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Cozy Stylish Crochet Swancho Free Pattern!

UPDATE: The crochet swancho CAL is complete, and the full pattern is now available.

We are all about being cozy. And we know that you are, too. When we posted recently about the super cozy crochet hoodie blanket free pattern, so many of you immediately jumped on making it. That excited us to announce our first-ever Marly Bird CAL with Yarnspirations for a cozy and stylish item. It’s a crochet swancho! Stylish like a sweater and cozy like a poncho, this design offers a versatile neckline option to create exactly the garment you’re looking for. The CAL is now complete, which means the free crochet swancho pattern is now ready for you.

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Four image collage of Marly Bird's Crochet Swancho worked in Red Heart Roll With It Melange yarn. 2 images of Marly wearing her swancho in park setting, one with close up of cuff and hem, the other of the whole swancho lying flat on grey background.

There’s a lot of information in this post. To let it soak in, please take a minute to read through the entire post at least once. Then, you can skip to any section you need to see (note the links will be at the bottom).

What is a Crochet-Along?

Let’s start at the very beginning. If you aren’t familiar with the term ‘crochet-along’ let me explain. A crochet-along, or CAL, is a group of people coming together to crochet the same project in the same timeframe. The best part about the CALs I run is that I have a special Facebook group full of helpful crocheters working on the same project, and there to offer support. But, if you cannot start when I post the first section, or if you are new to crochet and don’t feel as fast, don’t worry. The content and pattern will always be available and FREE, thanks to Red Heart Yarns.

What Is a Swancho?

As the name explains, the swancho is a cross between a sweater and a poncho. A poncho is a loose, cozy garment, usually square or rectangular, that you pop right over your head for warmth. A sweater, of course, has sleeves and a more detailed neckline. But combine these features, and you get a beautiful garment that is also super cozy to wear. The crochet swancho is worked top-down, which is an easy design approach.

Options for Your Crochet Swancho

As you can see, this is not a mystery crochet-along. You know what you’re making, and you can make choices along the way – your preferred yarn color and the neckline you want.

As for the neckline, you can choose from the extra cozy cowl neck version (that I love and made on my sample) or a crewneck version, a classic sweater style many people love.

Styled outfit collage with 5 items including the crochet swancho with crew neck option. Yarnspirations swancho cal 2022

How Challenging Is This Crochet Swancho Pattern?

It’s designed as an experienced crocheter’s pattern. However, because it’s a CAL, you’ll get many details along the way. Moreover, you’ll have the support of the people crocheting along with you in the community. So, don’t be afraid to give it a try. In addition to basic crochet stitches, you’ll have the opportunity to work with foundation stitches, stacked stitches, post stitches, and clusters. It’s going to be fun!

The pattern is written and includes full schematic and stitch diagrams. Of course, video tutorials will be available for each section I taught and hosted on the Marly Bird YouTube Channel.

Circle image of smiling Marly. Learn on YouTube with Marly Bird

Yarnspirations Crochet Swancho

Here are the details. Get the full pattern here.

MEASUREMENTS

TO FIT SIZE

S/M (L/XL, 2X/3X, 4X/5X), the sweater is oversized with 5-10” of ease

Sweater shown with cowl option is 2X/3X on Marly.

Note about size: When picking out your size, make sure you check the finished bust. The sweater is designed to be oversized. Keep in mind if you are between 2 sizes, you can certainly make it one size smaller to have a tighter fit.

FINISHED BUST MEASUREMENT 

44 (51, 59, 66)” [112, 129.5, 150, 167.5 cm] bust circumference. 

GAUGE

6 dc groups and 8 rows = 5.5” [14 cm] x 4.375” [11 cm]  CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any crochet hook size to obtain the gauge.  See gauge swatch pattern for directions. 

MATERIALS

YARN 

Red Heart Roll With It Melange, (100% Acrylic; 5.29 oz/150 g; 389 yds/356 m; medium size (CYCA 4),  colorway used in sample: Theatre (3, 4, 4, 5) balls

As for the color, you can choose from nine different colorways when you use the recommended Roll With It Melange yarn. This is a 100% worsted weight acrylic yarn that you can machine wash and dry, making your crochet swancho easy to care for. The colorways are what make this yarn truly unique. The colors swirl and work up so beautifully as you craft. Working on the CAL, you’ll delight in seeing those colors unfold. The result is an elegant, stylish design. Make something relatively simple, and let the yarn do the colorwork for you!

HOOK 

K/10.5 (6.5mm)

NOTIONS 

Stitch markers, tapestry needle

Photo collage of the crochet swancho 2022 crochet-along project as seen above. Marly Bird

GAUGE SWATCH

Note: See stitch diagram for assistance with the gauge swatch. 

Stitch diagram for the crochet swancho by Marly Bird

Foundation Row (WS): 19 Foundation sc (see special stitches), turn. 

Row 1 (RS): Stacked dc in first sc, *ch 2, skip 2 sc, 3 dc-cl in next sc, ch 2, skip 2 sc, dc in next sc; repeat from * to end, turn. (6 ch-2 sps)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 1, *sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 3; repeat from * across to last ch-2 sp, sc in last ch-2 sp, ch 1, sc in last st, turn. 

Row 3: (Stacked dc, dc) in first sc, 3 dc in each ch-3 sp across (makes a dc group), 2 dc in last sc, turn. 

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in first dc, ch 1, skip 1 dc, *sc between sts before next dc group, ch 3, skip 3 dc; repeat from * across to last 2 dc, sc between sts after last dc group, ch 1, sc in last st, turn. 

Row 5: Stacked dc in first sc, *ch 2, 3 dc-cl in next ch-3 sp, ch 2, dc in next ch-3 sp; repeat from * across to last ch-3 sp, ch 2, 3 dc-cl in last ch-3 sp, ch 2, dc in last sc, turn.

Repeat Rows 2-5 to desired length for swatch.  

Marly Bird wearing the easy crochet swancho pattern. Text that reads: 'Crochet-along begins January 26, 2022.' Marly Bird Logo

Sharing is Caring

Sharing is caring in everything that we do in this industry. The more you share this event (and others) online, the more people will visit my site, and the more you will help support me. That is how we designers get noticed because it helps us make revenue for these free events through the ads on our blogs.

Adding your project to Ravelry, showing WIP images in all your crochet-related Facebook groups, and posting about your progress on Instagram are all ways you can help us promote this fun event.

➸ Here is a quick link to the project page on Ravelry for your convenience.

If you are part of Ravelry, please take a minute and add your project there as well.

Marly Bird Crochet-along Facebook Group

Before starting the CAL, please head to Facebook and join our dedicated crochet-along Facebook group. In this group, you will be joined by many other people participating in the CAL.

We shared progress photos, talked about tips and tricks, and helped each other through the tricky parts of the pattern in the group. I answered your questions with my team of admins and other crochet lovers.

Each week, we had a new post for questions. You’ll see all the answers there. If you have photos to share, just post them on the page as you take them.

The Facebook group is also where you could enter to win prizes.

Link to CAL Facebook group

The Crochet Swancho pattern is now available here.

➡️ Don’t forget to join the Marly’s Minions Facebook group so you can share your progress. Half the fun of crochet-alongs is the community aspect of sharing the work as we go! ⬅️

Styled outfit collage with 5 pieces including the crochet swancho with crew neck option of the yarnspirations swancho cal 2022.Marly Bird

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  1. Teresa Leo says:

    I have had to frog my Swancho for the seventh time. I am NOT giving up, up the printed part of the first pattern has so many notations, colors, checks etc. That I can’t follow it anymore. I can’t find it online again. Could you, please, help me? The last time I was just about finished and found an error all the way back in round three!

    I love the pattern and almost cried when I had to frog my sweater this time. Thanks for any help.
    Teresa

Marly Bird

The One and Only, Marly

Marly is a knitwear and crochet designer (and yarn addict) that is here to help you learn how to knit and crochet in a way that's fun and approachable.

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