Wrap yourself in a cozy blanket of cheerful colors on a chilly day – that's what wearing a colorful crochet cardigan feels like. Each stitch, lovingly crafted by hand, weaves together a rainbow of hues, creating a piece of wearable art that brightens your outfit and your mood.
Colorful Crochet Cardigan
This cardigan isn't just a warm layer; it's a statement of joy, a burst of color against gray skies. And the perfect companion for any adventure, whether you're curled up with a good book or out savoring the crisp air of a fall morning. It's like a hug from a dear friend, always there to bring a little more cheer to your day.
Materials Needed:
- Yarn: Glitter Delight or any bulky weight (Number 5) yarn. Ideal composition, 50% acrylic, 49% cotton, and 1% polyester. 100g skeins.
- Crochet Hook: 7mm hook for the cardigan, but you may need a 5mm hook for joining panels and creating the ribbed edging for a tighter finish.
- Tape Measure
- Stitch Marker
- Scissors
Pattern Overview:
- Skill Level: Beginner friendly.
- Stitches Used: Chain (ch), Half Double Crochet (hdc), Double Crochet (dc), Slip Stitch (sl st), Half Double Crochet Two Together (hdc2tog) for decreasing.
- Special Note: The pattern is based on measurements, not stitch counts, making it easily adjustable for any size.
Steps:
1. Take Measurements:
- Bust Measurement: Measure around the widest part of your bust. Add 10-15cm for an oversized fit. This total measurement determines the cardigan's width around your body.
2. Start with the Back Panel:
- Foundation Chain: Half your total bust measurement in cm to determine the length of your starting chain. For an oversized cardigan as described, if your bust is 90cm, and you're adding 10cm, your total measurement is 100cm. Therefore, half for the starting chain length is 50cm.
- Row 1 and Onwards: Starting with a hdc in the second chain from the hook, complete one hdc in each stitch across. At the end of each row, ch 1, turn, and continue with hdc in each stitch. Repeat this pattern until the back panel reaches your desired length from waist to the nape of your neck.
3. Front Panels:
- Foundation Chain for Each Panel: Deduct 10 stitches from your back panel's starting chain, halve this number for each front panel. If the back panel started with 50 chains, reduce to 40, then 20 chains for each front panel.
- Follow the same pattern as the back panel. You’ll make two of these.
4. Shoulder Seams:
- Use the long tails left from the front panels to join the shoulders to the back panel, matching the outer edge stitches.
5. Side Seams and Sleeves:
- Measure down from the shoulder for your sleeve opening (e.g., 18cm). Join the front and back panels from this point down to create the sides of the cardigan. This step creates the armholes.
6. Sleeves:
- Join yarn at the armpit position.
- Round 1: Work hdc evenly around the armhole. Complete the round and join with a sl st to the first hdc.
- Following Rounds: Continue hdc in each stitch around, sl st to first hdc at the end of each round. Turn your work at the end of each round to maintain the stitch appearance consistent with the body.
- For tighter cuffs, decrease the stitch count (hdc2tog around) before adding a ribbed cuff with alternating front post and back post double crochets.
7. Ribbed Edging for Cardigan Opening and Bottom Hem:
- Work in rows of dc along the cardigan's front opening and bottom hem, turning at the end of each row.
- Add ribbing by turning your work and using front post and back post dc stitches for several rows until the desired width is reached.
Finishing Touches:
- Make sure to weave in all ends securely.
- You can block your cardigan for a more finished look.
Additional Tips:
- The cardigan is customizable, so feel free to adjust lengths, widths, or even the yarn weight according to your preference.
- Always make a gauge swatch if substituting yarn to ensure the finished measurements will be accurate.
