Damenpullover in Schachenmayr Catania - 4771 - Downloadable PDF

Damenpullover in Schachenmayr Catania – Crochet Lace Sweater Pattern (Free Downloadable PDF)

This free downloadable PDF pattern by Schachenmayr presents a beautifully crafted women's pullover sweater worked in the beloved Schachenmayr Catania yarn. The design combines a delicate lace eyelet pattern (Ajourmuster) with smooth stockinette sections to create an elegant, lightweight sweater suitable for sizes 36/38 and 40/42. The pattern is written in German and provides full instructions for the back, front, and sleeves.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a women's pullover (Damenpullover) — a classic, close-fitting jumper featuring a shaped neckline and set-in sleeves. The sweater combines panels of openwork lace with sections of smooth knitting, giving it a refined, feminine aesthetic. The total garment height is approximately 56.5 cm, making it a standard-length pullover ideal for everyday or smart-casual wear.

Construction and Structure

• Back piece (Rückenteil): Cast on 119 stitches (size 36/38) or 128 stitches (size 40/42) using a twisted cast-on (Kreuzanschlag). Work 62 rows (approx. 21 cm) in the lace eyelet pattern, followed by 54 rows (approx. 16 cm) in smooth stockinette, then continue in the lace pattern. Neckline shaping begins at 53.5 cm height, with the centre 21 or 22 stitches cast off and decreases worked on each side every second row.
• Front piece (Vorderteil): Worked in the same manner as the back, with modified neckline shaping as specified in the full pattern instructions.
• Sleeves (Ärmel): The lace pattern repeat begins and ends differently on the sleeves compared to the body panels, as indicated in the chart, ensuring the motif is centred and balanced on each sleeve.

Techniques Used

• Twisted cast-on (Kreuzanschlag) — a firm, elastic cast-on method commonly used in German-language knitting patterns to create a neat, stable foundation edge.
• Lace eyelet pattern (Ajourmuster) — worked from a written chart, repeating a 9-stitch motif across all right-side and wrong-side rows. The repeat is worked over 4 rows, continuously repeated throughout the lace sections.
• Smooth stockinette (Glatt rechts) — right-side rows knitted, wrong-side rows purled, forming the central body band that contrasts with the lace panels above and below.
• Neckline shaping — achieved through stepped cast-offs and paired decreases worked every second row, creating a smooth, rounded neckline on both front and back.
• Shoulder cast-off (Schulter-M abk.) — remaining shoulder stitches are cast off in a single row to finish each shoulder seam cleanly.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (rechts stricken) — the foundation of the stockinette and lace sections.
• Purl stitch (links stricken) — used on wrong-side rows in the stockinette section.
• Yarn overs and decreases — the core elements of the Ajourmuster lace chart, creating the characteristic openwork eyelets that define the pattern's decorative appeal.
• Edge stitches (Randmaschen) — selvedge stitches are maintained throughout, with the pattern repeat beginning and ending at clearly marked arrow positions in the chart.

Materials and Gauge

The pattern is designed for Schachenmayr Catania, a sport-weight (fingering/sport) 100% mercerised cotton yarn known for its smooth texture, stitch definition, and wide colour range — qualities that make it particularly well suited to lace and ey