How to Crochet a Jumper

This jumper is dressier than usual.

"Jumper," when referring to clothing, can mean different things. It can be a short jacket for rough, work wear, a pull-over sweater or a plain, pinafore style dress worn by women and children. The pinafore style dress is the easiest to make and the most common usage. It is usually worn over a blouse or sleeved sweater and can be an attractive, comfortable addition to a woman's wardrobe. Slight changes in color or fiber can change it from informal to formal.

Things You'll Need

• Large drawing or butcher paper
• Pencil
• Shirt or dress that fits comfortably
• Baby yarn
• Crochet hook
• Brassiere
• Scissors

Instructions

Creating an Outline Pattern

1. Measure the intended wearer. You will need the chest measurement just above the bust, just under the bust and at the fullest part of the bust. You will also need to measure the distance from just under the bust to the intended hemline.

2. Place a dress, blouse or coat that fits well on a large sheet of paper. Draw a line along the top of each shoulder and along the edge of the bodice from the armpit to two handwidths -- the wearer's handwidth-- below the armpit. Remove the garment. This part will be a bustline bandeau.

3. Draw a line from the top of the armpit line on one side to the top of the armpit line on the other side. Draw another line from the bottom of the side line to the bottom of the other side line. Draw a vertical line from the center of the bottom line to the intended hemline, using the bust-to-hem measurement taken earlier. Draw a horizontal line across the paper at the hemline.

4. Draw an angled line from the bottom of the bodice bandeau drawn earlier to the end of the horizontal hemline on each side. This outline will provide a reference to use while crocheting the garment.

Crocheting the Bandeau

1. Crochet a chain long enough to reach around the intended wearer just below the bustline, plus 5 inches. Single stitch two rows along the chain. Overlap the ends of the chain two inches and pin it in place.

2. Lay the chain just under the bottom bodice line on the pattern, with the pinned overlap toward the back. Mark the sides and center front with short pieces of contrasting yarn tied into the crocheting. If the jumper will be worn by a woman, place a brassiere that fits well above the band of crochet and mark the spot on the band that corresponds to the center of each cup.

3. Crochet in single stitch across one side of the back and a handspan from the side marking toward the front. Double crochet to within 3 inches of the center front, single crochet for 3 inches, then double crochet to within one handspan of the other side marker. Single crochet to the end. Chain one, turn, and repeat. Continue to use double crochet in the front till the bandeau dimensions match those of the brassiere, plus 1 inch to allow for comfortable movement.

4. Decrease the front bust allowance on the next three or four rows by skipping every fourth crochet stitch. If this does not produce enough decrease, skip every third stitch. If it produces to much decrease, skip every fifth stitch. This phase may take a little experimentation to get just right. A dress maker's dummy is handy at this phase, but you can manage by using a stuffed bra pinned to the paper pattern. Continue crocheting till the bandeau will reach from the under-bust line to the above-bust line. Snip the thread and pull the end through the last loop. Work the loose thread back through the crocheting.

5. Make the jumper skirt. Pull a loop through the bottom corner stitch of the bandeau. Double stitch 2 inches from the edge along the bottom of the bandeau. Begin working in shell stitch, still going around the bottom of the bandeau. Skip one stitch, crochet three double stitches in the third stitch, until within 2 inches of the opposite side; then return to making double stitches.

6. Crochet back and forth till the garment reaches just below the hips. Join the back panels together, and continue to crochet around the skirt until it reaches the desired length. The shell stitch will create a full, fluffy skirt. If it seems to be getting a little too full, skip two stitches between shells. Join the last row to the end of the previous one, snip the thread and pull the loose end through the last loop. Work the loose thread back through the crochet.

Straps and Finishing touches

1. On the back of the bandeau, mark a place for the straps where they will go across the wearer's shoulder blades. Pull a loop through one end of the marked strap space, single crochet seven stitches in the top edge of the bandeau, chain one, turn the work and chain back across.

2. Continue crocheting till you have a strap that will reach across the opposite shoulder from the starting point to the center top of the bandeau cup in front. Crochet two more rows, then crochet two stitches, chain three and crochet two more. Turn the work, single crochet back across the strap twice more and fasten off by drawing the snipped thread through the last loop. Repeat for the other strap.

3. Single crochet around the bottom edge of the skirt, the top of the bodice, the edges of the straps, and along the back opening. Sew grosgrain ribbons on the underside of the back opening. Make button holes in one side by cutting vertical slits in the ribbon to match the spaces in the double stitching along the edge. Finish with a sewn buttonhole stitch. Sew two flat, four-hole buttons to the top front of the bodice and to the button side of the back opening.

References

• Michaels; Crocheted Jumper; 2011
• "Crocheting for Dummies"; Manthey,K.; 2010
• Knitting Dictionary; Margaret Hamilton-Hunt; 1963