adjust to your body type. If you know how to make a ch, single crochet, attach yarn and seam a garment you are more than half way set up to begin.

Description

The eat cake sweater pattern is an ode to yarn and cake. The textural design brings to mind a layered cake with artfully piped flowers.

Paid for Pattern with modular crochet demo. – HERE

Ravelry Chatter thread for the Pattern – HERE

Eat Cake Crochet Sweater Instructions

Materials:

260(310,350,380,420,475)g of Hawthorne fingering (80% Fine Superwash Highland Wool, 20% Polyamide)
4mm hook or size needed for gauge.
yarn needle
scissors
tape measure

Gauge
Body: 8sqsc rows in 2” and 10 scblo rows in 2”
Sleeve (sc) : 24 stitches x 16 rows in 4X4 square

STITCHES:

ch – chain
sc – single crochet
sc dec – single decrease
scblo – single crochet back loop only
sqsc – squished single crochet

The sqsc is composed of a sc decrease and a ch1. Insert your hook into the stitch, pull up a loop, insert your hook into the following stitch and pull up a loop. Yarn over pull through 3 loops. Ch1 to complete the stitch.

NOTES:

• Starting ch1 does not count as a stitch.
• This garment is crocheted using the modular technique. With this technique we are crocheting our sweater vertically instead of horizontally.
• We are essentially breaking down our sweater into 6 rectangles.
• To make the sweater longer: measure from your collarbone to where you would want your sweater to end. Make the ch as long as this measurement.
• To make sweater wider, simply add more rows on either side of the body after you have joined your front and back.
• For a cleaner dec use the invisible dec method.

Pattern Repeat

11 scblo rows = 2”(5cm) followed by 8 rows of sqsc = 2”(5cm)

SIZE

	1	2	3	4	5	6
Bust Size	29in 74cm	34in 86cm	37in 94cm	41in 104cm	45in 114cm	48in 123cm
Finished Measurement	33in 84cm	38in 96cm	41in 104cm	45in 114cm	49in 124cm	52in 133cm

	1	2	3	4	5	6
Length	21.25in	21.75in	22in	23in	24.75	26
Arm length	15	16	16	16.5	16.5	17
Upper Arm	9.75	10	11	12	13	14.5
Armhole Depth	6.5	7	7.5	8	8.5	9

Front:

Rectangle 1:

Ch 71(73,77,81,81,85)

Row1 – Work a sc in the second ch from hook and in each remaining chain. Ch1 and turn. 70(72,76,80,80,85)

Row 2 – scblo in each stitch. Ch1 and turn.

Rows 3 to 10 – repeat row 2.

Row 11 – sqsc in each stitch. ch1 and turn

Row 12 to 0(12,13,14,15) – sc, ch1, sqsc in remaining stitches, ch1 turn.

This first rectangle should measure approximately 2.5(2.5,2.75,3,3.25)”

Once you have completed row 12(12,13,14,15) cut your yarn.

Rectangle 2:

Re-attach yarn to the side of the chain we have not worked into.

Row1 – work a sc in each ch. Ch1 and turn. 70(72,76,80,80,85)

Repeat rows 2 to 12(12,13,14,15) of first rectangle.

Ch 13(15,15,17,17,17) cut yarn leaving a long tail. This ch will go over our shoulder and will be connected to the back rectangle.

Back

Rectangle 1:

Ch 83(87,91,97,97,101)

Repeat rows 1 to 12(12,13,14,15) as for the front rectangle 1. Keep in mind that our stitch count is different. 82(86,90,96,100)

Rectangle 2:

Re-attach yarn to the side of the chain we have not worked into.

Repeat instructions as for Front rectangle 2. Keeping in mind our new stitch count.

Yes, the back rectangle is longer than the front. This is to account for shoulder shaping.

–
We now have a front and a back rectangle with 13(15,15,17,17,17 shoulder ch on both pieces. Attach front and back by sewing the front ch to the top of the back stitch. Repeat for the front.

Once our front and back are joined, we are ready to continue working our rows on the right and left sides.

Right side:

Attach yarn to bottom right (left side of our body when worn)

Row 1 – sc, ch1, sqsc in remaining stitches and ch(s). ch1 and turn.

Repeat row 1 until you have completed 8 sqsc rows.

Continue pattern repeat (refer to page 2)until your work measures 7.5(8,9,10,11,12)in/ 19(20,22,25,28,30.5)cm from center starting ch.

Cut yarn leaving a long enough tail to seam our side minus the armhole.

Left Side:

Attach yarn to the bottom left (right side of our body when worn)

Repeat instructions for right side.

–

Once our pattern repeats on the left side are complete, we will seam our garment.

Laying our piece so the back and front meet, attach yarn at the bottom, seam using the mattress stitch until 6.5(7,7.5,8,8.5,9)” remain. Repeat for remaining side.

Sleeve (Make 2):

Attach yarn to the bottom of the armhole.

Round 1 – sc in each stitch. sl st to the first st to join. Pull tight. Ch1 and pull tight. This will give you an invisible join.

Round 2 to 33 – repeat round 1.

Round 34 – sc, sc dec, sc in each stitch stopping 2 stitches before the end of rnd. dec over last two stitches. sl st to join. Ch1.

Round 35 to 38 – sc in each stitch. sl st to join. Ch1.

Round 39 – repeat row 34.

Continue working sc stitches in the round, decreasing 2 stitches every 4 rounds until you have worked a total of 9(10,11,11,11.5)in/ 23(25.5,28,28,29)cm

Once you have completed your sleeve, finish with a sl st in each stitch.

Cut yarn.

Repeat steps for remaining sleeve.

NOTE:

• If you would like a closer fitting sleeve, either decrease more often or decrease more stitches per round.
• Want a longer sleeve? Add more rounds.
• A more dramatic sleeve with cuff? Don’t decrease and work sc blo separately and attach to sleeve.

Neckline:

Attach yarn to the mid back.

Round 1 – Work sc every other row around the neck. sl st to the first sc. Ch1
Round 2 to 3 – sc in each stitch. sl to join. Ch 1

Cut yarn.

Bottom Rib:

Attach yarn at the back. Repeat round 1 of the neckline.

Try it on one final time, and weave in ends once satisfied.

Block:

Soak your garment in cool water, gently squeeze excess water. Place flat on a towel. Start rolling towel while gently pressing the garment. Unroll. Lay flat and pin in place to finished measurement.