Valley Yarns Arch and Picot Crocheted Pullover Pattern

Valley Yarns Arch and Picot Crocheted Pullover

Project Overview

The Arch and Picot Crocheted Pullover is an intermediate-level sweater designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This pullover features an elegant lace pattern created using the Arch and Picot stitch, a decorative technique that combines chain spaces and single crochet to form openwork arches and picot details. The garment is worked flat in pieces and then seamed together, making it an accessible project for crocheters with some experience.

What Is Being Made

This is a crocheted pullover sweater available in five finished sizes: 36, 40, 44, 48, and 52 inches in circumference. The pullover features a classic construction with a body worked from the bottom up, set-in sleeves, and seamed shoulders. The design showcases an open, airy aesthetic created by the signature Arch and Picot stitch pattern throughout the front, back, and sleeves.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is built starting from the lower edge and working upward, allowing for easy length adjustments before binding off
• Worked flat: All pieces are crocheted in flat rows rather than in the round, then assembled through seaming
• Lace stitch work: The Arch and Picot stitch creates an openwork lace pattern with intentional gaps and decorative elements
• Seamed assembly: Finished pieces are sewn or crocheted together at the shoulders, sleeves, and side seams for a polished final garment

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The pullover is primarily constructed using the Arch and Picot stitch, a four-row repeating pattern that creates a distinctive openwork design. The pattern uses fundamental crochet stitches as building blocks:

• Single crochet (sc): The foundation stitch used throughout the pattern for structure and definition
• Double crochet (dc): Used in specific rows to create height and bridge sections of the pattern
• Chain stitches (ch): Form the open spaces and arches characteristic of the lace design, with varying chain lengths (ch2, ch3, ch5) creating different sized gaps

The Arch and Picot stitch is worked over a multiple of 5 stitches plus 1. Rows 2 through 5 form the repeating pattern unit and are repeated throughout the garment. Row 2 establishes the arch structure with alternating chain-5 and chain-3 spaces. Row 3 creates the picot details by working into the chain loops. Row 4 builds dimension with double crochets and chain spaces. Row 5 fills in the pattern with groups of single crochets, completing the lace motif before the pattern repeats. This four-row cycle creates a balanced, visually interesting texture with both open and solid areas.

Materials

The Valley Yarns Arch and Picot Crocheted Pullover is designed to be worked with Valley Yarns Deerfield yarn, a luxury blend consisting of 80% baby alpaca and 20% silk. This fiber combination provides softness, drape, and a subtle sheen appropriate for a lace garment. The yarn is available in a natural colorway.

Yardage requirements vary by size: 9 skeins (smallest size), 10 skeins, 12 skeins, 13 skeins, or 14 skeins (largest size). Each skein contains 109 yards and weighs 50 grams, allowing crafters to calculate total yardage needed based on their chosen size.

The pattern calls for a US size F5 / 3.75mm crochet hook. The recommended gauge is approximately 5 single crochets per 1 inch and rows 2-5 of the pattern stitch measuring 1.25 inches in height. Achieving proper gauge is important for obtaining the finished measurements and ensuring the garment fits as intended.

Construction Details

The front and back pieces are each started with a foundation chain of 91, 101, 111, 121, or 131 stitches depending on size. The initial row establishes single crochets across the foundation, then the Arch and Picot stitch pattern begins. The body is worked for a specific number of pattern repeats, with the back piece worked for more repeats than the front to accommodate the shoulder shaping.