The Monthly sweater is the perfect addition to your period survival kit. Cocoon yourself in it’s warmth and luxuriate in its safety vibes.
Inspiration/Design
I believe I’ve used this quote for another design, but necessity really is the mother of invention. Every month I gather “my survive this period kit”. Other than the obvious (period products) it includes: potato chips (dill pickle flavor preferred), a hot water bottle, a romance book, and tea. While this sounds like an extensive list, I always felt that I was missing the perfect cozy outfit.
Which is how I often found myself raiding my husbands wardrobe for long sleeve and slightly oversized shirts. Do I feel that I can rock the oversized look? No, but it’s what I crave every month for a week.
What does your “survive this period kit include?
So, as I’ve hinted, the goal of the monthly sweater is threefold: be oversized, provide comfort and generally make me feel good, cocooned and safe.
Yarn
To that end I chose a yarn that just screamed comfort to me, and bonus I already had it in stash and, it’s not discontinued!
Wecrochets snuggle puff, is the kind of yarn that you can’t help but snuggle with and let your heart feel light and your mind rest easy. It’s a lightweight blown style yarn that combines cotton and acrylic for ultimate comfort.
While I’m completely aware that it’s not always possible to use the yarn a designer suggests, this yarn has a particularly light feel to it, keep in mind that substituting with other yarns might make this a tad heavier.
In which case I would suggest making it shorter and with less ease.
Construction of the Monthly Sweater
Because I wanted this sweater to be tunic length and particularly oversized, I went with a modular construction. I’ve used this construction before to make one of my favorite sweaters, Eat cake. It’s a fun simple construction that allows the maker a lot of freedom when it comes to modifying the length and width of the garment.
Description
For any day that you need to cozy up and rest as you recharge and empower yourself, the Monthly sweater has your back. Pair this oversized sweater with your favorite pair of leggings and a statement collar for a coffee out, or with your favorite lounge pants for ultimate stay at home comfort.
The paid pdf includes the full written pattern, ad free of course, and the full range of sized from a finished measurement of 38 – 66, schematic, and some notes on adapting the pattern. It also includes an extra tutorial link for picking up stitches, and pictures not included in this no cost version.
Instructions for the Monthly Sweater
Materials
Total yarn quantities: 0(1,2,3,4,5,6)
grams : 435 (445,520, 560, 610, 640, 690)
Balls: 9 (9,10,12, 13, 13, 14)
Snuggle Puff an Aran/ Heavy Worsted 70/30 Pima Cotton Nylon / 142 yds in 50g (this is a blown/single ply yarn which makes it very lightweight) in 2 colors. Sample was crocheted with Polliwog (bright green) and Lamb (cream)
6mm hook
Tape measure
Yarn needle
5.5mm knitting needles (optional)
Sample
I crocheted size 2 using the colors Polliwog and lamb from the Snuggle Puff range with a 6mm hook. I used 5 balls of Polliwog (green) and 4 of the lamb (cream) In this version I opted to knit both the neckline rib as well as the cuff.
Model size: 33” bust, 29” waist, 42” hips
Gauge:
11 sts x 10 rows of ext-sc done with a 6mm hook = 4”x4”
Substituting yarns also affects gauge, please check your gauge!
Stitches and abbreviations:
Ch: chain
Sc: single crochet
Fsc: foundation single crochet
Ext-Sc: extended single crochet
Notes
- Starting chain denotes length.
- Rows denote width.
- beg ch 1 does not count as a stitch
- To adjust length, work more or less chains for both your front/back panel.
- To adjust width, work more or less side rows.
- If you adjust the length, I also recommend adjusting the width so that your cropped version doesn’t have as much positive ease, unless of course you prefer it that way.
Characteristics
drop shoulders, modular construction, worked vertically, tunic length, high/low hem, oversized (positive ease between 8 and 15” depending on the size)
| Size | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Bust | 38 | 42 | 48 | 53 | 58 | 61 | 66 |
| To fit | 28-29 | 30-32 | 33-35 | 36-39 | 40-44 | 45-51 | 52-60 |
| Arm Depth | 6 | 6.25 | 6.25 | 6.25 | 6.75 | 6.75 | 6.75 |
| Length front | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Length back | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
Front Panel:
Rectangle 1: ch 69 starting in the 2nd ch from hook,
Row 1 (RS): Ext-sc to end. Ch 1, Turn. (68 sts)
Size 0:
Rows 2 – 4: repeat row 1
Sizes 1-4
Rows 2 – 6: repeat row 1
Sizes 5-6
Rows 2 – 8: repeat row 1
Cut yarn, and fasten off.
Rectangle 2: Turn your work 90 degrees to work on the other side of the chain.
With RS facing, attach yarn to the bottom of starting ch, where your beg tail is.
Size 0: repeat rows 1- 4 of the first rectangle
Sizes 1-4
Repeat rows 1 – 6 of the first rectangle. 68
Sizes 5 – 6
Repeat rows 1 – 8 of the first rectangle. 68
Cut yarn and fasten off.
Back Panel
Rectangle 1: ch 81, starting the in the 2nd ch from hook
Row 1:(rs) Ext-sc to end, ch1 and turn. 80 sts
Size 0: repeat row 1
Sizes 1-4
Rows 2 – 6: repeat row 1
Sizes 5-6
Rows 2 – 8: repeat row 1
Cut yarn and fasten off.
Rectangle 2: with RS facing, attach yarn to the bottom of the starting ch.
Repeat instructions for back rectangle 1. 80 sts
Side Rectangle 1
With right side of your front panel facing you, attach yarn at the bottom of the left (when worn) panel.
Work 68 ext-sc, 11 Fsc, 80 ext-sc down the Back Panel with right side facing you , ch1 and turn. (Total of 159 st)
Ext-sc in each st until end of row. Ch1, turn. Repeat until you have completed 18 rows. Change to color 2 and continue in pattern until you reach 20 (20,24,27,30,30,33) side panel rows. Cut yarn and fasten off.
Side Rectangle 2
Attach yarn at the bottom of the right back panel (when worn).
Work 68 ext-sc, 11 Fsc, 80 ext-sc, ch1 and turn.
Ext-sc in each st until until end of row. Ch1, turn. Repeat until you have completed 5 rows, change to color 2 and continue in pattern until you reach 20 (20,24,27,30,30,33) side panel rows. Cut yarn and fasten off.
Note:
Back panel should be longer than the front panel.
Seaming:
Right sides of the panels should be facing, we are working on the inside of our sweater.
Attach yarn 8 sts from the bottom of front and 13 sts from the bottom of back.
Seam side using sl sts leaving 6(6.25,6.25,6.25,6.75,6.75,6.75) in for the armhole.
Repeat with the remaining side seam.
Turn work so that the right side is facing us. No seams should be visible from this side.
Sleeves:
Notes:
Worked in color 2
You can make them as short or as long as you like.
We will be working in a spiral
Ext-sc in each st around the armhole. Continue working ext-sc in each st around until your sleeve measures 11.5” or your preferred length.
NOTE: as this is a drop shoulder design please measure your sleeve section
For the cuff:
Options
- You can choose, as I did, to knit 6 rounds of 1×1 rib with 5.5mm needles. Bind off and cut your yarn
- Use a 5.5mm crochet hook to work a 1×1 rib using front and back post sts (start watching at 19:02 for just the cuff.
- Work a sc rib
- Ch 6, sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch, sl st to 3 sleeve sts, ch1 and turn.
- Skipping the sl st, work 5 scBLO, ch1 and turn.
- work 5 scBLO sl st to 3 sleeve sts, ch1 and turn
- Repeat instructions b and c until you have worked in as many sleeve sts as you can. Fold cuff and seam.
Neckline
With right side facing
Attach yarn to the middle of the back.
Size 0: work 52 sc around the neckline, join with a sl st to the first sc (19” around)
Sizes 1-3 work 54 sc around the neckline, join with a sl st to first sc(19.75” around)
Sizes 4-6 work 56 sc around the neckline, join with a sl st to the first sc. (20.25” around)
Options to finish the neckline:
- Work 2 rounds of sc, cut yarn and fasten off.
- With 5.5mm needles, pick up sts and knit a 1×1 rib for 3 rounds, bind off.
- Work 1×1 crochet rib alternating front post and back post sts.
Finishing:
Weave in ends. Steam or wash gently and lay flat to dry. Your monthly sweater is now complete!
