Who doesn’t love a cardigan? They’re easy to wear, go with everything, and provide warmth and comfort year-round, whether you’re walking through the forest enjoying the fall foliage or sitting in the office air conditioner in the summer wishing someone understood what room temperature meant.
Luckily, if you’ve got the basic crochet materials, we’ve got plenty of free patterns so you can create the perfect, custom cardigan for yourself, for any occasion, whether it’s curling up on the couch or going out on an excursion. They range from one-size-fits-all to tailored, long-sleeve to sleeveless, but they’re all cozy.
Of course, there are other patterns available for purchase as well, like The Big Chill Cardigan by Simone Francis, which you can find for purchase on Ravelry. But before you purchase a pattern, you might want to consider the following free patterns:
The Peek-A-Boo Button Wrap Cardigan by Miss Neriss, a chic, glamorous cardigan in sizes S-XL, available as a written pattern available in English and Dutch, as well as a video tutorial in English. You’ll need between 10-17 skeins of yarn, as well as a 5mm crochet hook and a button, along with the regular craft tools.
Or, you might want to try your hand at the Wrap Cardigan by African Expressions, a simple casual piece with a helpful chart to ensure the right fit. You’ll need 10-12 skeins of yarn and a 6mm crochet hook to complete this project. (This one is written as a traditional pattern with few pictures so you might want to check as you go to make sure you’ve got it sized right)
The Kram Cardi by KT & The Squid has a more unique approach in pattern writing, as there are several posts so you can go along at your own pace, including a Week 0 which dives into construction, schematics, and sizing. This pattern can also be purchased for a couple of dollars if you prefer an ad-free version.
If you’d like something a little more challenging, we recommend Happy Berry’s Baggy Cardi, which can be sized for both teens and adults. It’s long-sleeve and loose, perfect for going over a button-up. It’s listed as “Intermediate” and you’ll need 650-900 grams of yarn, along with a size 8mm crochet hook. The pattern also uses US terminology.
Domestic Bliss Squared has a free pattern for the Cocoon Cardi, a one-size-fits-all piece that looks glam enough to wear with an elegant little dress and boots. It’s labeled as a beginner project, making this one the easiest of the bunch. It uses 5 skeins of yarn and a size 5mm crochet hook.
If any of these are of interest to you, be sure to check out Miss Neriss, African Expressions, KT & The Squid, Happy Berry, and Domestic Bliss Squared for even more free patterns, as well as Simone Francis’ range of patterns.