So, I designed a crochet cardigan!
Or, to be more specific, I made it up as I went along!
I used an aran yarn (it was a 400g ball, and I have some left) and a 6.5mm hook. I apologise for the lack of proper pattern wordage, but I don’t really follow patterns, let alone write them! I’m a size 8-10, but you could easily adjust this basic template to make the cardi bigger or longer.
There are three pieces – the collar, the bottom part, and the back, which folds over to become the two sides of the front.
I started with the collar piece.
Chain 103 stitches, turn and crochet 1 treble into the 3rd chain from hook. Make one treble crochet into each stitch of your chain.
At the end chain 2, turn and go back the other way, making a treble into each stitch.
Continue until you have 10 rows of treble crochet. Cut yarn and tie off.
Next I made the bottom piece.
Chain 83 stitches, turn and crochet 1 treble into the 3rd chain from the hook. Make one treble crochet into each stitch of your chain. At the end chain 2, turn and go back the other way, making a treble into each stitch.
Continue until you have enough rows to go around under your bust. Mine was 54 rows of treble crochet.
Take the collar and attach it with a slip stitch to the ends of the bottom piece. Mark the middle 26 stitches of the collar – this is where you will join the back piece.
(here’s a little drawing)
The collar just folds over when it is being worn.
Now you need to make 52 treble crochet along the middle of the bottom piece – this will be the back of your cardigan. I used some stitch markers to help me measure the middle section.
Carry on with rows of trebles until you have 18rows.
Chain 2, turn and make 14 trebles in the next row. this is the point where your collar joins. (At this point I slip stitched my collar in place, using the markers I’d made earlier. )
Now you are on the front and need to make a triangular piece until it is long enough to join to the bottom.
Turn and crochet 14 trebles.
Turn, crochet 13 trebles, turn, 13 trebles.
(Each time I got to the collar edge I made a slip stitch to hold the crochet in place.)
Make one less treble in each block of two rows until you have 7 treble crochet in your row.
Join to the bottom piece with slip stitch.
So, hopefully it looks like this…
Now, you need to do the same for the other front side; rejoin yarn and make 2 rows of 14 trebles, 2 rows of 13 trebles, etc. Join at the bottom.
Next I joined the edges properly with slip stitch – along the diagonal was a bit holey!
Then I edged around the bottom and around the armholes in slip stitch.
Finally I sewed on a button and made a button loop with a crochet chain.
Well, that was probably as clear as mud, but hey-ho! I really should have written it down as I did it.
My favourite thing about crochet is the way you can make it up as you go along, so, go on, have a try!!
shazronnie 