This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure and privacy policy for details.

When it comes to crochet garments I often hear people worry that they are just simply too hard for beginners to make. I’m here to show you that they’re not. In fact, a really well written and chosen pattern shouldn’t be anymore tricky than a blanket. I’ve carefully selected more than 40 easy crochet cardigan patterns for beginners to show you what I mean.

From long sleeve to short, ones for summer and winter, long or cropped, oversized or fitted, there is every style you can think of but most importantly they are all easy to crochet.

Images of easy crochet cardigan patterns for beginners in various styles.

How do you crochet a cardigan?

If you’ve never crocheted a cardigan before (or indeed any kind of garment) then I completely understand how intimidating and scary it seems!

You have no need to worry though, there are so many great crochet cardigan patterns that are perfect for beginners and I’ve searched high and low to find them for you.

The key to success is choosing a pattern that uses simple stitches and a construction that you feel comfortable with. Some people like the idea of working the whole thing in one piece but for others they prefer to make smaller sections and join them together. I’ve found lots of options for both.

Can I crochet a cardigan as a beginner?

Beginners can definitely make crochet cardigans. I often think that sometimes they’re not much harder than making a blanket or scarf, especially if they use a simple construction technique.

The crochet cardigans I’ve chosen are mostly just simple rectangles that are joined together to form the front, back and sleeves. There are some however that are crocheted in one piece so are completely seamless and are much simpler than you might think!

If you’re completely new to crochet garment making please don’t worry! I know this might all sound like a new language so I have a fabulous guide on how to start your perfect crochet wardrobe and also learn garment making with 12 free crochet top patterns for different skill levels for you to dip into too.

How do I choose the right pattern for me?

Choosing the right beginner cardigan crochet pattern to make is both a question of style and skill.

Firstly, you need to make something that you will actually want to wear (or whoever you are making it for will!). There is no point in making something that you don’t love.

Secondly, you need to choose a pattern that sits with your skill level and experience. I’ve added the yarn weight, style, stitches used, construction and other details to all the cardigans to save you the work of delving into them and finding out if they are right for you.

It’s vital that you find a pattern that has been tech edited and tested and I know that each and every one of these has been. Lots of them have video tutorials too which is an amazing bonus for beginners.

Image showing a selection of different crochet cardigan patterns for beginners.

What crochet stitches will I need to know?

Each of the patterns that I’ve included use mostly single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet stitches.

There are a few that use longer stitches like treble crochet and some special stitches like post and cluster stitches because I didn’t want you to limit yourself if you’ve already encountered or would like to learn these stitches.

Supplies for Crocheting Cardigans

Pattern

As I’ve said, choosing the right pattern for you is essential and I have 40 for you to choose from! Lots of them are free to view on the designers blog which is a great way to try out a pattern without committing any money.

If you find one (or two!) that you love though, they all come with a premium PDF option that will mean you can download and print a copy which is great for making notes and remembering where you are!

Yarn

The cardigan pattern will let you know the recommended yarn that the designer used, the weight (referred to as category) and the amount of yarn you’ll need for each size. I’ve added the information about the yarns with each pattern for you to take a look.

The most important thing when choosing yarn is to make sure that you work a gauge swatch. The pattern will tell you how many stitches and rows you need to get in a 4″ square so that the cardigan you crochet will be the size intended in the pattern.

Hook

Your pattern will let you know the hook size that the designer used but this might not be the size you need! Once you’ve made your gauge swatch you’ll know whether you need to go up, down or stay the same hook size to meet the gauge.

Notions and Other Materials

The other essentials you’ll need make the cardigan are:

  • A tape measure to check your gauge, help you block to measurements and make sure you are on track throughout!
  • Scissors to break your yarn.
  • A tapestry needle to weave in your ends.
  • Stitch markers are often helpful for keeping count of stitches and marking where sleeves, cuffs and collars go.

Easy Crochet Cardigan Patterns for Beginners – The List

I am always amazed at the huge variety of crochet cardigan patterns there are out there! It’s so tricky to find the perfect one to make, especially if you are a beginner though.

They are all considered to be beginner and easy crochet cardigan patterns but I’m confident that all of the designers have awesome patterns and support so that even if this is your very first garment you’ll be great!

With so many options I’ve put them into the following groups to help you navigate around and focus on the style you prefer.

Styles of Crochet Cardigans

  • Long Sleeve Crochet Cardigans for Winter and Fall (1-8)
  • Long Sleeve Crochet Cardigans for Spring and Summer (9-14)
  • All Year Round Crochet Cardigans (15-19)
  • Short Sleeve Crochet Cardigans (20-24)
  • Crop Crochet Cardigans (25-29)
  • Lacy Crochet Cardigans (30-35)
  • Cocoon Crochet Cardigans (36-40)
  • Granny Square Cardigans

Easy Crochet Cardigan Patterns for Beginners

With all the options how to you find exactly the right easy crochet cardigan patterns that you not only want to make but also want to wear?

I've been through so many and picked out my top options for you that are great for beginners but also stylish and classic too.

You'll find details about their stitches, construction, recommended yarn and much more so that you can find the perfect cardigan for you to crochet and even better - lots of them are free patterns too!

Long Sleeve Crochet Cardigans for Winter and Fall

My go to is always warm and cozy cardigan patterns with long sleeves and so I thought we'd start with them first!

Long Sleeve Crochet Cardigans for Spring and Summer

Over here in the UK even in the spring and summer we need something to cover our shoulders in the cooler days and evenings. Rather than great big and cosy we need lightweight crochet cardigan patterns so here are some I've found for you!

You'll notice that most of these designs use lighter yarns such as fingering weight, sport weight or double knit.

This is often the key to making a garment that is more light and delicate and well worth the bit of extra time it takes to make!

Long Sleeve Cardigans for All Year Round

Sometimes a cardigan can be perfect for every season because you can layer it up or down, wear it over summer dresses or roll neck jumpers and jeans.

These easy cardigan patterns are really versatile and will be a wardrobe staple the whole year!

Short Sleeve Cardigans

Some people find the sleeves the most intimidating part of crochet garments so I've found some short sleeve cardigan patterns that will mean you don't need to worry about them!

You might think that short sleeves are just for summer but I've found some that are great for winter too!

Crop Cardigans

A trend that we've seen more recently is for cropped or short crochet cardigan patterns and I love it! They can be worn any time of year and double up as a great jacket too. Here are some easy ones to try.

Lace Crochet Cardigans

I've often heard it said that lace crochet isn't for beginners but I would disagree!

Lace in crochet often only uses simple stitches and short repeats so here are some lace crochet cardigan patterns for beginners that I know you can make!

Cocoon Crochet Cardigans

Finally I found some amazing easy cocoon crochet cardigan patterns that I love! They are possibly the easiest construction as they are just one square or rectangle that are joined at the sides to create the armholes so hardly any seaming at all!

Let's have a look at some.

Conclusion

So which one will you choose first from these 40 easy crochet cardigan patterns?! I really hope you found the perfect pattern for you in the list and would love to know if you make one (or some!).

Don’t forget to join HanJan Crochet to receive regular discount codes, hear about all my new patterns first and get exclusive access to events!

Similar Posts