Experience the charm of the Free Crochet Boat Granny Cardigan Pattern, offering an easy way to stay stylish and cozy with a timeless handmade touch.

Creating something with your own hands always feels special, especially when it’s as beautiful and versatile as this crochet cardigan. The “Free Crochet Granny Cardigan pattern” features the elegant granny stitch, forming soft clusters of yarn that give the garment a cozy yet stylish texture. Its vertical design and flowing shape make it perfect for layering on cool days or adding a touch of handmade charm to casual outfits.

Crochet Granny Cardigan Free Pattern with Simple Instructions

Granny Cardigan crochet tutorial, all sizes, single panel construction 1

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Using acrylic yarn in a soothing sage tone, this cardigan achieves a natural and calming look, while its lightweight feel ensures comfort. The pattern is simple, consisting of three panels, a back piece and two front sections, joined neatly at the shoulders. Sleeves are worked in the round and finished with delicate cuffs for added refinement.

The edges are bordered with a subtle shrimp stitch variation, creating a polished final touch. Whether worn at home or out and about, this cardigan brings a mix of warmth, beauty, and craftsmanship that makes it truly special to make and wear.

Granny Cardigan crochet tutorial, all sizes, single panel construction 6

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Crochet Granny Cardigan with Cuffed Sleeves

Materials

Yarn
- Suggested: Lana Carezza by Tre Sfere (acrylic), or any similar DK / light worsted (Category 3) acrylic/wool blend.
- Approximate quantity:
  - Size S: a little over 400 g
  - Size M (reference in video for similar projects): ~450–500 g
- Fiber content in example: acrylic (exact mix not specified in the transcription, but use a soft, garment-friendly yarn).
Hook
- 3.5 mm crochet hook (US size E/4)
Notions
- Stitch markers
- Tapestry (yarn) needle – for seaming and weaving in ends
- Measuring tape
- Scissors

Special Notes

Vertical Construction
- The main panels are worked vertically, from hem to shoulder.
- You begin with a chain equal to the desired length of the cardigan (e.g., 65 cm / ~25.5 in).
Width Planning
- Measure your full bust circumference and divide by 2:
  - One half will be the back panel width.
  - The other half will be divided into two front panels: left and right (each is a “front quarter”).
- Example from transcription:
  - Bust circumference: 100 cm
  - Back panel: 50 cm
  - Each front panel: 25 cm

Sizing and Measurements (Suggested)

Use these as guidelines and adjust to your own measurements:

Total cardigan length (vertical): ~65 cm (25.5 in)
Back panel width: half of bust minus ease (e.g., 50 cm for 100 cm bust)
Each front panel width: about a quarter of bust (e.g., 25 cm each for 100 cm bust)
Armhole depth: about 18 cm (7 in) in sample – adjust to your own measurement.
Sleeve length: about 40–41 cm (16 in), plus cuff.
Front band depth: about 9 cm (3.5 in) on each front panel.

Main Stitch Pattern (Vertical Granny)

Swatch Instructions (as in video sample)

The designer demonstrates on a chain of 15, but for the actual cardigan you will chain to reach 65 cm (or your desired length) using a multiple of 3 + 2.

Foundation

Ch 15, then ch 2 more, for a total of 17 ch (this sample only is for demonstration).
Starting in 2nd ch from the hook, sc in each ch across.
(For the actual cardigan, you will also make a first row of sc across your full starting chain.)
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Row 1 – Establish Granny Pattern

Ch 3, turn.
In the same st where the ch 3 originates, work 1 dc (this plus the ch 3 gives you a starting group of effectively 2 dc + ch 3 edge).
Yo, sk 2 sts, in the 3rd st, work a 3-dc cluster (3 dc in same stitch).
Repeat: sk 2 sts, 3 dc in next st across the row.
At the last st (which you may wish to pre-mark with a stitch marker), work only 2 dc.
- This maintains the edge pattern: start with 3 dc (ch 3 + dc) and end with 2 dc.

Row 2 – Granny with Border

Ch 3, turn.
- The designer often places an sc on top of the sc and marks the 3rd ch as the first stitch. You may either:
  - Ch 3 (counts as dc), or
  - Sc and mark the 3rd ch as the first st (her personal method).
Dc in the first available stitch, then dc in the side space below to keep the edge “full” (this forms a clean straight edge).
- You should now have effectively three dc at the beginning edge (edge group).
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For each chain space between 3-dc clusters, work a new 3-dc cluster:
- 3 dc into each space between clusters.
At the end of the row, in the final stitch, work 2 dc again.

Rows 3+ – Continue Pattern

Repeat Row 2 for all subsequent rows of the panels:
- Always start with 3 dc (ch 3 + dc(s)) at the beginning edge.
- Always end with 2 dc in the last stitch.
- Maintain 3-dc clusters into spaces across the row.

Front Panel (First Front Quarter)

Work vertically until you reach the desired full body length (e.g., 65 cm), as shown in the sample.

Make a foundation chain in multiple of 3 + 2, to reach 65 cm (or your desired length).
Work 1 row of sc across the foundation chain.
Begin the granny pattern by working Row 1 and then Row 2 as described in the swatch.
Continue in pattern (Rows 2+) back and forth until the front panel reaches your planned width (e.g., 25 cm) – but remember, since this is vertical, width is determined by the number of rows, not the chain. You will measure the horizontal dimension as the work grows.

Back Panel with Armhole Shaping

For the back panel, you begin like a front panel and then add an armhole “bridge” with a chain.

Work to Armhole Height

Start exactly as for a front panel:
- Same foundation chain multiple.
- Same granny rows.
Work until you reach the height where the armhole begins, measured from the bottom edge:
- Armhole depth (e.g., 18 cm) is measured from shoulder downward, so to place the armhole you will subtract that from the full panel height.
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- In practice, she works a full panel, then says:
  
  “Subtract the armhole measurement from the total panel, and stop working at that point.”
Mark this row as armhole start.

Create the Armhole Chain (“Flying Chain”)

From this stopping point, you need to create a chain that reaches the full width of the panel where the armhole gap will be.
This chain must respect the multiple 3 + 2.
- In the sample she uses 9 chains + 2 (for a total of 11) for the tiny swatch.
- In your actual garment, the number of chains will be determined by how large you want the armhole opening (and must be a multiple of 3 + 2).
Example (as in video sample):
- Ch 9, then ch 2 more (total 11 ch).

Work Granny Across the Armhole Chain

Turn your work if needed, and skip 2 ch, in the 3rd chain work:
- 1 dc, mark this stitch, then 1 dc again into the same ch, so that combined with the ch 2 you effectively have 3 dc at the start.
Yo, sk 2 ch, in the 3rd ch work 3 dc.
Repeat: sk 2 ch, 3 dc in next ch, until you reach the end of the new chain.
Then:
- Sk the next 2 sts and the underlying 3-dc group of the panel below, and
- Begin your 3-dc group into the next group on the original panel.
- This “jumps over” a section, forming the armhole opening.

Assembly: Creating the Vest Shape

After completing the back panel and both front panels:
- Lay the back panel flat, RS up.
- Place each front panel on top, RS facing the RS of the back (right sides together).
Shoulder Seam:
- Decide how wide you want the neckline.
- In the video, she marks 13 cm for each shoulder, leaving a central space for the neck.
- Place markers at shoulder width and seam from armhole top inward using:
  - sl st through both panels (working in inner loops), or
  - sewing with yarn needle.
After seaming both shoulders, open the garment:
- You now have a vest-like piece with armholes and a neckline.

Sleeves (Worked in the Round)

The sleeves are worked directly from the armholes in continuous rounds of granny clusters without decreases, until near the cuff.

Sleeve Setup

With RS facing, insert hook under the armhole in any space between groups.
Anchor yarn with ch 1, then ch 2 more (total ch 3 approx.) and in the same space:
- Work 2 dc to form the first 3-dc cluster.
Work 3 dc in each space around the armhole.
- Adjust the exact number of clusters to distribute evenly. In the video she just works “in each available space” around.
Join the round with a sl st at the top of the beginning cluster.

Sleeve Length

Continue working 3-dc clusters in each space round after round.
The designer works:
- Approximately 40–41 cm of sleeve length in the granny stitch.
She chooses not to decrease the sleeve width, keeping it straight, then shapes a cuff near the end.

Sleeve Cuff: Decrease and Ribbing

When the sleeve is about 5 cm shorter than your desired final length, begin shaping the cuff.

Decrease Round

At the end of a granny round, instead of 3-dc clusters, she:
- Ch 2, then works dc decreases across the stitches around:
- Dc2tog:
  - Yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops;
  - Yo, insert hook into next st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops;
  - Yo, pull through all loops on hook.
Repeat dc2tog around to gently narrow the sleeve.

Ribbed Cuff (Back Loop hdc)

After the decrease round, work rows (or rounds) of hdc in blo to create cuff ribbing:
- She mentions 6 rounds of hdc blo.
After ribbing, finish with 1 simple round of sc to neaten the edge.

Front Bands and Cardigan Closure

Once sleeves are complete, you create bands along the front edges (and optionally around the neckline).

Front Bands (Ribbing)

You have two options:

Option A: One continuous band around both fronts and neckline (horseshoe shape).
Option B (used in video): Work straight up and down along each front, stopping at the neckline to avoid a gathered neck.

The designer chooses Option B.

Choose one front edge, at the bottom corner.
Work rows of hdc blo along the edge, turning at each end, up to the beginning of the neckline:
- Measure as you go; she stops at around 9 cm of band depth.
Repeat the same number of rows and depth on the other front edge.

Neckline

You may leave the neckline as is, or gently border it later with the shrimp-stitch variation (see next section).
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Edging – Shrimp Stitch Variation

The final decorative edging is worked around the front edges, neckline, and armholes using a modified shrimp stitch.

Shrimp Stitch Variation (Explained)

Insert the hook into a stitch where you want to begin (e.g., front bottom corner).
Ch 1 to anchor.
Into the same stitch:
- Begin an sc: insert hook, yo, pull up a loop.
- Rotate hook 360° (a full turn) to twist the stitch.
- Yo, pull through both loops to close the sc.
Move to the next stitch, repeat:
- Insert hook, start an sc, rotate hook 360°, close sc.
Continue in this way, edging:
- Up the front quarter,
- Around the back of the neck,
- Down the other front,
- Around armholes if desired.

Finishing

Weave in all loose ends with a tapestry needle.
Gently block the cardigan (especially if using wool or wool-blend):
- Lay flat to dry, shaping panels, cuffs, and bands.
Check that both sleeves match in length and that front bands are symmetrical.
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Pattern Corrections / Clarifications

Because this pattern is inferred from a video transcription, some numerical details had to be generalized:

Exact stitch counts for sleeve rounds, decrease distribution, and band rows are not fully specified in the transcript. You are encouraged to:
- Try on the cardigan as you go.
- Adjust the number of chains for armhole bridges and sleeve decreases according to your actual measurements and tension.
The phrase “3 + 2 multiple” refers to the foundation chain. Ensure:
- (3 × n) + 2 chains for the length of each vertical panel.

Tips for Best Results

Swatch First:
Make a small swatch of the granny pattern with your yarn and hook to check gauge and drape.
Measure Often:
- Confirm armhole depth (e.g., 18 cm) on your body.
- Check sleeve length regularly (e.g., 40–41 cm before cuff).
- Measure front band width (about 9 cm) and adjust if you want a looser or more closed front.

Conclusion

This vertical granny cardigan is a versatile, elegant, and modern piece, combining:

The classic appeal of the granny stitch,
Vertical construction for a flattering drape,
Simple but stylish ribbed cuffs and bands, and
A unique shrimp-stitch variation edging.

Free Crochet Granny Cardigan with Detailed Finishing Touches