The chunky cardigan worn open over a white turtleneck, with drop shoulders, wide sleeves and the lapels folded back.
Contents
show
Advanced beginner to intermediate pattern · sizes S to 2X · bulky (#5) yarn, US L-11 (8 mm) hook. An open winter cardigan for yourself or as a gift.
This crochet cardigan pattern gives you a chunky, boxy cardigan to wear open over a turtleneck on cold days, or to make as a winter gift. It has drop shoulders, wide sleeves and lapels that fold back at the top. You make five rectangles in half double crochet (hdc), in one color of bulky yarn, then sew them together. You get the free pattern in five sizes, S to 2X, with stitch counts, yardage, a size table and an assembly plan. Counts were checked by software. This pattern has not been crocheted and swatched by a person before publication.
The back and the sleeves are the same as in our Chunky Crochet Sweater, with the same yarn and the same gauge; here the front is made as two pieces.
Sizes, yarn and time are estimates from a suggested gauge. Buy 1 or 2 skeins, make the swatch, then buy the rest from the same dye lot (note the lot number on the label).
Time: about 25 to 28 hours (S) to 35 to 38 hours (2X), or about 5 to 5.5 weeks to 7 to 7.5 weeks at 5 hours a week.
- Level
- Advanced beginner to intermediate: hdc in rows and seaming of heavy pieces. Not a first project
- Time
- About 25 to 28 hours (S) to 35 to 38 hours (2X), with the seaming and the finishing
- Finished size
- Chest 44 1/2 in (S) to 60 1/2 in (2X) with the fronts edge to edge, boxy fit with about 10 1/2 to 11 in of ease over the largest bust of each range.
- Yarn
- Bulky weight (#5), one color: about 1080 yd (S) to 1610 yd (2X). Use soft acrylic or wool-blend #5 yarn. Cotton and linen are much heavier and will stretch.
- Hook
- US L-11 (8 mm)
- Gauge
- Suggested, not measured: 10 hdc and 7 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in hdc with a US L-11 (8 mm) hook and bulky (#5) yarn. Your rows and stitches may be fewer or more than we show: measure your swatch and adjust.
- Construction
- Back, 2 fronts and 2 sleeves: rectangles in hdc, seamed; drop shoulders, no shaping, open front with no buttons and no band. Sleeves are as wide at the cuff as at the armhole (17 in for size S to 20 1/2 in for 2X).
How this pattern was checked
Every row of every piece and size was replayed and counted by software. Make the swatch first.
Abbreviations (US)
ch = chain
hdc = half double crochet
st(s) = stitch(es)
RS = right side (the outside of the cardigan)
WS = wrong side (the inside)
yo = yarn over
tch = turning chain (ch 2 here: never counted, never worked into)
S (M, L, XL, 2X) = numbers for each size: the first is S, the others follow in order
Materials
Bulky (#5) yarn in one color (Caramel in our drawings): about 1080 yd (S), 1230 yd (M), 1350 yd (L), 1460 yd (XL), 1610 yd (2X).
Skeins = yards / yards per skein, rounded up, plus 1. Example (S, 1080 yd): 100-yd skeins = 11 + 1; 150-yd skeins = 8 + 1. Check the label for yards, not grams.
At the store, look for #5 Bulky on the label and a suggested hook around 8 mm (L-11). A #6 super bulky yarn usually gives fewer stitches per inch, so the counts here would not give these sizes.
Yarn needle (large eye), scissors, stitch markers (at least 4), measuring tape, pins.
A finished cardigan weighs about 0.5 to 1.4 kg (1 to 3 lb) depending on the size and the yarn (estimate, not weighed). Sew the shoulder seams firmly: they carry it.
S: to fit bust 32-34 in, finished chest about 44 1/2 in
- Yarn needed
- About 1080 yd with a 15 % margin: 12 skeins of 100 yd or 9 of 150 yd. Weight about 500 to 1000 g (1.1 to 2.2 lb)
- Finished size
- Chest about 44 1/2 in (113 cm) with the fronts edge to edge, length about 24 in (61 cm), armhole depth about 8 1/2 in, sleeve length about 17 in underarm to cuff, sleeve width around about 17 in, back neck about 12 1/2 in, lapel about 6 1/2 in wide at the top. Positive ease about 10 1/2 in over the largest bust of the range.
- Counts
- Back: ch 57, 55 sts, 42 rows. Fronts (2): ch 30, 28 sts, 42 rows each. Sleeves (2): ch 45, 43 sts, 30 rows. Shoulder seams 12 sts each, back neck 31 sts, lapel 16 sts on each front. Armhole 15 rows on each front and on the back. About 25 to 28 hours in all.
M: to fit bust 36-38 in, finished chest about 49 in
- Yarn needed
- About 1230 yd with a 15 % margin: 14 skeins of 100 yd or 10 of 150 yd. Weight about 600 to 1100 g (1.3 to 2.4 lb)
- Finished size
- Chest about 49 in (125 cm) with the fronts edge to edge, length about 25 in (64 cm), armhole depth about 9 in, sleeve length about 17 1/2 in underarm to cuff, sleeve width around about 18 1/2 in, back neck about 12 1/2 in, lapel about 6 1/2 in wide at the top. Positive ease about 11 in over the largest bust of the range.
- Counts
- Back: ch 63, 61 sts, 44 rows. Fronts (2): ch 33, 31 sts, 44 rows each. Sleeves (2): ch 46, 44 sts, 32 rows. Shoulder seams 15 sts each, back neck 31 sts, lapel 16 sts on each front. Armhole 16 rows on each front and on the back. About 27 to 30 hours in all.
L: to fit bust 40-42 in, finished chest about 52 1/2 in
- Yarn needed
- About 1350 yd with a 15 % margin: 15 skeins of 100 yd or 10 of 150 yd. Weight about 650 to 1250 g (1.4 to 2.8 lb)
- Finished size
- Chest about 52 1/2 in (133 cm) with the fronts edge to edge, length about 26 1/2 in (67 cm), armhole depth about 9 1/2 in, sleeve length about 18 in underarm to cuff, sleeve width around about 19 1/2 in, back neck about 12 1/2 in, lapel about 6 1/2 in wide at the top. Positive ease about 10 1/2 in over the largest bust of the range.
- Counts
- Back: ch 67, 65 sts, 46 rows. Fronts (2): ch 35, 33 sts, 46 rows each. Sleeves (2): ch 47, 45 sts, 34 rows. Shoulder seams 17 sts each, back neck 31 sts, lapel 16 sts on each front. Armhole 17 rows on each front and on the back. About 30 to 33 hours in all.
XL: to fit bust 44-46 in, finished chest about 57 in
- Yarn needed
- About 1460 yd with a 15 % margin: 16 skeins of 100 yd or 11 of 150 yd. Weight about 700 to 1350 g (1.5 to 3.0 lb)
- Finished size
- Chest about 57 in (145 cm) with the fronts edge to edge, length about 27 in (68 cm), armhole depth about 9 1/2 in, sleeve length about 18 1/2 in underarm to cuff, sleeve width around about 19 1/2 in, back neck about 13 in, lapel about 7 in wide at the top. Positive ease about 11 in over the largest bust of the range.
- Counts
- Back: ch 73, 71 sts, 47 rows. Fronts (2): ch 38, 36 sts, 47 rows each. Sleeves (2): ch 48, 46 sts, 34 rows. Shoulder seams 19 sts each, back neck 33 sts, lapel 17 sts on each front. Armhole 17 rows on each front and on the back. About 32 to 35 hours in all.
2X: to fit bust 48-50 in, finished chest about 60 1/2 in
- Yarn needed
- About 1610 yd with a 15 % margin: 18 skeins of 100 yd or 12 of 150 yd. Weight about 750 to 1450 g (1.7 to 3.2 lb)
- Finished size
- Chest about 60 1/2 in (153 cm) with the fronts edge to edge, length about 28 in (71 cm), armhole depth about 10 1/2 in, sleeve length about 19 in underarm to cuff, sleeve width around about 20 1/2 in, back neck about 14 in, lapel about 7 in wide at the top. Positive ease about 10 1/2 in over the largest bust of the range.
- Counts
- Back: ch 77, 75 sts, 49 rows. Fronts (2): ch 40, 38 sts, 49 rows each. Sleeves (2): ch 50, 48 sts, 36 rows. Shoulder seams 20 sts each, back neck 35 sts, lapel 18 sts on each front. Armhole 18 rows on each front and on the back. About 35 to 38 hours in all.
Size table
| Measure | S | M | L | XL | 2X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To fit bust (in) | 32-34 | 36-38 | 40-42 | 44-46 | 48-50 |
| Finished chest (in) | 44 1/2 | 49 | 52 1/2 | 57 | 60 1/2 |
| Ease over largest bust (in) | 10 1/2 | 11 | 10 1/2 | 11 | 10 1/2 |
| Length (in) | 24 | 25 | 26 1/2 | 27 | 28 |
| Armhole depth (in) | 8 1/2 | 9 | 9 1/2 | 9 1/2 | 10 1/2 |
| Sleeve length (in) | 17 | 17 1/2 | 18 | 18 1/2 | 19 |
| Sleeve width around (in) | 17 | 18 1/2 | 19 1/2 | 19 1/2 | 20 1/2 |
| Sleeve: sts x rows | 43 x 30 | 44 x 32 | 45 x 34 | 46 x 34 | 48 x 36 |
Finished measurements and stitch counts for every size, in inches. Approximate, from our suggested gauge: check them against your swatch. Scroll sideways on a phone.
Gauge and swatch
Make a swatch first
A gauge swatch is required, not optional. 1. With your yarn and the US L-11 hook, ch 26 and work 14 rows of hdc (Swatch section). 2. Block it, let it dry, and measure the middle 20 sts and 12 rows: you want about 8 in wide and 7 in high (10 hdc and 7 rows = 4 in). 3. More sts: go up a hook size. Fewer sts: go down. Your rows decide the length, your sts decide the chest.
Notes
US crochet terms: see the abbreviations above. Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2X. Numbers are written S (M, L, XL, 2X).
Hdc: yarn over, insert the hook under both top loops of the next st (the V), yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on the hook), yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.
Back bump: the bump on the back of each foundation ch. Row 1 goes in the back bumps. Keep the foundation chain loose: use a hook one size up for it if you tend to chain tight.
Row 1 of every piece is a right-side (RS) row, so odd rows are RS and even rows are WS. RS = the outside of the cardigan, WS = the inside. The turning ch (ch 2) does not count as a st and you never work into it.
Join a new skein at the end of a row. Leave 6 in tails. A 100-yd skein is about 14 rows of the back in S and 10 in 2X, so plan for about 30 (S) to 42 (2X) ends to weave in.
Expect the cardigan to grow 1 to 2 in in length once worn or wet. Weigh your swatch when you block it.
Glossary. Drop shoulder: the shoulder seam sits low on the upper arm, and the sleeve is a rectangle. Front edge: the edge of a front that hangs open in the middle. Lapel: the top inner corner of a front, folded back. Back neck: the middle of the top edge of the back, left open. Swatch: a small test piece you crochet and measure. Gauge: how many stitches and rows make 4 in. WS: wrong side, the inside of the cardigan.
Check your chest: (sts of the back + 2 x sts of a front) / your sts per inch. If your swatch gives 12 hdc per 4 in instead of 10, the S cardigan is about 37 in around with the fronts edge to edge, not 44 1/2: go up a hook size or pick a bigger size (a bigger hook makes a floppier fabric). If you get 8 rows per 4 in instead of 7, add 6 rows to the back and to both fronts (S).
Check your yarn amount: weigh your swatch in grams. Yards needed = (swatch grams / swatch area in sq in) x cardigan area / grams per yard of your yarn, then add 15 %; the cardigan area is about 1660 (S), 1880 (M), 2080 (L), 2250 (XL), 2480 (2X) sq in (back, 2 fronts and 2 sleeves).
Free crochet cardigan pattern (US terms): how it comes together
Choose your size
Ease = room added over your bust. This cardigan adds about 10 1/2 to 11 in of ease over the largest bust of each range, with the fronts edge to edge: it is very roomy, with a low shoulder seam, a loose body and wide sleeves, and it is worn open. Measure your bust at the fullest part. Between sizes, size down. Or measure a boxy cardigan you love, laid flat, and compare it with the size table.
Work the back and the fronts
Chain, work Row 1 and the plain rows. The back and the 2 fronts have the same number of rows: work the same number on all three.
Work the sleeves
Each sleeve is a rectangle: its rows run along the arm, so the cuff and the armhole edge are row ends; the foundation-ch edge and the last-row edge are sewn together into the underarm seam.
Seam the pieces
Shoulders first, then the sleeves, then one seam from cuff to hem on each side, and last the lapels. The Assembly rows give every count; the assembly plan shows where each seam goes.
Swatch
Make this first. 24 sts and 14 rows, the same for every size.
Get the free printable PDF (Letter + A4)Every size and stitch count on paper, ready to print.Get the free PDF
FoundationCh 26.Stitch count: 26 ch
Row 1 (RS)Skip the first 2 ch from the hook (they are the turning ch and do not count as a st). Work a hdc in the back bump of the next ch and of each ch across.Stitch count: 24 hdc
Rows 2 to 14Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn. Hdc in each st across. The last hdc of every row goes in the first hdc of the row before, next to the turning ch, never in it.Stitch count: 24 hdc
Back
Worked from the hem up, in one color. Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2X. Numbers are written S (M, L, XL, 2X).
FoundationCh 57 (63, 67, 73, 77).Stitch count: 57 (63, 67, 73, 77) ch
Row 1 (RS)Skip the first 2 ch from the hook (they are the turning ch and do not count as a st). Work a hdc in the back bump of the next ch and of each ch across.Stitch count: 55 (61, 65, 71, 75) hdc
Rows 2 to 42 (44, 46, 47, 49)Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn. Hdc in each st across. The last hdc of every row goes in the first hdc of the row before, next to the turning ch, never in it.Stitch count: 55 (61, 65, 71, 75) hdc
Fronts
Make 2, both the same, worked from the hem up like the back.
FoundationCh 30 (33, 35, 38, 40).Stitch count: 30 (33, 35, 38, 40) ch
Row 1 (RS)Skip the first 2 ch from the hook (they are the turning ch and do not count as a st). Work a hdc in the back bump of the next ch and of each ch across.Stitch count: 28 (31, 33, 36, 38) hdc
Rows 2 to 42 (44, 46, 47, 49)Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn. Hdc in each st across. The last hdc of every row goes in the first hdc of the row before, next to the turning ch, never in it.Stitch count: 28 (31, 33, 36, 38) hdc
Sleeves
Make 2. The rows run along the arm.
FoundationCh 45 (46, 47, 48, 50).Stitch count: 45 (46, 47, 48, 50) ch
Row 1 (RS)Skip the first 2 ch from the hook (they are the turning ch and do not count as a st). Work a hdc in the back bump of the next ch and of each ch across.Stitch count: 43 (44, 45, 46, 48) hdc
Rows 2 to 30 (32, 34, 34, 36)Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn. Hdc in each st across. The last hdc of every row goes in the first hdc of the row before, next to the turning ch, never in it. The rows run along the arm: the cuff and the armhole edge are row ends.Stitch count: 43 (44, 45, 46, 48) hdc
Assembly
Shoulders are sewn stitch to stitch, sleeves and sides row end to row end, so the counts below match.
Weave in endsWeave in the ends on the wrong side, along a row, going back on yourself for 3 in.
BlockBlock the pieces flat before you sew. Pin the shoulder seams and try the cardigan on before you sew the sides. Follow the yarn label.
Pin firstFor every seam, pin the first and the last rows (or sts) of the seam and the middle first, then add pins every 2 in and sew between the pins.
Shoulder seamsLay the back flat, right side up. Lay the 2 fronts above it, right side up and upside down, so the last row of each front touches the last row of the back and the side edge of each front lines up with a side edge of the back. The front edges meet in the middle (the 2 fronts together have 1 st more than the back, so they overlap by 1 st there: they are not sewn). On each front, the shoulder is the 12 (15, 17, 19, 20) sts at the side edge (the armhole side). With the needle, go under the 2 loops of the V of one st on the front, then under the V of the matching st on the back, and repeat across: sew the 12 (15, 17, 19, 20) shoulder sts of one front to the first 12 (15, 17, 19, 20) sts of the back, and the 12 (15, 17, 19, 20) shoulder sts of the other front to the last 12 (15, 17, 19, 20) sts of the back. Leave open the middle 31 (31, 31, 33, 35) sts of the back (the back neck: 12 (15, 17, 19, 20) + 31 (31, 31, 33, 35) + 12 (15, 17, 19, 20) = 55 (61, 65, 71, 75) sts) and the other 16 (16, 16, 17, 18) sts of each front (the lapel: 12 (15, 17, 19, 20) + 16 (16, 16, 17, 18) = 28 (31, 33, 36, 38) sts).
Mark the armholesOn each side edge of the back and of each front, count 15 (16, 17, 17, 18) rows down from the shoulder seam and put a marker. This is the armhole (the underarm marker). On a front, the side edge is the edge next to the shoulder sts, not the front edge.
Attach the sleevesA sleeve has 30 (32, 34, 34, 36) rows (the rows run along the arm, so the armhole edge and the cuff are row ends). Fold the sleeve in half: the fold is between its Row 15 (16, 17, 17, 18) and its Row 16 (17, 18, 18, 19). Put that fold at the shoulder seam and sew the armhole edge of the sleeve to the armhole: 15 (16, 17, 17, 18) rows on the front and 15 (16, 17, 17, 18) rows on the back, one row end to one row end (mattress stitch: with the right sides facing you, pick up the 2 bars between the first and second st of a row end on one side, then the same on the other side, row by row, and pull gently every 4 or 5 rows). Do the same with the other sleeve on the other front.
Underarm and side seamsSew the foundation-ch edge of the sleeve to its last-row edge (43 (44, 45, 46, 48) sts to 43 (44, 45, 46, 48) sts: the chain loop of each st on the foundation edge to the V of the matching st), then continue down the side of the body: 27 (28, 29, 30, 31) rows of the front to 27 (28, 29, 30, 31) rows of the back (mattress stitch). At the underarm marker four edges meet: the foundation-ch edge and the last-row edge of the sleeve and the side edges of the front and of the back. Sew the sleeve seam up to the marker, go twice through the marker point to close the gap, then go on down the side: one seam from cuff to hem. Repeat on the other side.
LapelsThe 16 (16, 16, 17, 18) sts at the top of each front, next to the back neck, are not sewn. Fold that top inner corner of each front back onto the right side: the fold runs from the inner end of the shoulder seam down to the front edge, about 15 (16, 17, 17, 18) rows below the top (level with the underarm marker). Hdc worked in turned rows should look much the same on both sides, so the folded part should look like the rest. The fold is not sewn. If you want it to stay, tack the point of each lapel to the front with 2 or 3 small stitches (optional).
FinishWeave in the seaming ends. The back neck, the front edges, the hem and the cuffs are left as they are (the edge of the hdc rows): no border, no band, no buttons. The cuffs are wide: fold them back once if you want them shorter.
Size table, pieces and assembly plan
Finishing
Check that every end is woven in, the seams are flat and the lapels lie the way you like.
Weave in and wash
Weave in the seaming ends on the wrong side, then see Care.
Tips
Put a stitch marker in the first stitch of every row, and count every row: it must give the number of sts in your size card.
Buy all your skeins from one dye lot: a matching skein is hard to find later.
To make the cardigan longer or shorter, add or remove plain rows on the back and on both fronts (the same number on all three). Then the side seams stay equal.
Sleeve about 17 in (S) underarm to cuff. Measure your arm and add or remove sts in the sleeve foundation chain (about 2.5 sts per inch).
Keep your tension relaxed: bulky yarn with a tight hook gives a board, not a cardigan.
Common mistakes
Working in the turning chain: the row gets 1 stitch too many.
Skipping the first stitch of the row: the row gets 1 stitch too few.
Different numbers of rows on the back and the fronts: the side seams will not match.
Sewing the whole top edge of a front: only the shoulder sts at the side edge are sewn.
Forgetting that Row 1 is a right-side row.
Make it your own
Longer cardigan: add 7 plain rows (about 4 in) to the back and to both fronts, and buy about 120 yd (S) to 160 yd (2X) more yarn.
Pullover: our Chunky Crochet Sweater uses the same back and sleeves with one front instead of two.
Care
Wash as the label says. Lay flat to dry. Store folded.
FAQ
Is this a sweater or a cardigan?
A cardigan, worn open, with drop shoulders: a back, 2 fronts and 2 sleeves, seamed.
Can I close it?
Not with this pattern: it has no buttons, no buttonholes and no front band, and the front edges only meet. If you want to hold it closed, a shawl pin is your own choice; the pattern does not plan for one.
How long is it?
About 24 in (S) to 28 in (2X) from the shoulder to the hem. To make it longer, add plain rows to the back and to both fronts, the same number on all three: each 7 rows add about 4 in and about 120 yd of yarn (S).
How long does it take?
About 25 to 28 hours for S and 35 to 38 hours for 2X, with the seaming and the finishing. These times are calculated, not timed by a person: the crochet and the swatch at 6 hdc a minute, plus 4 to 6 hours for weaving in ends, blocking, pinning and seaming. Many people crochet 4 hdc a minute: add about 50 % to the crochet part (about 11 hours in S).
How much yarn do I need?
About 1080 yd (S) to 1610 yd (2X) of bulky (#5) yarn, with a 15 % margin. Your size card gives the skeins.
More sweater patterns
More crochet patterns
© 2026 amgroyal.com. You may sell what you crochet. Please don't copy or repost this pattern; link to it instead.
Keep goingMore free crochet patterns
See all patterns 
Baby BlanketsChevron Crochet Baby Blanket (DC Ripple Pattern in 2 Sizes)
SweatersCrochet Baby Sweater Pattern: Moss Stitch, Sizes 0-3 to 18-24 Months
Baby BlanketsEasy Crochet Baby Blanket in Moss Stitch (Free Pattern, 2 Sizes)
SweatersCrochet Christmas Sweater Ornament (Mini Tapestry Sweater)
SweatersChunky Crochet Sweater (Boxy Pattern, Sizes S-2X)
SweatersCrochet Christmas Sweater (Boxy Pattern, Sizes S-2X)