Bella Donna Cardi to crochet

As a crocheter, I've been intrigued by the Bella Donna Cardi pattern on Ravelry. It's a beautiful shell stitch sweater pattern available only in Danish. I finally broke down and translated it so I could make it. I love this sweater! I used less than 5 skeins of Brown Sheep Cotton Fine in Wisteria (about 1,000 yds for the L/XL size). This yarn is rated as a fingering weight though it's a bit heavier than that. I'll be making another one in wool. It would be easy to customize by adding sleeves or give more tummy coverage by working more increases under the arm.

I contacted Laila Gerster, the designer of Bella Donna, and she has kindly given me permission to post my English translation here on my blog. Thanks, Laila!

The L/XL size is first and the S/M comes after. If you find any errors or have any questions, please leave a comment or contact me on Ravelry. Have fun!


Bella Donna Cardi
by Laila Gerster
translated by Vicki Mikulak

This pattern has negative ease at the bust of 3-4".

Size: L/XL: for bust 40 - 43"

Materials:
S/875 - XL/1258 yds fingering/sock weight yarn
Crochet hook G/4 mm
3 buttons
Split ring or locking stitch markers

Key:
ch = chain sc = sc dc = dc
Shell = 2 dc, ch1, 2 dc in the same stitch or worked in ch1 of shell in previous row

Gauge: 5 shells = 4.25" Make a swatch of 7 shells x 2 rows skipping 3 ch between shells. Adjust your hook size up or down as needed.

Neckband:
Chain 126 + 1 turning chain, turn.
Row 1: Ch1, sc across (126 sc), turn. (127 sts)
Rows 2-6: Ch1, sc to end of row.

The yoke grows to prepare for the armholes. You’ll add dc between shells and increase into these dc on following rows. Always work a shell into the ch1 of a previous shell and dc(s) into the center stitch of the previous row.

Place a marker in the center back shell on Row 7 [or place markers before and after the center section so you don’t have to count the repeats]. Repeat instructions inside [brackets] as noted.

Use the written instructions below for Row 7 and then go to Row 8 of the Yoke Chart or continue with the written directions for your size.

Yoke:
Row 7: Turn, ch3 (equals 1 dc), dc in dc, skip 1, [shell, skip 1, dc, skip 1, shell, skip 3] repeat 7x. (Place marker) Shell, skip 3, shell (center back shell), skip 3, shell, (Place marker) [skip 3, shell, skip 1, dc, skip 1, shell] 7x, skip 1, dc in last 2 ch. (31 shells)

Row 8: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell (in ch1 space of shell below), dc in dc, shell] 7x. 3 Shells. [Shell, dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 9: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, dc in dc, shell, dc between shells] 7x. Shell, dc between shells, shell, dc between shells, shell. [Dc between shells, shell, dc in dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 10: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, dc in dc] 14x. Shell, dc, shell, dc, shell. [Dc, shell] 14x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 11: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 2dc in dc, shell, dc in dc] 7x. Shell, 2dc in dc, shell, 2dc in dc, shell. [dc, shell, 2dc, shell] 7x. Dc in last 2 sts.

Row 12: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 2dc (in center of 2dc), shell, dc in dc] 7x. Shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell. [Dc, shell, 2dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 13: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc in dc] 7x. Shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell. [2dc, shell, 2dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 14: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 2dc] 14x. Shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell. [2dc, shell] 14x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 15: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 3dc in center of 2dc, shell, 2dc] 7x. Shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell. [2dc, shell, 3dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 16: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 3dc in center of 3dc, shell, 2dc] 7x. Shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell. [2dc, shell, 3dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 17: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc between 2dc] 7x. Shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell. [3dc, shell, 3dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 18: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 3dc] 14x. Shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell. [3dc, shell] 14x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 19: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 4dc in center of 3dc, shell, 3dc] 7x. Shell, 4dc, shell, 4dc, shell. [3dc, shell, 4dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 20: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 4dc in center of 4dc, shell, 3dc] 7x, Shell, 4dc, shell, 4dc, shell. [3dc, shell, 4dc, shell] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 21: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, 4dc, shell, 4dc in center of 3dc] 7x, Shell, 4dc, shell, 4dc, shell. [4dc, shell] 14x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 22: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell, shell in center of 4dc, shell, shell in center of 4dc] 7x, Shell 5x. [4 shells] 7x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 23: Turn, ch3, dc, shell in center of every shell across the row, dc in last 2 sts.

If the yoke is too short, repeat the last row. (61 shells) Remove markers.

Body & Underarm:
In this section you will divide the yoke for the armholes. Place markers between shells [8 shells (right front), 14 shells (armhole), 17 shells (back), 14 shells (armhole), 8 shells (left front)] before you begin Row 27.

When you get to the underarm, ch15, turn. Work 14 sc back over the chain. Join to a corner of a shell with a slip stitch. Turn; work 15 sc back to other side and catch with a slip stitch before continuing across the row.

Make the sweater smaller/larger at the underarm by changing the number of shells you start with. I used 4 but 3-5 is fine. Start with 4 dc or less in each shell.

Row 27: 2dc, 8 shells, skip 14 shells (armhole), ch15 for underarm (work 2 rows of sc in this chain as given above). Continue across the back for 17 shells, skip 14 shells (armhole), ch15 for underarm (work 2 rows of sc in this chain as before). End with 8 shells (front), 2 dc.

Row 28: Work even but at both underarms—skip 1 sc, shell, skip 3 sc, shell, skip 3 sc, shell, skip 3 sc, shell, skip 1 sc.

Work even until cardi is long enough. I did 21 rows of shells after the armhole.
Go to the finishing instructions.

Size S/M - for bust 34" - 38"

Neckband:
Chain 123 + 1 turning chain, turn.
Row 1: Ch1, sc across (123 sc), turn. (124 sts)
Rows 2-6: Ch1, sc across.

The yoke grows to prepare for the armholes. You’ll add dc between shells and increase into these dc on following rows. Always work a shell into the ch1 of a previous shell and dc(s) into the center stitch of the previous row.

Place a marker in the center back shell on Row 7 [or place markers before and after the center section so you don’t have to count the repeats]. Repeat instructions inside [brackets] as noted.

Use the written instructions below for Row 7 and then go to Row 8 of the Yoke Chart or continue with the written directions for your size.

Yoke:
Row 7: Turn, ch3 (equals 1 dc), dc, [dc, skip 1, shell, skip 1, dc, dc, skip 1, shell, skip 1] repeat 6x. (Place marker) Dc, skip 1, shell, skip 1, 2dc in next ch, skip 1, shell (center back), skip 1, 2dc in next ch, skip 1, shell. (Place marker) [Skip 1, shell, skip 1, dc, dc, skip 1, shell, skip 1, dc] 6x, dc in last 2 chs. (27 shells)

Row 8: Turn, ch3, dc, [dc in dc, shell, 2dc (between 2dc in previous row), shell] 6x. Dc in dc, shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell, dc. [Shell, 2dc, shell, dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 9: Turn, ch3, dc, [dc, shell, 2dc, shell] 6x. Dc, shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell, dc. [Shell, 2dc, shell, dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 10: Turn, ch3, dc, [2dc in dc, shell, 2dc, shell] 6x. 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc. [Shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 11: Turn, ch3, dc, [2dc, shell, 2dc, shell] 6x. 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc. [Shell, 2dc, shell, 2dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 12: Turn, ch3, dc, [2dc, shell, 3dc in 2dc, shell] 6x. Then: 2dc, shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell, 2dc. [Shell, 3dc, shell, 2dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 13: Turn, ch3, dc, [2dc, shell, 3dc, shell]6x. 2dc, shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell, 2dc. [Shell, 3dc, shell, 2dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 14: Turn, ch3, dc, [3dc in 2dc, shell, 3dc, shell] 6x. 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc. [Shell, 3dc] 12x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 15: Turn, ch3, dc, [3dc, shell] 12x. 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc, shell, 3dc. [Shell, 3dc] 12x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 16: Turn, ch3, dc, [3dc, shell, 4dc in 3dc, shell] 6x. 3dc, shell, 4dc, shell, 4dc, shell, 3dc. [Shell, 4dc, shell, 3dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 17: Turn, ch3, dc, [3dc, shell, 4dc, shell] 6x. 3dc, shell, 4dc, shell, 4dc, shell, 3dc. [Shell, 4dc, shell, 3dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 18: Turn, ch3, dc, [4dc in 3dc, shell, 4dc, shell] 6x. 4dc, shell, 4dc, shell, 4dc, shell, 4dc. [Shell, 4dc] 12x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 19: Turn, ch3, dc, [4dc, shell, shell in 4dc, shell] 6x. 4dc, 5 shells, 4dc. [3 shells, 4dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 20: Turn, ch3, dc, [4dc, 3 shells] 6x. 4dc, 4 shells, 4dc. [3 shells, 4dc] 6x, dc in last 2 sts.

Row 21: Turn, ch3, dc, [shell (in 4dc), 3 shells] 6x. 5 shells. [4 shells] 6x, dc in last 2 sts. (55 shells)

If the yoke is too short, repeat the last row. (61 shells) Remove markers.

Body & Underarm:
In this section you will divide the yoke for the armholes. Place markers between shells [7 shells (right front), 13 shells (armhole), 15 shells (back), 13 shells (armhole), 7 shells (left front)] before you begin Row 27.

When you get to the underarm, ch11, turn. Work 10 sc back over the chain. Join to a corner of a shell with a slip stitch. Turn; work 10 sc back to other side and catch with a slip stitch before continuing across the row.

Make the sweater smaller/larger at the underarm by changing the number of shells you start with. I used 4 but 3-5 is fine. Start with 4 dc or less in each shell.

Row 22: 2dc, 7 shells, skip 13 shells (armhole), ch10 for underarm (work 2 rows of sc in this chain as directed above). Then continue across the back for 15 shells, skip 13 shells (armhole), ch10 for underarm (work 2 rows of sc in this chain as before). Then 7 shells (front), 2 dc.

Row 23: Work even but at both underarms—skip 1 sc, shell, skip 3 sc, shell, skip 1 sc, shell, skip 3 sc, shell, skip 1 sc.

Remove markers. Work even until cardi is long enough. I did 21 rows after the armhole.
Go to Finishing Instructions.

Finishing instructions for all sizes:

Bottom Ruffle:
Row 1: Add 1 dc between shells in this row.
Row 2: Work even.
Row 3: Work shells even; in every 1dc between shells work 2dc.
Row 4: Work even. (Make the 2dc between the 2dc in the previous row.)
Row 5: Work shells even; in every 2dc between shells work 3dc. Do not cut yarn!

Now you will continue up the front to make the left front band, then across the bottom, and finish with the right front band and buttonholes.

Left Front Band:
From the bottom edge of the left front band: Ch1, work 2 sc in every row end along the front edge. Work 5 more rows of sc to complete the band. You’ll end at the bottom edge after the 5th row. In the bottom corner work 3 sc. Continue across the bottom edge working sc in each dc and ch1 space. (I used a slip stitch across the bottom for a softer look.) At the bottom corner, work 3 sc.

Right Front Band & Buttonholes:
Continue up the right front band working 2 sc in every row end. Turn; work 1 more row of sc.

Stop! Count 25 sts down from neck edge. Place marker here for the 1st buttonhole.

Buttonhole Row: Turn, ch1, sc to marker, ch3, skip 3 sc (buttonhole), 6 sc, ch3, skip 3 sc (buttonhole), 6 sc, ch3, skip 3 sc (buttonhole), 4 sc.

On next row work 3 sc in each ch3 space. Then work 1 more row of sc.
Cut yarn; pull thru out of the last loop. Weave in all yarn ends. Sew buttons in place.

© July 2009 Laila Gerster All rights reserved.
Translation by Vicki Mikulak - September 2010

Click on the Yoke Chart below to enlarge or print.