The mimosa pullover
The first garment I’ve ever made, and I’m hooked!
Details for Crocheters
If you’d like to make this gorgeous jumper for yourself all the details are here below. From the pattern itself, to the yarn required, plus some helpful resources, and lessons I learned, that will all send you off to a flying start.
Pattern
I found this pattern via Instagram, but purchased it on Etsy. It was all thanks to this stunning Instagram post from Roberta (aka @woollottalove on Instagram), the crochet pattern designer.
If you’d like to purchase this pattern, just head to Roberta’s etsy store here, or you can also find a direct link to buy the pattern here.
Yarn
I was absolutely mesmerised by how much yarn was needed to crochet this gorgeous garment. Not because it was an unusual amount needed for a garment, but because I’d never made a garment before! I mean, look at that glorious yarn pile.
For this pattern, you need worsted weight yarn. I chose the same as Roberta, because I’m absolutely in love with this mustard colour, and I purchased Drops Paris 100% Cotton in Mustard (Colour no. 41). At first I struggled to find this yarn online (mustard also seems to be a super popular colour!), but eventually I found some in stock at Wool Warehouse. Just click here if you’d like a direct link to the yarn I purchased.
Helpful Resources
I seriously learned so much throughout the process of crocheting this pullover. Here are some of the major resources that helped me actually finish this project:
Check your gauge
So many crochet pattern designers emphasise the importance of checking your gauge, and now I know why! When you crochet a garment, you’re crocheting an item that needs to fit you or the person you’re making it for. If you don’t crochet the exact same way as the designer (guys, the likelihood is that you don’t - we’re all different. Some of us crochet super tightly, others are more relaxed), the garment is not going to fit you how it should. Essentially, you need to check your gauge before you start any crochet pattern, unless it states otherwise. And this my awesome readers, was my first time ever having to check my gauge. It was a process to say the least.
How did I figure out how to do it? This video by Bella Coco helped me tremendously.
Double Crochet Stitch (Treble in UK terms)
Right, don’t laugh, but since crocheting so many amigurumi that only require a single crochet stitch (DC in the UK), I needed a wee reminder of how this was done. This video by Bobbie Thomson (aka Crochet Guru), helped rejig my memory.
What the hell does sk mean?
Yup, I had no clue, so I had to google that too. Apparently it means skip. Whoops! Here’s a great article all about skipping chains by the spruce Crafts - just click here to check it out.
Half Double Crochet Stitch (Half Treble in UK terms)
Another stitch I needed a reminder of, was the half double crochet stitch. This blog on dummies.com (don’t judge me until you read it) outlines this stitch so well with very easy to follow instructions with illustrations to match - just click here to check it out.
Bobble Stitch
Although I think this stitch should really be called the Bubble Stitch, it has 100% become my favourite stitch! I love everything about it, except… how long it takes to do. But the outcome is totally worth it - the look and that texture is just stunning. I’ll say no more. This blog post by Hobby Craft is so extremely helpful - take a look here. It walks you through step-by-step how to crochet the bobble stitch, and also has really clear images to match.
How to decrease with double crochet (decrease with treble crochet in UK terms)
If I needed a reminder on how to actually do a double crochet stitch, I definitely needed to know how I was meant to decrease with a double crochet stitch. Yarn Craft Council has a fantastic blog post with diagrams and very clear instructions that help you through. Just click here to take a look.
fphdc & bphdc - ah, what?
These are more stitches I needed to look up. I had no clue! On further research, these two stitch types seem very common when crocheting hats and garments like jumpers. It gives that ridged effect that looks great! It’s also way simpler than it sounds. fphdc stands for ‘Front Post Half Double Crochet’ and bphdc stands for ‘Back Post Half Double Crochet’. Can you guess what it is now?
If not, don’t fret! This video by Sarah Zimmerman (aka @repeatcrafterme) helped me loads, and I hope it helps you too.
Lessons Learned
Honestly, I learned so much making this gorgeous sweater! So much so that it would bore you to death if I wrote it all in this blog post. I’d just encourage you to try crocheting this jumper for yourself and learning as you go along - with the help of these tips of course... Here are the major lessons I learned while crocheting the Mimosa Pullover:
Don’t panic
So I made the mistake (or so I thought at the time) of not checking my gauge again when I started crocheting the back panel of this sweater. Instead, I just jumped right in, and absolutely freaked out about 10 rows in. This is what happened…
The width of my back panel was way off! I talked myself into not undoing all my stitches, and just seeing how it all went once I crocheted my first row of bobble stitches. I also purposely tried to crochet my stitches a bit tighter, which is what I normally do anyway being used to amigurumi. Thankfully, my strategy worked! In the end, the back panel was practically the same size as the front - I was shocked! The big lesson learned here was, don’t panic - it might be okay. Just keep calm, and keep crocheting.
Final Thoughts
To date this has been the most challenging, yet rewarding project I’ve crocheted. I learned how to test my gauge, a load of new crochet stitches, plus I can actually wear my creation - something I’m extremely proud of!
If you decide to make this pullover too, I’d love to know what you thought! And if you used my tips and tricks, did you find them helpful? Feel free to get in touch by commenting below or contacting me here.
Until next time, dance like you mean it - while wearing your crocheted creations of course ;)
