Summer Breeze Crochet Cardigan – Free Pattern

The Summer Breeze Crochet Cardigan is a light, airy cardigan featuring beautiful open shell stitches and a relaxed, flowing silhouette. Designed for warmer days, this crochet cardigan makes a lovely layering piece when you want something stylish without feeling too bundled up.

The open shell stitch pattern creates a delicate, lacy appearance, while the generous positive ease gives the cardigan its loose and easy going fit. It’s a versatile design that looks just as lovely over a simple vest top and jeans as it does with a summer dress.

One of my favorite details is the contrast between the decorative shell stitches and the neat ribbed edging. The body and sleeves feature ribbing worked in back loop single crochet, adding a lovely finishing touch to the openwork design.

Although the finished cardigan looks intricate, the construction is easy. It’s made from separate panels and sleeves, which are joined together before adding a simple neckline edging.

Whether you’re crocheting for your summer wardrobe or planning ahead for those cooler evenings, the Summer Breeze Cardigan is a project you’ll enjoy making and wearing.

How the Summer Breeze Crochet Cardigan is Constructed

The Summer Breeze Crochet Cardigan is made from five separate pieces: one back panel, two front panels and two sleeves.

Each pieces is crocheted from the bottom up, beginning with a ribbed hem for the body panels or a ribbed cuff for the sleeves. Once the ribbing is complete, you’ll work the open shell stitch pattern to create the main sections of the cardigan.

After completing all five pieces, join the front panels to the back panel by seaming across the shoulders and down the sides, leaving openings for the arms.

Next, seam each sleeve along its length to form a tube before attaching it to the corresponding armhole.

To finish, work a row of single crochet stitches along the neckline for a neat, polished edge.

Materials

Yarn – Drops Cotton Light in colorway Khaki (shade 12) – light/dk/8 ply (50% cotton, 50% polyester)

105 m (115 yds) per 50g ball.

Yardage – 12(13, 13) skeins or 1300(1380, 1400) yds

Hook – Size U.S. H/8 (5 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge.

Notions – Tapestry needle, several locking stitch markers

Sizing & Measurements

Size	Finished bust	Total length	Sleeve length	Upper arm
S/M	48″	27″	10″	15″
L/XL	56″	27″	10″	16″
2XL/3XL	64″	27″	10″	17″

Sea Breeze Crochet Cardigan Pattern

Back Panel

Ribbed hem

Ch 10

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn [9 sc]

Row 2: Ch 1, scBLO in each sc across, turn.

Rep Row 2 until you have a total of 91(106, 121) rows completed.

Turn your work to begin working across the ends of the rows you just completed.

Body

Row 1: Ch 1, work 1 sc into the ends of each row you just completed [91(106, 121) sc], turn.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each of the next 2 sc, *ch 3, skip 2 sc**, sc in next 3 sc, rep from * ending last rep at **, sc in last 2 sc, turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *skip next sc, Shell, skip next sc, sc in next sc**, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, turn.

Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as hdc+ch 1), skip next dc, *sc in next 3 dc**, ch 3, skip next (dc, sc, dc), rep from * across, ending last rep at **, ch 1, hdc in last sc, turn.

Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2DC in first ch-1 sp, *skip next sc, sc in next sc**, Shell, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, 3DC in tch, turn.

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in first dc, sc in next dc, *ch 3, skip next (dc, sc, dc)**, sc in next 3 dc, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, sc in last 2 sts, turn.

Rep Rows 3-6 until end of row 62. For a shorter or longer cardigan simply do less or more rows but make sure to end on the end of row 6.

Fasten off and weave in any ends you might have.

Front Panel (Make 2)

Ribbed hem

Ch 10

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, and in each ch across, turn [9 sc]

Row 2: Ch 1, scBLO in each sc across, turn.

Rep Row 2 until you have a total of 41(46, 56) rows completed.

Turn your work to begin working across the ends of the rows you just completed.

Body

Row 1: Ch 1, work 1 sc into the ends of each row you just completed, turn [41(46, 56) sc]

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each of the next 2 sc, *ch 3, skip 2 sc**, sc in next 3 sc, rep from * ending last rep at **, sc in last 2 sc, turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *skip next sc, Shell, skip next sc, sc in next sc**, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, turn.

Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as hdc+ch 1), skip next dc, *sc in next 3 dc**, ch 3, skip next (dc, sc, dc), rep from * across, ending last rep at **, ch 1, hdc in last sc, turn.

Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2DC in first ch-1 sp, *skip next sc, sc in next sc**, Shell, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, 3DC in tch, turn.

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in first dc, sc in next dc, *ch 3, skip next (dc, sc, dc)**, sc in next 3 dc, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, sc in last 2 sts, turn.

Rep Rows 3-6 until end of row 62. For a shorter or longer cardigan simply do less or more rows but make sure to end on the end of row 6.

Fasten off leaving a long tail for seaming across the shoulders.

Sleeves (Make 2)

Cuff

Ch 10

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, and in each ch across, turn [9 sc]

Row 2: Ch 1, scBLO in each sc across, turn.

Rep Row 2 until you have a total of 56(61, 66) rows completed.

Turn your work to begin working in the ends of the rows you just completed.

Sleeve body

Row 1: Ch 1, work 1 sc into the ends of the rows you just completed [56(61, 66) sc]

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each of the next 2 sc, *ch 3, skip 2 sc**, sc in next 3 sc, rep from * ending last rep at **, sc in last 2 sc, turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *skip next sc, Shell, skip next sc, sc in next sc**, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, turn.

Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as hdc+ch 1), skip next dc, *sc in next 3 dc**, ch 3, skip next (dc, sc, dc), rep from * across, ending last rep at **, ch 1, hdc in last sc, turn.

Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2DC in first ch-1 sp, *skip next sc, sc in next sc**, Shell, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, 3DC in tch, turn.

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in first dc, sc in next dc, *ch 3, skip next (dc, sc, dc)**, sc in next 3 dc, rep from * across, ending last rep at **, sc in last 2 sts, turn.

Rep rows 3-6 until the end of row 22.

Fasten off leaving a long tail. With your tapestry needle and long tail seam the sides of sleeve together.

Assembly

Lay the front panels over the back panel. You can use locking stitch markers to help line up the panels stitch-for-stitch along the shoulders and sides of the cardigan making sure to leave openings at the armholes for the sleeves. Use your tapestry needle and long tails to seam the pieces together.

Now you can lay the sleeves against the armholes with the seams facing downward. Seam to armhole.

Finishing

Turn your cardigan the right side out and attach yarn to one of the bottom inside corners.

Ch 1, sc evenly around the entire collar, up around the neckline and down the opposite side. Once you have reached the other side fasten off and weave in any remaining ends.

Block your cardigan if needed to the dimensions needed in the above chart.