The Stella Sweater – Crochet Sweater Pattern

A stylish and luxurious sweater, this easy crochet winter-white sweater is made with super-soft and light Alpaca blend yarn and features decorative wooden buttons down the back! Using the simple but textured extended single crochet stitch, this beautiful and elegant sweater will become a winter wardrobe staple.

Scroll down for the free crochet pattern for the Stella Sweater and click here to PIN this for later!

Purchase the ad-free PDF digital download version from Etsy!

This weekend, we finally got our first proper snow here in central North Carolina, and of course, that one inch of snow was quite an event. We usually just get ice and sleet and all the nasty winter-type weather, so anytime we get that perfect, fluffy snow we freak out a little bit! I am one of those Southern weirdos who LOVE cold weather and snow (from the comfort of my well-heated home, let’s be honest), but it really is simply beautiful.

This snowfall just happened to coincide with the completion of my most recent project, the winter-white Stella Sweater, and it was too perfect outside with the sun shining on all that melting snow to resist a quick and chilly photoshoot. And so, I am happy to bring this crochet sweater pattern to you from Snowpacolypse 2022!

I love a great winter-white sweater! I don’t know why they appeal to me during these cold-weather months – they just seem so elegant and classy. And lucky for me, I found the MOST LUXURIOUS yarn (more on that later) and thought it was perfect for a soft sweater and I had this idea of using buttons somehow. I love the way the finished crochet sweater turned out! This sweater fits more true-to-size for a dressy and fitted look with your favorite jeans. The decorative buttons down the back panel seam really set this easy crochet sweater design apart.

EXTENDED SINGLE CROCHET for the Stella Crochet Sweater:

This was the perfect stitch for this easy crochet sweater, as it gives the sweater a beautifully textured look without being too lacy or open. Easy to work, this stitch will ensure this sweater finishes up quickly and the construction of this sweater is simple.

WHY I LOVE THIS YARN for this easy crochet sweater . . .

This easy crochet sweater pattern uses Lion Brand LB Collection Chainette and it’s just special. This luxurious blend of 70% Baby Alpaca, 18% Virgin Wool, and 12% Polyamide features a chainette construction that is lightweight and super soft and feels amazing against your skin. In particular, Chainette has that signature halo you get from alpaca yarn, and this gives the finished sweater a slightly fuzzy look. To crochet this sweater, any #4 worsted weight yarn can be used as long as your gauge is maintained or adjusted as needed, but I most certainly recommend using this show-stopping yarn.

True story: The Stella Sweater gets it’s name from . . . my dog. I was lamenting while making it that I had to keep picking dog hair from it, because everything in our house is covered in dog hair no matter how much we clean. Our sweet Stella is a black lab mix, and it was just too perfect to name this project after her because so much of her is LITERALLY crocheted into it. I mean, who makes a white sweater with a black dog in the house!? Apparently, I do.

Scroll down for the free crochet pattern for the Stella Sweater and click here to PIN this for later!

Purchase the ad-free PDF digital download version from Etsy!

THE STELLA SWEATER – EASY CROCHET SWEATER PATTERN

A stylish and luxurious sweater, this easy crochet winter-white sweater is made with super-soft and light Alpaca blend yarn and features decorative wooden buttons down the back! Using the simple but textured extended single crochet stitch, this beautiful and elegant sweater will become a winter wardrobe staple.

SKILL LEVEL:  Easy +

MATERIALS:

US Size H/8 5.00mm crochet hook

Lion Brand LB Collection Chainette (Weight: 4/Worsted 70% Baby Alpaca, 18% Virgin Wool, 12% Polyamide –131 yards/120m, 1.75oz/50g)

• Cream – 8 (9, 9, 10, 10, 11) skeins; approximately 1048 (1179, 1179, 1310, 1310, 1441) yards. **

Stitch Markers

Scissors

Yarn needle

Decorative Buttons

SIZES:

	FITS ACTUAL BUST*	SWEATER LENGTH	FRONT PANEL WIDTH (shoulder to shoulder)	LEFT BACK PANEL WIDTH	RIGHT BACK PANEL WIDTH
XS	28-30”	20.5”	17.5”	9.75”	9.25”
S	32-34”	21”	18”	10”	9.5”
M	36-38”	21.5”	19”	10.5”	10”
L	40-42”	22”	20”	11”	10.5”
XL	44-46”	22.5”	20.5”	11.25”	10.75”
2X	48-50”	23”	21”	12”	11.5”

*This sweater is intended to fit more true-to-size, with 3 inches of positive ease in the main body of the cardigan and sleeves that can be customized for length.  Please size up if you want your sweater to fit more loosely. The length of the front and back panels can be adjusted as needed for preferred fit by adding or removing rows. 

**Please make sure to purchase enough yarn if you are adding length to make sure you have enough of the same dye-lot. 

GAUGE:     13 extended single crochet X 13 rows = 4 inches

ABBREVIATIONS: 

ch – chain

sc – single crochet

esc – extended single crochet

esc2tog – extended single crochet 2 together

decr – decrease

PM – place stitch marker

sl st – slip stitch

sk – skip

st – stitch

tch – turning chain

YO – yarn over

OVERALL PATTERN NOTES:

• The sweater is worked in three panels for the main body – the front panel is measured from shoulder to shoulder and the two back panels are overlapped and seamed together to create a decorative edge for buttons down the back of the sweater.
• Sleeves are worked in turned rows from the armholes to the wrists
• Pattern is written in smallest size with larger sizes following in parentheses as XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X). 
• This sweater is created using the Extended Single Crochet Stitch: 

Insert hook into the indicated stitch and pull up a loop.  YO and pull through the first loop on your hook, YO and pull through both loops on your hook. 

• There is no wrong side or right side to this sweater, instructions are provided for placement of panels for seaming. 
• I prefer the whip stitch seaming method for my sweaters, but please use your preferred seaming method. 
• Chain 1 does NOT count as a stitch.     

FRONT PANEL

Ch 58 (60, 63, 66, 68, 70)

Row 1:  Esc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each st across.  Turn.  [57 (59, 62, 65, 67, 69)]

Row 2:  Ch 1, esc in 1^st st from hook and across. Turn.  [57 (59, 62, 65, 67, 69)]

Rows 3 – 67 (69, 70, 72, 74, 75):  Repeat Row 2.  Fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming. 

BACK LEFT PANEL

Ch 33 (34, 36, 37, 38, 40)

Row 1:  Esc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each st across.  Turn.  [32 (33, 35, 36, 37, 39]

Row 2:  Ch 1, esc in 1^st st from hook and across. Turn.  [32 (33, 35, 36, 37, 39]

Rows 3 – 67 (69, 70, 72, 74, 75):  Repeat Row 2.  Fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming. 

BACK RIGHT PANEL

Ch 31 (32, 34, 35, 36, 38)

Row 1:  Esc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each st across.  Turn.  [30 (31, 33, 34, 35, 37]

Row 2:  Ch 1, esc in 1^st st from hook and across. Turn.  [30 (31, 33, 34, 35, 37]

Rows 3 – 67 (69, 70, 72, 74, 75):  Repeat Row 2.  DO NOT FASTEN OFF.

You will now continue to crochet down the length of the panel to create a simple edging – this is approximately one single crochet per row of extended single crochet. 

Right Panel Edging:  Ch 1, turn to work down the length of the panel, work 1 sc into the end of each row down the panel.  67 (69, 70, 72, 74, 75) single crochet.  Fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming.     

Before moving on to the sleeves, you will seam the main sweater body to the back panels and PIN down the edge of the overlap. 

SEAMING THE PANELS TOGETHER

• Lay the front panel down and place the left and right back panels on top; the shorter right panel with the single crochet edging will overlap the longer left panel by approximately 1 inch.  Using stitch markers, pin the overlapping edge of the right panel to the bottom left panel to hold it in place.  The seam down the middle of the back of your sweater will be seamed after the sleeves are worked and after the buttons are sewn on.
• Using stitch markers, pin across the top of the shoulders and down the sides of the sweater.  Leave approximately 6.5 (7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9) inches for each armhole.   

**At this point, TURN YOUR SWEATER INSIDE OUT before beginning your seaming.  This will be the INSIDE of your sweater now, and the outside-facing seaming down the single crochet edge will not be completed until after the sweater is turned the right way out again. 

• Using the yarn tail, seam the shoulders with your preferred seaming method and fasten off. The size of the neck hole can be customized as preferred by placing stitch markers where the seaming will end.
• Fasten yarn at the stitch markers placed at the armpits and seam down each side of the sweater. 

**You will now begin working on the sleeves, which are crocheted into the armholes on what is now the INSIDE of the sweater. 

SLEEVES (make 2)

Sleeves are worked from the armholes to the cuff with turned rows, with decrease rows indicated in the chart below as per size.  Stitch count will decrease by two stitches for every decrease row indicated. 

• Decrease Row (esc2tog):  Insert hook into the indicated stitch, YO and pull up a loop (2 loops on the hook).  YO, pull through one loop (two loops on the hook).  Insert hook into the next stitch, YO and pull up a loop (3 loops on the hook), YO and pull through all three loops. 

Join yarn with a slip stitch at the armpit.  It does not matter which sleeve you start on, following the below instructions:

• 1^st sleeve – Working up the front panel to the seam and down the back panel: 
• 2^nd sleeve – Working up the back panel to the seam and down the front panel:

Row 1:  Ch 1, esc evenly around the armhole; this will be approximately 1 esc in each row, with 1 esc in the seam. Sl st to 1^st esc worked, ch 1, turn.  [42, (46, 49, 52, 56, 59)]

Row 2:  Sk 1^st st from hook, esc in next st; PM in this 1^st esc to mark where you will finish your round. Esc in each st around, sl st to 1^st esc worked at stitch marker, ch 1, turn.  [42, (46, 49, 52, 56, 59)]

Refer to photos below for working your sleeves in the round.

Rows 3 – 5 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10):  Repeat Row 2. 

Row 6 (7, 8, 9, 10, 11):  Sk 1^st st from hook, esc2tog; PM in this 1^st st to mark where you will finish your round. Esc around to last 2 sts, esc2tog.  Sl st to 1^st esc worked at stitch marker, ch 1, turn.  [40, (44, 47, 50, 54, 57)]

Rows 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) – 55 (57, 59, 61, 62, 64):  Repeat Row 2, working decr rows as indicated per size. 

• Example – for size XS, you will work the decrease row for rows 6, 11, 16, 21, 26, 32, 37, 42, 47 and 51 and should have the indicated number of stitches at the end of each row.  The sleeve for size XS will start with 42 total stitches at the armhole and end with 22 stitches at the cuffs. 

DECREASE ROWS AS INDICATED PER SIZE:

Fasten off yarn at the cuffs.  In order to customize your preferred fit, you can adjust the length of the sleeves prior to fastening off yarn.

FINISHING DETAILS – Final Seaming and Buttons

After finishing your sleeves, turn your sweater back out – this is now the OUTSIDE of your sweater as you will wear it.  Your seam down the back of the sweater should still have your stitch markers placed.  I attached my buttons first to provide more stability before finishing the final seaming.  If you make a mistake with your buttons, just snip them off and start again! 

• Space your buttons evenly down the back of your sweater and sew them on. For the look I wanted to create, I used five (5) 1 1\4 in diameter wooden buttons on my finished sweater, but this can be customized as preferred. 
• Join yarn at the top overlap (see photo) and seam along the 1-inch overlap.  You will now seam down the INSIDE length of the sweater to tack down the overlap (see photo). 

Reference photos for seaming:

Since you are not seaming the edges together, this will just be a simple and quick back and forth seam to tack the inner edge of your panels so there are no gaps from where your buttons are sewn on.  I found that this prevented the corner of the overlapping panel from curling up, but you may prefer to just sew your buttons on and not tack the panels together.

• Remove your outer stitch markers as you go and keep an eye on where you are placing your needle as you seam in and out to make sure the seam remains straight.  Stop periodically and smooth your sweater out to straighten up the seam if necessary. Again, if you mess this up, you can pull this yarn out and start over. 
• When you reach the bottom hem, seam the bottom overlap together as you did the top overlap and fasten off. 

Weave in all your ends and you are DONE and ready to wear this beautiful winter white sweater!