How to Crochet a Cardigan

Co-authored by Sarah Stearns and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: March 27, 2023 References Approved

There are few things as comforting and cosy as a homemade cardigan. You can crochet a cardigan using a few basic stitches. Start by crocheting a back piece and 2 front panels. Join these pieces to form the body of the cardigan. Then, crochet 2 sleeves and attach them to the armholes. You'll be enjoying your new cardigan in no time!

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Making the Back Piece

1
Buy enough yarn for the size cardigan you want to make. Purchase skeins of worsted weight yarn that weigh 3.5 ounces or 100 g each. Each skein should be 207 yards or 190 meters. Use yarn in a material that's the most comfortable to you. You could choose from acrylic, cotton, wool, or a blend. Depending on the size you're making, you'll need:^{[1]
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- X-Small: 5 skeins
- Small: 6 skeins
- Medium: 6 skeins
- Large: 7 skeins
- XL: 7 skeins
- 2XL: 8 skeins
- 3XL: 8 skeins
2
Start a chain stitch on your hook. Secure a slip knot to a US K/size 6.5 mm crochet hook. Wrap the yarn around your hook and pull it through the knot to create a stitch. Do this 1 more time to make 2 chains on the hook.^{[2]
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3
Complete the foundation chain using the chain stitch. Push the hook into the first chain and wrap the yarn around. Pull up the loop through the first loop on your hook to make a chain stitch. Wrap the yarn over and pull it through both of the loops on your hook to make 1 foundation single crochet (fsc) stitch. Crochet:^{[3]
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- X-Small: 51 chain stitches
- Small: 54 chain stitches
- Medium: 57 chain stitches
- Large: 60 chain stitches
- XL: 63 chain stitches
- 2XL: 65 chain stitches
- 3XL: 67 chain stitches
4
Half-double crochet (hdc) each stitch in your foundation chain. Make 3 chains on the hook and begin wrapping the yarn over the hook. Push the hook into the first chain you made and wrap the yarn over. Pull the stitch through and wrap yarn around the hook again. Pull the hook through the 3 loops on the hook to make 1 half-double crochet stitch.^{[4]
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5
Chain 2 stitches and turn the work. When you've crocheted to the end of the row, create 2 chains and flip the work. Your crochet hook should be to the right of the work.^{[5]
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6
Half-double crochet all of the stitches in the row and chain up 2 stitches. Wrap the yarn over your hook and insert it into the space directly below the 2 stitches you just made. Continue to half-double crochet every stitch until you reach the end of this second row.
7
Turn the work to make the back piece. Once you've turned the fabric, so you can begin crocheting the next row. Do this for every row to create a large back piece. Crochet until you get to:^{[6]
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- X-Small: row 54
- Small: row 56
- Medium: row 58
- Large: row 60
- XL: row 62
- 2XL: row 62
- 3XL: row 63

Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Crocheting the Front Panels

1
Half-double crochet half of the stitches in the first row of the front panel. Begin working the first front panel without breaking the yarn. Make half-double crochet stitches in each of the stitches until you're about halfway across the row. Make hdc stitches for:^{[7]
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- X-Small: 23 stitches
- Small: 25 stitches
- Medium: 26 stitches
- Large: 28 stitches
- XL: 29 stitches
- 2XL: 30 stitches
- 3XL: 31 stitches
2
Chain 2 stitches and turn the work. Once you've half-double crocheted almost halfway across the row and reached the end, make 2 chains and flip the work over.^{[8]
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3
Half-double crochet all of the stitches on 1 panel, chain 2, and turn. Now that you've started a panel, continue to hdc in each stitch on the row. Chain 2 more stitches and turn the work over when you reach the end of the row.^{[9]
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4
Half-double crochet each row until you reach the desired length. Start the row numbering over with this panel. Continue to hdc, chain 2, and turn each row until the panel reaches:^{[10]
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- X-Small: row 54
- Small: row 56
- Medium: row 58
- Large: row 60
- XL: row 62
- 2XL: row 62
- 3XL: row 63
5
Finish off the yarn. Cut the yarn to leave a 2 in (5.1-cm) tail. Use your crochet hook to pull the tail through the loop that's still on your hook. Take the loop off of the hook and pull on the tail to tighten the loop into a knot. Use a needle to weave the tail into the crocheted fabric.
- You can also weave in any loose ends that you may have from adding skeins of yarn.
6
Join the yarn to the first row of the front panel. You'll need to make another front panel for the other side of your cardigan. Skip the 2 stitches after the panel you just did and join the yarn at row 1. Hold the panel next to the cardigan and work a row of single crochet stitch through both pieces.^{[11]
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7
Chain 2 stitches and half-double crochet every stitch in the first row. Make 2 chains and hdc in every stitch as you work towards the end of the row. This will make the foundation for your other front panel.^{[12]
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8
Chain 2 stitches and turn the work. When you reach the end of the first row, add 2 chain stitches. Turn the work over so you can begin crocheting the second row.^{[13]
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9
Half-double crochet every stitch, chain 2, and turn the work. To crochet the next row, hdc into each stitch for the panel. When you reach the end of the second row, add 2 chain stitches and flip the work over.
10
Continue to hdc, chain 2, and turn the work until the desired length. Keep crocheting the second panel until your panel reaches the right length for the size cardigan you're making. You'll need to crochet to:^{[14]
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- X-Small: row 54
- Small: row 56
- Medium: row 58
- Large: row 60
- XL: row 62
- 2XL: row 62
- 3XL: row 63
11
Finish off the yarn and weave in all the ends. Once you've finished crocheting both panels, cut the yarn. Leave a 2 in (5.1-cm) tail so you can pull it through the loop that's still on your hook. Remove the loop from the hook and pull the tail to tighten the loop into a knot. Weave the tail into the fabric using a needle.^{[15]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Seaming the Sides

1
Fold the front panels over the back piece. Lay the fabric on a flat surface so it's completely spread out and flat. Fold both of the front panels over onto the back piece. The fabric should look as though you've folded it in half.^{[16]
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- Try to line the panels up so the rows are even. This will make seaming them together easier.
2
Seam 1 side of the cardigan up to the armhole. Cut a piece of yarn so it's 3 times as long as the length of the side you're seaming. Use a mattress stitch to seam from the bottom of the cardigan up to the armhole. Stitch together the back piece with 1 of the side panels to leave space for the armhole near the top. Leave:
- X-Small: 6 inches (15 cm)
- Small: 6 ¹⁄₂ inches (17 cm)
- Medium: 7 inches (18 cm)
- Large: 7 ¹⁄₂ inches (19 cm)
- XL: 8 inches (20 cm)
- 2XL: 8 ¹⁄₂ inches (22 cm)
- 3XL: 9 inches (23 cm)
3
Mattress stitch the other side and leave another armhole. Repeat the side seam to join together the other side panel with the back piece. Remember to leave the same amount of room for the other armhole and weave in the ends.^{[17]
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Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Making the Sleeves

1
Chain a new row and slip stitch it to the join in the round. You'll need to work the sleeve in the round before you sew it to the armhole. Chain up a new row and then join it together. This will allow you to keep crocheting in a circle. Depending on the size cardigan you're making, chain up:^{[18]
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- X-Small: row 22
- Small: row 24
- Medium: row 26
- Large: row 28
- XL: row 30
- 2XL: row 32
- 3XL: row 34
2
Chain 2 stitches and double-crochet in every stitch. Once you've chained up 2 stitches, double-crochet across every stitch in the row. When you get to the end of the row, slip stitch to join the rows. Chain 2 stitches again, but don't turn the work.^{[19]
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- This will make the wrist of the sleeve. If you'd like to make a ribbed stitch, crochet the next few rows by alternating a front and back post double crochet.
3
Half-double crochet each stitch, join the row, chain 2, and turn. To make the main row of your sleeve, half-double crochet into every stitch. When you reach the end of the row, use the slip stitch to join it to the next row. Chain up 2 stitches and turn the work before you start the next row.
4
Repeat the row for 12 rows. Continue to hdc, slip stitch join, chain 2, and turn for the next 12 rows. This will create the majority of the sleeve. You should have a total of 18 rows on your sleeve.^{[20]
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5
Alternate increasing rows with half-double crochet rows until row 30. To make the upper arm of the sleeve wider, add 2 half-double crochet stitches into every 5th stitch on your row. Slip stitch to join the end of the row and chain 2 before you turn the work; that will be your increase row. Work all of the following row in the half-double crochet stitch. Repeat this pattern until you reach row 30.
6
Half-double crochet each stitch until your desired length. Once you've made 30 rows on your sleeve, begin half-crocheting in every row. Continue to slip stitch join and turn the work at the end of each row. Crochet and finish off once you've reached:^{[21]
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- X-Small: round 52
- Small: round 54
- Medium: round 55
- Large: round 56
- XL: round 57
- 2XL: round 59
- 3XL: round 60
7
Make another sleeve and sew each to the armholes. Repeat all of the sleeve steps to crochet another sleeve and finish it off. Leave a long yarn tail (at least 18 inches (46 cm) long) and use the whip stitch to sew each sleeve into the armhole space. Weave in the ends.^{[22]
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Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Crocheting the Edges

1
Join the yarn to the bottom of the front panel. Look at the cardigan and locate the bottom corner on the right panel. Join the yarn to this last row. You'll be working the edge around the cardigan.
2
Double-crochet the hemline, if desired. If you'd like your cardigan to have a professional look, chain 2 and double crochet every stitch around the hemline. Keep in mind that you'll need to crochet along the bottom of the front panel, across the side seam, over the back panel, across the other side seam, and over the other front panel.^{[23]
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3
Keep double-crocheting to make the ribbed edge. Continue to double-crochet stitch along the edge so you complete 8 rows. The ribbed edge will add about 2 inches (5.1 cm) of fabric to the existing edges of the cardigan.^{[24]
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4
Double-crochet along the whole edge. Crochet 1 double-crochet stitch into each stitch on the side of the front panels. Keep double-crocheting around the neck and down onto the side of the other front panel. Finish off and weave in the ends to create a professional-looking ribbed edge.^{[25]
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- Remember to work about 8 rows and turn the work after each row.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I know how long my chain should be?

T. Chinsen

Top Answerer

For the back section, Step 3 of Making the Back Piece lists the number of stitches for each size and for the front panels, Step 1 of Crocheting the Front Panels. Make sure you select the correct number of stitches for the correct size.