When the seasons shift, having a reliable, go-to layer is an absolute must, and the Free Cozy Linen Crochet Cardigan Pattern is the ultimate minimalist project.
Featuring a relaxed, oversized silhouette and thick, structural post-stitch ribbing, this gorgeous wardrobe staple looks incredibly polished yet remains completely free and beginner-friendly to make!
Pattern Details & Materials
Before picking up your hook, let’s review the sizing, structure, and required tools to prepare your workspace.
Skill Level
-
Easy
Sizes
- Finished Bust: About 54 in. (137 cm), including front bands, buttoned
- Finished Length: About 24 in. (61 cm)
Materials
- Yarn: LION BRAND® COTTON BLEND NO. 5 (Art. #767), #602 Keystone, 10 balls
- Yarn Weight: Bulky 5
- Crochet Hook: LION BRAND® crochet hook size J-10 (6 mm)
- Notions: LION BRAND large-eyed blunt needle
Gauge
- 11 dc = about 4 in. (10 cm); 7 rows = about 4 1/4 in. (11 cm).
- BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE.
Abbreviations
- beg = begin(ning)(s)
- ch = chain
- dc = double crochet
- rem = remaining
- rep = repeat
- RS = right side
- sk = skip
- sl st = slip stitch
- st(s) = stitch(es)
- tog = together
- WS = wrong side
Stitch Explanations & Project Notes
Stitch Explanations
- BPDC (back post double crochet): Yarn over, insert hook from back to front then to back, going around post of indicated st, draw up a loop, (yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice. Skip st in front of the BPDC.
- dc2tog (dc 2 sts together): (Yarn over, insert hook in next st and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops) twice, yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook – 1 st decreased.
- dc-blo (double crochet in back loop only): Yarn over, insert hook in back loop only of indicated st and draw up a loop, (yarn over and draw through all 2 loops on hook) twice.
- dc-flo (double crochet in front loop only): Yarn over, insert hook in front loop only of indicated st and draw up a loop, (yarn over and draw through all 2 loops on hook) twice.
- FPDC (front post double crochet): Yarn over, insert hook from front to back then to front, going around post of indicated st, draw up a loop, (yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice. Skip st behind the FPDC.
Pattern Notes
- Cardi is made in 3 pieces: Body and 2 Sleeves.
- Each piece is worked back and forth in rows from lower edge upwards.
- Body is worked up to underarms then piece is divided and fronts and back are worked separately to shoulders.
Instructions
Body
Ch 155.
Lower Ribbing
Row 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook (3 skipped ch count as first dc) and in each ch across – you will have 153 dc in this row.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc in this row and in all following rows), turn, sk first st, dc-flo in next 2 sts, *BPDC around each of next 3 sts, dc-flo in next 3 sts; rep from * across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3 – 153 sts (consisting of twenty-six 3-dc groups and twenty five 3-BPDC groups).
Row 3: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc-blo in next 2 sts, *FPDC around each of next 3 sts, dc-blo in next 3 sts; rep from * across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Row 4: Rep Row 2.
Body Section
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in next 15 sts, (dc2tog, dc in next 10 sts) 10 times, dc2tog, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3 – 142 dc.
Row 2: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Rep Row 2 until piece measures about 11 in. (28 cm) from beg, end with a WS row as the last row you work.
Shape V-Neck
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc2tog, dc in each st to last 3 sts, dc2tog, dc in top of beg ch-3 – 140 dc.
Row 2: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st across, working last st in top of beg ch-3.
Rows 3 and 4: Rep Rows 1 and 2 – 138 dc in Row 3.
Right Front
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc2tog, dc in next 30 sts; leave rem sts unworked for back and left front – 32 dc for right front.
Row 2: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc2tog, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3 – 31 dc.
Row 3: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc2tog, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3 – 30 dc.
Row 4: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Rows 5-14: Rep Rows 3 and 4 for 5 more times – 25 dc in Row 13.
Shape Right Shoulder
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc2tog, dc in each st to last 6 sts; leave rem sts unworked – 18 dc.
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sl st in first 6 sts, ch 2 (does not count as a st), dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3 – 12 dc.
Row 3: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc2tog, dc in each st to last 6 dc; leave rem sts unworked – 5 dc. Fasten off.
Back Section
From RS, sk first 2 unworked sts following end of Row 1 of right front, join yarn with sl st in next st.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, sk same st as joining sl st, dc in next 67 sts; leave rem sts unworked for left front – 68 dc.
Row 2: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc2tog, dc in each st across to last 3 sts, dc2tog, dc in top of beg ch-3 – 66 dc.
Rows 3-14: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Shape Back Shoulders
Rows 1-3: Ch 1, turn, sl st in first 6 sts, ch 2 (does not count as a st), dc in each st to last 6 dc; leave rem sts unworked – 30 dc in Row 3. Fasten off.
Left Front
From RS, sk first 2 unworked sts following end of Row 1 of back, join yarn with sl st in next st.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, sk same st as joining sl st, dc in each st to last 3 sts, dc2tog, dc in top of beg ch-3 – 32 dc.
Row 2: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st to last 3 sts, dc2tog, dc in top of beg ch-3 – 31 dc.
Row 3: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st to last 3 sts, dc2tog, dc in top of beg ch-3 – 30 dc.
Row 4: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Rows 5-14: Rep Rows 3 and 4 for 5 more times – 25 dc in Row 13.
Shape Left Shoulder
Row 1 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sl st in first 6 sts, ch 2 (does not count as a st), dc in each st to last 3 sts, dc2tog, dc in top of beg ch-3 – 18 dc.
Row 2: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st to last 6 dc; leave rem sts unworked – 12 dc.
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sl st in first 6 sts, ch 2 (does not count as a st), dc in each st to last 3 dc, dc2tog, dc in top of beg ch-3 – 5 dc. Fasten off.
Sleeves (make 2)
Ch 29.
Cuff Ribbing
Row 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook (3 skipped ch count as first dc) and in each ch across – 27 dc.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc in this row and in all following rows), turn, sk first st, dc-flo in next 2 sts, *BPDC around each of next 3 sts, dc-flo in next 3 sts; rep from * across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3 – 27 sts (consisting of five 3-dc groups and four 3-BPDC groups).
Row 3: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc-blo in next 2 sts, *FPDC around each of next 3 sts, dc-blo in next 3 sts; rep from * across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Row 4: Rep Row 2.
Shape Sleeve
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st, (dc in next 4 sts, 2 dc in next st) 4 times, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3 – 32 dc.
Rows 2-4: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Row 5 (Increase Row): Ch 3, turn, dc in first st (increase made), dc in each st to beg ch-3, 2 dc in top of beg ch-3 – 34 dc.
Rep Rows 2-5 for 3 more times – 40 dc when all increases have been completed.
Next Row: Ch 3, turn, dc in each st across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Rep last row until piece measures about 16 in. (40.5 cm) from beg, end with a WS row as the last row you work.
Shape Cap (Top of Sleeve)
Row 1 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sl st in first 5 sts, ch 2 (does not count as a st), dc in each st to last 5 sts; leave rem sts unworked – 30 dc.
Rows 2 and 3: Ch 1, turn, sl st in first 5 sts, dc in each st to last 5 dc; leave rem sts unworked – 10 dc rem in Row 3. Fasten off.
Finishing
Sew shoulder seams.
Front and Neck Band
From RS, join yarn with sl st in lower front corner so that you are ready to work up front edge of Cardi.
Row 1 (RS): Work 177 dc evenly spaced up front edge, across back neck, and down next front edge to opposite lower front corner.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc in this row and in all following rows), turn, sk first st, dc-flo in next 2 sts, *BPDC around each of next 3 sts, dc-flo in next 3 sts; rep from * across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3 – 177 sts (consisting of thirty 3-dc groups and twenty nine 3-BPDC groups).
Row 3: Ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc-blo in next 2 sts, *FPDC around each of next 3 sts, dc-blo in next 3 sts; rep from * across, working last dc in top of beg ch-3.
Row 4: Rep Row 2.
Fasten off.
Sew Sleeve seams.
Sew in Sleeves.
Weave in ends.
Summary
Congratulations on completing your Free Cozy Linen Crochet Cardigan Pattern!
By carefully assembling the panels and adding that chunky, gorgeous post-stitch front band, you have brought the Free Cozy Linen Crochet Cardigan Pattern to life as a striking, comfortable layer.
Slip into your new finished piece, pair it with your favorite everyday outfits, and enjoy the effortless fit of your lovely new masterwork!
