Hi friends!
I’ve got a new pattern for ya! In this post, I’m sharing with you the Grand Arches Cardi – a really delicate cardigan with open stitch-work created by overlapping rows of shells. Click here to go straight to the pattern or keep reading for more info + a coupon code!
Here are some quick links for you before we begin:
- Find the PDF version on Ravelry, Etsy, or my website
- View all of my Lion Brand kits here
- View the pattern hashtag #GrandArchesCardi on Instagram
- Follow me @knitsnknotswpg on Instagram!
- For any pattern questions, please email knitsnknotswpg@gmail.com.
Preorder my book – Modern Crochet Sweaters: 20 Chic Designs for Everyday Wear – here!
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This post contains affiliate links. This means, should you make a purchase, I will receive a small portion of the sale at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own. View my Privacy + Disclosures Policy here.
About
Before we get into the details, let me just say – I looooove this piece. It’s literally my #1 favourite thing I’ve ever designed! It’s something that’s totally my style, it’s got a cool texture, it’s fun, it’s young, I just love it. I hope you do, too, because I really poured myself into this one, friends!!
Let’s talk a bit about the inspo: I designed this piece based off of a stitch I found in my favourite stitch book (read more about why I love this book in a blog post here). The stitch is called “grand arches”, and I am so grateful to have found this stitch that I named the cardigan after it. This stitch book is written by Dora Ohrenstein and it’s pure gold, I’m telling you. I have other stitch books, like the 500 Crochet Stitches (I feel like everyone has this book), but.. of these 500 stitches, there are few actual stitches to work into fabric. What I mean by that is while there are 500 stitches included, most of these are granny squares, borders, or random motifs. I want the actual stitches, you know? And even if I find a cool stitch, I don’t know how to properly shape it into a garment. THIS book by Dora Ohrenstein is literally just s-t-i-t-c-h-e-s and it’s amazing. They are stitches that you can work into any pattern and she even tells you how to increase and decrease without compromising the stitch pattern, in both words and charts. Dora is a crochet genius and I just bought a few of her other books because she is so knowledgeable and there are so few crochet experts out there who share their knowledge as she does. A huge part of this design is thanks to her and her inspiring stitch book! (10/10 would recommend!)
Anyways, I thought this “grand arches” stitch would look really beautiful as a loose, flowy cardigan with oversized, short sleeves. I had the exact design pictured clearly in my mind and knew exactly what I wanted to make with this beautiful stitch. It turned out even better than I could have hoped! I think one of the reasons for that is because of the yarn choice. I used Lion Brand’s Beautiful You yarn for the first time and it has really gorgeous stitch definition and is thin enough (a category #2 sport weight) that it makes the cardigan nice and delicate and less chunky like crochet sweaters often seem to be. I’ve heard this yarn has since been discontinued – but a similar yarn to Beautiful you is WeCrochet Paragon Sport. It’s got the same kind of shine and really prominent twist.
Something I’ve learned about crochet clothing is that it’s hard to make a crochet garment with yarn that is worsted or thicker. I have made a few chunky winter sweaters with Vanna’s Choice (worsted) but I used airy double or treble crochet stitches to make up for the thickness of the yarn.
Anyways, Beautiful You has given this cardigan the most incredible drape and stitch definition. My favourite thing about this design is the stitch definition that this yarn provides.
I wanted to create a garment that was loose fitting and didn’t cling to your body. This piece has a generous amount of positive ease for a loose, flowy cardigan that is comfortable and honestly just looks cool. With the help of this large, airy stitch, this cardigan has a really delicate look. I haven’t seen many designs that look like this one, and I’m so happy with how unique this piece turned out. I love open stitches, partly because they’re interesting visually, and partially because open stitches really showcase crochet in the best light and make it less bulky.
Construction
The Grand Arches Cardi is comprised of 3 panels: 1 back + 2 front.
First, we start with the bottom of the back panel. We work up the solid bottom border, then the shells, and then once we reach the underarm, we add more stitches on both sides to work back and forth across both sleeves and the back panel all together as one piece. There are no sleeves to sew on because they are worked into the back all in one panel (and the front part of the sleeve is worked into the front panel) so that the stitch pattern isn’t interrupted by a seam.
The front panels are worked bottom-up as well, and then more stitches are added near the top for the front sides of the sleeves.
The tops of the shoulders/sleeves are seamed in a unique way to be nearly invisible. I’m excited for you to see how I attached these panels without a clear line from a seam! See the photo below – you can barely tell that 2 pieces of fabric are attached here. I’m quite proud, lol!
The sides are seamed, the underarms are seamed, and then the solid sleeve border is added to both sleeves. Lastly, we add one quick row of slip stitches and chains for a bit of reinforcement around the neck. We do this because this stitch pattern has a lot of stretch, and without the reinforcement, the cardigan will stretch over time and slide off your shoulders too easily. This quick fix makes a big difference!
This pattern is size inclusive, fitting up to 5X. I want every body to be able to wear this! It’s written for 4 sizes: S/M (L/XL, 2X/3X, 4X/5X) and has been tested to ensure the best fit!
There are photos included throughout to show exact stitch placement and I hope you’ll find them helpful as you make your own Grand Arches Cardi!
Yarn
This is my first time using Beautiful You (try WeCrochet Paragon as a substitute) and let me tell you.. it is perfect for this pattern. You can see below how tiny the yarn is next to my 3.75 mm hook. This is what allows this design to feel so light, airy and flowy. Crochet clothing can be so hard to design because the stitches are much more substantial than knit stitches. Knit stitches lay flat and are much lighter than crochet ones, which are always bulkier, no matter the stitch. It’s just the nature of crochet. It’s the one downfall of crochet.. but I see it as a fun challenge (lol). To compensate for crochet’s bulkiness, I chose this lacy shell stitch and sport weight yarn that would work really well together to create a delicate crochet design.
Actually, the author that I mentioned earlier, Dora Ohrenstein, says that she doesn’t ever design crochet garments with worsted weight or heavier because of this exact reason. It’s too bulky. For some reason that really stuck with me – it so perfectly describes the challenge that comes with crochet: bulkiness and stiffness.
Beautiful You is 100% acrylic and machine-washable. It’s really smooth and shiny and tightly spun so it has great stitch definition! If you don’t want to order this yarn, any sport weight yarn that matches gauge would work for this cardigan. My Granite Yoke Tee uses this yarn as well!
You can find the pattern in these places:
On my website here.
On Ravelry here.
On Etsy here.
My all of my Lion Brand kits here. (includes a digital copy of the pattern + all the required yarn)
Try WeCrochet Paragon as a substitute here.
Preorder my book – Modern Crochet Sweaters: 20 Chic Designs for Everyday Wear – here!
(Use the code “PATTERN10” for 10% off all patterns on all platforms)
I can’t wait to see your WIPs! Make sure to tag me @knitsnknotswpg and use the pattern hashtag #GrandArchesCardi so that everyone can see your projects!
Happy crocheting,
x
Janine
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