Free Pattern For Crochet Cardigan

This Cozy Free Crochet Cardigan Pattern is a perfect Beginner Crochet Pattern using mostly Single Crochet Stitches! You will make the simple hemline ribbing using Front Post and Back Post Half Double Crochet to finish off this Comfy Crochet Cardigan with Pockets for perfectly polished look. Made using Bulky Weight Yarn, this simple crochet sweater will work up fast! Keep scrolling to use the Free Crochet Pattern in this blog post or Click the Button below for an affordable pdf!

Design Story and Inspiration

I make a lot of crochet clothing. Sometimes I end up rushing to finish and while the design turns out wonderful…it may end up just sitting in my closet…yup I said it, sometimes they just sit, I don’t always wear everything I make. When I started working on this pattern for a crochet cardigan I really wanted this to be a crochet sweater I would wear. Using a yarn I really loved meant that I didn’t want my time to go to waste, so I knew I had to design an easy crochet cardigan that had pockets and some simple shaping!

About the Yarn

Every once in a while I come across a yarn that I really love and I can never get enough of. The Hook Nook Yummy Yarn is one of those yarns, I love using it every time and I am always happy with the result! When I was brainstorming a project to use two of my favorite colors (Latte Foam and Like. Dove) I knew that I wanted to make a crochet garment with it and I KNEW it had to be something I would actually want to wear!

The Hook Nook Yummy Yarn is super sot, has wonderful stitch definition and after a wash gets softer than you can imagine. Even though we are in Florida now, it still can be a bit chilly with the air conditioning in the house or a store, so a cozy cardigan is a must to keep in an easy to reach place or in a car! Keep scrolling to use the free crochet pattern in this blog post or click the button below to get a Kit from Lion Brand that includes a pdf!

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How to Style Your Easy Crochet Cardigan

This Simple Crochet Cardigan is easy to make and has two large pockets that can easily fit your smart phone and a chapstick, two things I always have on me! I don’t always want to wear jeans so having a cardigan with pockets is great so I can wear it with my comfy yoga pants or leggings! Having a cardigan like this with pockets make my life easier when I am chasing around my little one! Bonus, this sweater cardigan can be dressed up with jeans and cute knee-high boots like I wore to take the final project photos!

Materials

Size 6.00 mm crochet hook       
5 (5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9) Skeins of THN Yummy – Like a Dove – MC
3 (3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5) Skeins of THN Yummy – Latte Foam – CC
OR
825 (835, 965, 1095, 1225, 1255, 1385, 1520, 1665) yards – MC
540 (555, 600, 645, 690, 735, 735, 780, 780) yards – CC

Gauge

14 sts x 16 rows in sc is 4” x 4”

Stitch Descriptions and Abbreviations

• Chain Stitch – ch / Slip Stitch – Sl St / Stitch(es) – st(s) / Single Crochet – sc /
  Half Double Crochet– hdc 
• Front Loop Only – FLO – Work intended stitch in the front loop only of the top of the stitch.
• Foundation Single Crochet – Fsc – Chain 2, insert hook into 2nd chain from hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 1 loop, (2 loops on hook with 1 ch created), yarn over, draw through all loops (1 loop on hook, 1 foundation single crochet with chain at the bottom). *Insert hook to the bottom of the stitch you just made, it will look like the top or “V” of a stitch, yarn over, pull up 1 loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 1 loop (2 loops on hook with 1 ch created), yarn over, draw through all loops;* repeat from * to * for desired amount of stitches.
• Front Post Half Double Crochet – FPhdc – work a hdc as you normally would but insert your hook from front to back to front around post of indicated st.
• Back Post Half Double Crochet – BPhdc – work a hdc as you normally would but insert your hook from back to front to back around post of indicated st
• Single Crochet 2 Together – sc2tog – (work next 2 sts together for a decrease stitch) – insert into first st, yarn over, draw up a loop, insert into second st, yarn over, draw up a loop, yarn over, draw through all loops on hook.

Pattern Notes

• XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL) – Use corresponding number for your size.
• * Designates a repeat.  
• Ch 1 at beginning of Rounds and Rows does not count as a stitch.
• Skill Level: Intermediate 
• Main Color – MC
• Contrasting Color – CC
• Ease – This pattern has 2” of positive ease
• Assembly – You may leave long tails when you complete your pieces for assembly if you prefer not to reattach your yarn. 
• Body Width in size chart is the final measurement before decreases, essentially half of the actual bust measurement. 

Size Chart

Free Pattern For Crochet Cardigan Begins

Back Panel – Main Color

Row 1 – Fsc 54 (62, 70, 76, 84, 92, 98, 106, 112) sts
Rows 2 to 69 (68, 68, 66, 66, 65, 65, 65, 65) – Ch 1, turn, sc across.Row 70 (69, 69, 67, 67, 66, 66, 66, 66) – Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog.
[52 (60, 68, 74, 82, 90, 96, 104, 110) total stitches]
Row 71 (70, 70, 68, 68, 67, 67, 67, 67) – Ch 1, turn, sc across.
Next 14 Rows – Repeat Previous 2 Rows.
Next 11 (12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 19, 21, 21) Rows – Ch 1, turn, sc across.[38 (46, 54, 60, 68, 76, 82, 90, 96) total stitches / 96 (96, 98, 98, 100, 100, 100, 102, 102) total rows]

Front Panels – Make 2 – Main Color

Row 1 – Fsc 27 (31, 35, 38, 42, 46, 49, 53, 56) sts
Rows 2 to 69 (68, 68, 66, 66, 65, 65, 65, 65) – Ch 1, turn, sc across.Row 70 (69, 69, 67, 67, 66, 66, 66, 66) – Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc to end.
Row 71 (70, 70, 68, 68, 67, 67, 67, 67) – Ch 1, turn, sc across.
Next 14 Rows – Repeat Previous 2 Rows. [19 (23, 27, 30, 34, 38, 41, 45, 48) total stitches on final row]
Row 86 (85, 85, 83, 83, 82, 82, 82, 82) – Ch 1, turn, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog.
Row 87 (86, 86, 84, 84, 83, 83, 83, 83) – Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc to end.
Next 4 Rows – Repeat Previous 2 Rows.
To Row 96 (96, 98, 98, 100, 100, 100, 102, 102) – Ch 1, turn, sc across. Finish off.
[13 (17, 21, 24, 28, 32, 35, 39, 42)

Arms – Make 2 – Contrasting Color

Row 1 – Fsc 26 (28, 32, 34, 38, 40, 40, 42, 42) sts
Rows 2 to 4 – Ch 1, turn, sc across. Row 5 – Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in 1st st, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st.
Rows 6 to 9 – Ch 1, turn, sc across. 
Rows 10 to 62 (64, 64, 66, 66, 68, 68, 70, 70) – Repeat Rows 5 to 9. 
[50 (52, 56, 60, 64, 66, 66, 70, 70) total stitches]
Row63 (65, 65, 67, 67, 69, 69, 71, 71) and on – Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts.
Repeat last row until 4 sts remain. 
Final Row- Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc2tog. Finish off.

Pockets – Make 2 – Main Color

Row 1 – Fsc 20 sts
Rows 2 to 10 – Ch 1, turn, sc across.Row 11 – Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc to end.
Row 12 – Ch 1, turn, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog.
Rows 13 to 26 – Repeat Rows 11 and 12.
Row 27 – Ch 1, turn, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog. [3 total stitches] 

Assembly 

1. Lay your front panels on your back panels to create the shoulder seams to begin assembling your pattern for a crochet cardigan. 
2. Attach your yarn from the outer corner and seam toward the neck using the same number of stitches of the final row of each front panel, finish off and repeat on the other side.
3. Starting from the waistline, attach your yarn and seam up to your last full row of stitches before the decrease rows to create the arm opening, finish off and repeat on the other side. 
4. Fold your arms in half and seam up 62 (64, 64, 66, 66, 68, 68, 70, 70) stitches.
5. Attach your arms to the body of the cardigan side seam to arm seam.
6. Place a stitch marker in the shoulder seam to the top center of your sleeve for proper placement.
7. Seam around to attach the arms to the body of the cardigan doing your best to align your row ends using the stitch marker as a guide for the half way point.
8. Weave in all of your ends and continue on to the trimming instructions.

Cuffs – Main Color 

Note – Do not turn at round ends. 
Row 1 – Attach your yarn in the sleeve seam, ch 1, sc in each stitch around with right side facing, sl st to 1st sc.
Rows 2 to 6 – Ch 1, *FPhdc, BPhdc, repeat from * to end, sl st to 1st FPhdc, finish off on last row, weave in ends. [26 (28, 32, 34, 40, 40, 42, 42) total stitches]

Body Trimming at Sides and Neck – Contrasting Color

Row 1 – Attach your yarn to a bottom corner of waistline and with right sides facing, ch 1, place 1 sc in each row end, neck opening sts, and each shoulder seam to the opposite bottom corner.
Rows 2 to 4 – Ch 1, turn, sc FLO in each stitch, finish off on last row, weave in ends. 

Pocket Attaching – Contrasting Color 

1. Place your pockets where they are comfortable for you on your cardigan. I placed mine centered and 6 rows up from the bottom edge.
2. Starting on the 10th Row on the decrease side, attach your pockets using a surface slip stitch working towards the first row of your pocket. You will be crocheting through the cardigan and pocket.
3. Surface sl st your pocket to your cardigan using each stitch of the first pocket row.
4. Surface sl st up the long edge of your pocket attaching to your cardigan.
5. At the top corner surface sl st in the top 3 sts of your pocket attaching to your cardigan.
6. Cut a 30 inch end on your working yarn, pull the end through and continue to surface sl st only on the decrease edge of your pocket to create the opening.
7. When you reach your first surface sl st, pull your yarn through to the back of your cardigan panel and weave in your end. 

I hope you enjoyed making this pattern for a crochet cardigan with pockets as much as I did! I can happily say that this is a cozy sweater that I will actually be using as part of my handmade wardrobe!

Looking for other patterns for a crochet cardigan?

I love my Hailey Cardigan with Inset Pockets and I am sure you will too!

The Sophia Cardigan has after thought pockets and is oversized and cozy!