Around the Block Sweater - Free Jumper Crochet Pattern for Women in Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK

Around the Block Sweater – Free Crochet Jumper Pattern for Women by Paintbox Yarns

The Around the Block Sweater is a women's crochet jumper pattern designed by Paintbox Yarns and available as a free downloadable PDF. Rated at an intermediate difficulty level, this pattern produces a stylish, colour-blocked and striped pullover sweater with beautiful lace detailing, making it a rewarding project for crocheters who are comfortable with basic stitch construction and are ready to explore more structured garment shaping.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a women's pullover sweater (also called a jumper in UK terminology). The design features bold colour blocking and stripe sequences worked across the body, giving the finished garment a modern, graphic aesthetic. The sweater is constructed using a seamed method, meaning individual panels or sections are worked separately and then joined together, which allows for precise shaping and a clean, structured finish. Portions of the construction are also worked in the round, a technique where stitches are joined at the end of each row to form a continuous tube — commonly used for sleeves, necklines, or body sections in garment crochet.

Colourwork and Stripe Design

The sweater is worked in three colours using Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK:

• Stormy Grey (A) – the primary colour, requiring 8, 9, or 11 balls depending on size
• Dusty Lilac (B) – a soft purple accent, requiring 6, 6, or 7 balls
• Lime Green (C) – a vibrant contrast colour, requiring 6, 6, or 7 balls

The combination of Stormy Grey, Dusty Lilac, and Lime Green creates a striking palette that balances neutral and bold tones. The stripe and colour-block construction means yarn is changed at regular intervals throughout the pattern, so crocheters should be comfortable with joining new colours and managing yarn ends neatly.

Techniques Used

• Lace: Lace crochet involves creating decorative open-work fabric through strategic use of chain spaces, yarn-overs, and stitch skips. In garment crochet, lace panels or sections add texture, visual interest, and a lighter drape to the finished piece.
• Seamed construction: Sections of the sweater are worked flat and then sewn or slip-stitched together. This technique gives crocheters control over fit and allows each piece to be blocked individually before assembly.
• Stripes: Regular colour changes are made across rows or rounds to produce horizontal stripe sequences. Managing floats and weaving in ends carefully is important for a neat finish.
• Worked in the round: Certain sections of the sweater are crocheted in continuous or joined rounds, creating seamless tubular fabric ideal for sleeves or body sections.

Stitches Used

The pattern is written in US crochet terminology with UK equivalents provided in italics within round brackets throughout the instructions. Based on the pattern details, stitches include single crochet (sc) — known as double crochet (dc) in UK terminology — as a foundational stitch, alongside the stitch combinations required to produce the lace sections. Lace crochet typically incorporates chain spaces, slip stitches, and taller stitches such as double crochet (US) or treble crochet (UK) to create the open, airy fabric characteristic of the style.

Materials and Tools

• Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK — a DK weight yarn, available at lovecrafts.com. Cotton DK is a smooth, stitch-definition-friendly yarn that works beautifully for colourwork and lace, as its low stretch and clear stitch structure make pattern repeats easy to see and count.
• Crochet Hooks: Two hook sizes are required — a US E/4 (3.5mm) hook and a US G/6 (4mm) hook. Using two hook sizes is common in garment patterns to achieve different