I LOVE sweaters! Primarily cardigans. When fall hits I am all about the layers and staying cozy and warm. This morning in Virginia it was 34 degrees! Brrrrrrrr. I have been doing a massive amount of crocheting the last 3 years and in the past I had crocheted things like blankets, beanies and accessories. Those are pretty popular go-to items.
As I was searching through patterns I came across several cardigans and sweaters that were so cute. I often stayed away from sewing clothing because I just never liked the way it turned out or fit me. I had never tried crocheting garments though so I thought what the heck! I’ll give it a try.
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1. Staycation Cardigan
The first cardigan that I highly recommend making(because this is the first one I made and loved it) is the Staycation Cardigan, found HERE. The yarn suggested for this pattern, and what I used, is the Lion Brand Touch of Alpaca, color Jade. I try my best to find yarn locally. If I can’t find what I need locally I then try Lion Brand Online or WeCrochet. Lastly I will try Amazon. You might be surprised that Amazon will sometimes have the highest price for yarn and the actual brand website is lower or has different promotions so make sure to shop around!
This was my first time crocheting a cardigan and I found the pattern very helpful. The pattern was easy to understand and there were great pictures to assure me I was on the right track. Sometimes you will find free patterns for crocheting, but usually if you pay for a pattern you get access to a lot more pictures and videos, as well as, assistance from the designer if you need it. I love designers that include video tutorials. If you are a beginner I would suggest purchasing a pattern for extra assistance.
You can see the finished Staycation Cardigan below. I also had a leftover skein so I decided to create a small shawl for my daughter. I went with a simple one piece and created my own FREE pattern which you can find HERE . You can find this pattern and more in the pattern section of my blog. We took a trip out to Shenandoah National Park which was a great opportunity to wear our sweaters and take some pictures. A big thank you to my husband for being our photographer as well!
2. Alpine Poncho
After completing this cardigan I was excited to move onto some more sweaters as we prepared for the cold Virginia weather. I took a look at some more patterns from Make & Do Crew and fell in love with this Alpine Poncho found HERE. The yarn used for this pattern is Lion Brand Touch of Alpaca, color Taupe. I love the shawl look of the sweater. I think this was slightly easier than the previous sweater as you are not doing any increase or decrease stitches, which can be a little tricky.
Here is the finished product. This shawl came together great. Once you get the cluster pattern down it moves very quickly. I wanted to create a similar look for my daughter so I came up with a shawl that used the same stitch. I used one skein for her shawl and you can find the FREE pattern HERE. We visited a cute local park in Culpeper and you can tell winter is approaching quickly!
3. Rosewood Cardigan
The final sweater I made in 2019 is the Rosewood Cardigan found HERE.I like the lightweight look of this cardigan and I think the color will be great in spring. It uses a lightweight cotton/bamboo yarn so it won’t be too heavy as the weather warms up. The yarn used here is Lion Brand Caboo – color Mauve. They have several choices of colors if pink is not your thing.
This cardigan took probably twice the amount of time as the other two because it uses a smaller yarn, but I loved the way it came out and you can see so much detail in it. Below you can see how it came out. I made a size small since I am short and didn’t want it to be too long. You’ll probably notice I wore this for our baby announcement! It’s a perfect larger sweater that will still fit(hopefully) when I’m in the later stage of pregnancy. I also included a picture with our pups so they wouldn’t feel left out!
4. Dusk Cape
Well 2020 came quick and so did another cardigan. The Dusk Cape by allaboutami can be found HERE for free and she also has a pattern you can purchase without ads on Etsy or Ravelry. I love the drape of this cardigan and the Truboo yarn is SO SOFT! You can also find the yarn at Lion Brand online.
This yarn is thin, but it makes it so worth it when you feel the final product and see how it drapes so nicely. This technically doesn’t have “sleeves” so it could be worn in slightly warmer weather.
5. Static Sweater
The last sweater I made in 2020 is the Static Sweater by Stephanie Erin. Found HERE. This sweater is totally different than what I have normally made, but uses a thin yarn like I used in the Rosewood Cardigan and the Dusk Cape. This yarn is called a fingering yarn. I think they really help add detail and drape well when used with garments.
This sweater was relatively easy in the sense that you only use one stitch, but difficult because it has MANY increases. You start with the neckline so you make the ribbing first and then crochet in a circle to make the yoke, increasing every few stitches. If you aren’t careful about your stitch counts your sizing will be totally off. I loved these stitch markers to help me stay on track.
I was pretty tired in these pictures since I was caring for a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to take a few more soon to add here! For this sweater I used Palette Yarn from WeCrochet. I think I would make another version of this sweater using Comfy Fingering Yarn. It’s a little softer and could be used for warmer weather garments.
I purchased this sweater Pattern on Ravelry. If you haven’t checked out Ravelry they have a great site where you can purchase patterns but also list your projects and track them so you don’t forget about them. This helps me stay organized and I can prioritize which project to do when and set deadlines for myself. You can also write reviews of patterns and see pictures of what others have made with a pattern. Check
out My Ravelry page to see more of my projects and also some patterns that I sell.
6. Everyday Cotton Cardigan
So here we are in 2021 and I am off to a wonderful start with 3 additional cardigans. The first cardigan was the Everyday Cotton Cardigan by Sewrella. You can access her free pattern HERE or there is a Lion Brand Kit HERE. Remember Lion Brand often has 35% off deals which includes their kits. It’s a fantastic deal!
I was pretty tired in these pictures since I was caring for a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to take a few more soon to add here!
For this sweater I used Palette Yarn from WeCrochet. I think I would make another version of this sweater using Comfy Fingering Yarn. It’s a little softer and could be used for warmer weather garments.
I purchased this sweater Pattern on Ravelry. If you haven’t checked out Ravelry they have a great site where you can purchase patterns but also list your projects and track them so you don’t forget about them. This helps me stay organized and I can prioritize which project to do when and set deadlines for myself. You can also write reviews of patterns and see pictures of what others have made with a pattern. Check
out My Ravelry page to see more of my projects and also some patterns that I sell.
Of course I used Coboo Yarn again like my Rosewood Cardigan. This time I chose the color Olive which was perfect for Fall. This cardigan came together very quick! I know I say that a lot, but when I compare it to the Rosewood Cardigan or the Dusk Cape it was very quick. This cardigan uses a double crochet stitch throughout the entire garment. The thick ribbing was also a new technique for me and I love the texture it gave.
We took these pictures at one of my favorite wineries in the area. I love living in a town that has such beautiful landscapes just a short drive away!
You can see in the photo below more detail of the double crochet stitch. The stitch was somewhat open which made the cardigan more airy and light.
7. Mini Mezzo Cardigan
When I picked out this pattern I knew I was also going to make my daughter a cardigan with the same yarn. One of the cardigans I looked at to make for myself was The Mezzo Cardigan by Make and Do Crew, but it was a little bit more detailed than I was looking to do for myself. They had just come out with The Mini Mezzo Cardigan Pattern for kids so I thought this would be much less intimidating and the kid’s version was super cute!
So this cardigan took about the same amount of time as my Everyday Cotton Cardigan! I thought since it was smaller it would be faster, but not the case! This pattern was interesting as you make two hexagons and then stitch those together. If you are not super careful with the stitch count it’s very easy to mess up the whole shape of it. I had to count every side and label each side so I knew how it all went together. It was a process, but absolutely worth the time and effort.
My daughter loved this cardigan and kept saying “so pretty, so pretty”. That was worth it in itself. I haven’t let her wear it much as I’m holding onto it for our holiday pictures this month. It’s tough letting go when you put that much work into something, but it will also be a good opportunity to teach her how to care for handmade garments.
8. Aydin Cardigan
The last cardigan I made for 2021 (so far) is the Aydin Cardigan by MeghanMakesDo. You can find this cardigan on RavelryHERE . I knew I wanted to make a gray cardigan next and I thought this would be a great pattern. She was also running a Crochet-Along (CAL) through a Facebook group. CALs are fun because you get to see the yarn everyone else is using for their cardigan and also the final pictures. It is also a helpful tool when you are stuck on something and want to ask the group a question.
I used Lion Brand Coboo, color Silver, for this project (surprise, surprise right?) I just really love the texture and feel of this yarn. This cardigan had a fun chevron pattern to it, but it wasn’t too tricky. I will say if you decide to use this yarn you will want to do a gauge swatch for sure. You may have to increase your hook size or go up a cardigan size depending on the look you want. I also had to block this cardigan to make sure it was the dimensions that I needed it to be.
You can see below how the chevron pattern goes all the way around the cardigan including the sleeves. I love that I will be able to wear this one well into the spring (As long as it still fits!) (See baby belly in pic 3)
If you are new to crocheting and you’re not sure what supplies you need visit A Few of My Favorite Things to see some must haves!
I hope this post helps you in your search for great projects and designs. I would love to see what you are making so be sure to comment below or tag me in your social media posts.
If you are interested in Macrame patterns or other crochet patterns visit my Etsy site to see more or click HERE for free patterns through my blog.
Thanks for reading!
