‘Any Yarn Will Do’ is a classic top-down round yoke sweater, designed with beginner garment crocheters in mind. If you’ve never made a sweater before, this one is for you!

But there’s something a little different about it too…

The pattern is designed to work with any of 5 yarn weights including 4ply / fingering / sock weight, double knit, aran or worsted, chunky and super chunky. You are essentially getting 5 patterns in one!

So often crocheters become disenchanted with making garments because they cannot get the fit to suit them. The Any Yarn Will Do sweater aims to solve that issue by offering different gauge options to choose from. 

Download the Any Yarn Will Do Sweater Pattern Now from Ravelry, Etsy or Love Crafts Crochet

You can read more about what inspired this pattern and learn about what went into the design process here, or read on for the pattern details

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Skills needed

This pattern is suitable for beginners with some crochet experience. It uses simple stitches, basic increases and decreases, working in the round.

The pattern has written instructions and notes which include a written description and link to a video tutorial for the extended single crochet stitch used to create the sweater.

In addition it has a photo guide which shows how to ‘split the yoke’, the main construction step in making a top-down jumper.

Top-down sweaters are worked in one piece with no seaming, so if that’s the thing that always put you off making a sweater then top-down is your friend!

There is also guidance on how to adjust top down garments for a customised fit, which you can read more about here.

The pattern is written in English using US standard crochet terms and also contains a schematic.

Yarn Weights

Yarn weight categories have so many variations across the globe that it’s hard to keep up with what qualifies as what category. This issue was part of the inspiration behind this pattern. I thought it would be more useful if you matched gauge with weight category being less important.

The pattern is written out separately for 5 yarn weights, but if the yarn you are using matches gauge for a different category than it’s label says, then go with gauge… always follow the gauge!!

Below I have outlined the yarns I used for the samples pictured for your information – but obviously any yarn will do!!

Materials

You can use any yarn which meets gauge for this project. It’s a great way to use up yarn from your stash as stripes are so easy to work, so have fun getting creative, or just stick to a single colour!

The quantity of yarn will vary for each weight and size that you choose to make but I have outlined some guidance for each category below.

4 ply / Fingering / Sock

• 4mm crochet hook
• Bergere de France Caline, 60% Acrylic 20% Wool 20% Polyamide. 50g = 180m / 197yds
• Shades: Limaille and Poudre
• Yarn Quantity: 920 – 1800m depending on size chosen

Double Knit

• 4.5mm crochet hook
• King Cole Sprite, 100% Acrylic, 100g = 300m / 328yds 
• Shade: Ibiza (shade now discontinued but yarn available in other colour ways)
• Stylecraft Life DK, 75% Acrylic, 25% Wool. 100g = 298m / 326yds
• Shade: Charcoal
• Yarn Quantity: 880 – 1670m depending on size chosen

Aran or Worsted

• 5.5mm crochet hook
• Rico Creative Soft Wool Aran, 75% Acrylic 25% Wool. 100g = 300m / 328yds
• Shade: Turquoise (024)
• Yarn Quantity: 730 – 1410m depending on size chosen

Chunky

• 7mm crochet hook
• Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky, 100% Acrylic. 100g = 136m / 149yds
• Shade: Sailor Blue (339) and Misty Grey (303)
• Yarn Quantity: 610 – 1100m depending on size chosen

With this sample I left the body and sleeves cropped, so used a smaller amount of yarn than indicated in the pattern (about 400g for the size Small).

Super Chunky

• 12mm crochet hook
• King Cole Big Value Super Chunky, 100% Acrylic. 100g = 81m / 89yds
• Shade: Grey (024)
• Yarn Quantity: 360 – 710m depending on size chosen

Gauge

The gauge for each yarn weight category is listed in the pattern.

I strongly recommend you make a gauge swatch for this pattern so you can follow the instructions which most closely meet your gauge (not just your yarn category!)

I have listed the hook size I used to achieve gauge but you can change your hook to make the tension as needed.

This sweater is designed to be fairly loose fitting around the body and more fitted around the sleeves. So it is quite forgiving if your gauge is off a stitch or row (less so the chunkier the yarn gets!).

Top down sweaters are simple to adjust, so you can play with the fit at the point where you split the yoke. You can ‘redistribute’ the stitches for a better fit if needed (e.g take some of the stitches from the bust and allocate them to the sleeves or work more stitches at the front for a fuller bust and narrow the back).

Sizing

The pattern is written for 7 sizes, using women’s standard sizes XS to 3XL. It includes a schematic which gives various measurements for different areas of the garment (length, neckline, bicep, cuff etc.)

XS: 86cm, S: 96cm, M: 107cm, L: 117cm, 1XL: 127cm, 2XL:137cm, 3XL: 147cm

Note that whilst measurements are based on women’s sizes, this is a unisex / gender neutral design, so work with the bust / chest measurements over the size label if that works better for you!

Measurements are averaged out over the 5 pattern versions.

All the samples you see pictured here are made in a size small and worn by me – I’m 5’2” (just) and a UK dress size 8-10.

Download the full pattern now from Ravelry, Etsy or Love Crafts Crochet

For more information about the inspiration behind the any yarn will do sweater, how and why I designed it you might want to read this blog post.

Sharing your finished makes

I love seeing your finished makes – it gives me all the happy feels!

Here’s how you can share them on social media, if that’s your cup of tea!

• On Instagram, you can use the hashtag #HookMeHappy or #AnyYarnWillDo or just tag me @doradexplored
• You can tweet me your pictures, or add them to my Facebook page
• If you have the bug for creating garments, why not join my dedicated facebook group “My Crochet Wardrobe” and share them there?
• If Pinterest is your happy place, you can add them there too – check out my Pinterest account for lots more crochet inspiration from makers across the web!

Happy Hooking

Dx

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C) DoraDoes 2020.  You may sell what you make from my patterns, but please credit me as the designer at doradoes.co.uk. The pattern is for personal use only and may not be shared without prior written consent.  My photos may be shared with full credit.