Crochet Pattern Review of the Alba Sweater designed by Enida of YarnS. Review done by Emily of Crochet Aweigh for Cre8tion Crochet.
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It’s me, Emily with Crochet Aweigh.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Whether you are caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, or someone like me who looks for any and every excuse to dress up, the Alba sweater will be your new go-to! To me this sweater screams “New Years Eve Party”! It is soft, luxurious, and depending on your yarn, can even get some sparkle!
I was lucky enough to have been chosen by Enida to test her newest sweater pattern. She is a very skillful designer based in Sicily. I have had the pleasure of testing one other pattern for her before, and I love how they are written. She separates each size out individually which is so convenient. I don’t mind reading a pattern where all stitch counts are in parenthesis for each size, but when Enida separates them you don’t have to worry about sifting through each row of information looking for your size’s stitch count. Enida has a wide array of patterns available on her website, and they are all show-stoppers!

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What Materials Do You Need to Crochet an Alba Sweater?
- 170 – 380 grams of Size 0 Lace weight or fingering yarn with some “fuzz” – I used 1,326 Yards of Inka by Mirasol in the Aquamarine colorway
- D3/3mm Crochet Hook or size needed to obtain gauge
- Scissors and yarn needle for weaving ends
- 2-3 buttons
- The Alba Sweater Pattern, Paid Crochet Pattern from YarnS

Material Notes:
In the pattern a size 0 lace weight or light fingering is specified. Enida chose We Are Knitters Bling Bling Yarn, and cautions you on choosing other options. It is a merino, mohair, and lurex blend. She warns to read the descriptions when selecting another yarn to make sure it will have the fuzzy quality that the Bling Bling yarn has. She says a light fingering paired with a mohair would also be good, but always check gauge. I wanted to buy locally so I went to the yarn expert, Helen at She Sells Yarn, and she recommended Mirasol Inka which turned out to be a perfect fit! I chose the color Aquamarine. This yarn, a viscose and baby alpaca blend, is very light with the mohair-style fuzz that Enida was calling for. It has a beautiful silver shimmer running through it that the pictures don’t do justice. I used a total of 3 skeins or 1,326 yards / 225 grams for the large size. Enida’s pattern is written for grams rather than yards.
The way the yarn drapes on the sleeves is marvelous and I wouldn’t want it any other way! I love me some good balloon sleeves! I am surprised by how warm the sweater is considering the yarn is so lightweight. You could easily wear this on a cold Winter’s night.

How Long Does it Take to Crochet an Alba Sweater?
Considering this is a whole sweater it worked up fairly fast! I spent one month working on this on and off; about 12-15 hours total for my cropped style. It would probably be closer to 18-20 hours for a full length sweater.


Gauge:
The gauge is 3 x 3 sets, or 25 stitches by 6 rows. This makes 3.3″ x 2.5″. My gauge swatch above was close with the 3mm hook so I ran with it.

Pattern Notes:
You are sure to find your size because this pattern is available from XXS to 5XL! This sweater is worked in traditional top-down fashion. First we make a yoke and then continue down to separate for the bodice and sleeves. This would make a great pattern for an adventurous beginner. The trickiest part is working with the fuzzy yarn. Enida has done a fantastic job at providing photos of every step along the way. Due to this kind of construction you can customize it at every step! I chose to cinch at the waist as the pattern is written, but I think next time I will make it the same width all the way down. Some of the pattern testers changed their sleeves to short sleeves, some gave their sweaters bell sleeves, the options are endless! The pattern is designed with 10 cm of positive ease for comfort and “flowiness”. Enida also provides brief instructions on how to turn the sweater into a dress, and it would indeed make an amazing Winter dress.
I did not make many changes or customize much this time. The only change I made was I added a total of 6 rows to my sleeves. I must have long arms because I always end up adding length to all my sleeves. I also prefer my sleeves come down just below my wrist. Finishing touches are weaving in the ends and sewing 2-3 buttons onto the back of the neck. The only other thing I may change on the next sweater is the hook size. I wish my mock turtleneck had a little more structure to it so I may go down a hook size to gain more structure, and up a garment size in the pattern so it still fits. Normally I’m size medium, but I made size large because I wanted extra positive ease on the sleeves and under the bust.

The Alba Sweater is my newest favorite wear for the holiday season! I can see myself wearing it to every party and get-together for the rest of the year! Dressed to the nines is the best way to be, am I right? Comment below to let me know where are you going to take your Alba sweater to!

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