Colour Stripe Crochet Mesh Cardigan- Free Pattern

Hi craftee, would you believe that this crochet mesh cardigan pattern is the first ‘proper’ crochet cardigan? Proper because the other crochet items I have named cardigan were not designed like a garment with sleeves. They were more wrap or cocoon style.

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This crochet mesh cardigan is so comfy and airy. I decided to go with DK (cotton) yarn because it is my preferred yarn weight and I really just like that it will not feel so heavy when worn in the summer heat.

This crochet cardigan design came about when I applied for a magazine publication. Alas, my design did not meet the mark of the specified theme, but I am so glad that I can share it with you here so you don’t have to wait till 2022 to make one.

You can wear this cardigan as a beach cover-up or casually. It is easy to style also with accessories, and because the main colour is white, you could easily substitute the camisoles you wear.

CONSTRUCTION

You will find this mesh cardigan an easy pattern to make. It is mainly repetitive stitching that is easy to memorise. Once you make the back panel, you make the two front panels, join them at the sides to the back panel.

After that we trim the front panels with the stripe colours then we proceed to make the sleeves. And that’s it!

CHOOSING YARN FIBER

Even though I used one hundred percent cotton yarn for this mesh cardigan, you can use acrylic. Here is why, depending on the yarn quality, cotton colours may run when washed. This could mess up the other colours or run into the white of the cardigan.

However if you used acrylic you are less likely to have a fiber that runs during a wash, but make sure it is also a DK weight yarn and matches the pattern gauge.

BLOCKING

Blocking your mesh cardigan after completion may not be necessary, but it is advisable. Remember, this is a mesh design that stretches, but it will only stretch properly when worn or soaked in water and stretched out.

LIKE COTTON YARN? More projects you can try:

• Colour Block Crochet Tank Top Pattern for Boys

• Reusable Crochet Face Scrubbie Mitts

• Puff Stitch Crochet Flap Bag- Free Pattern

• Bucket Hat Crochet Pattern for Beginners

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CROCHET MESH CARDIGAN- FREE PATTERN

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GAUGE: 8SC/Ch 3 loops= 4”, 16 rows=3”

SIZES:

Bust Size (inches)

XS 28-30

S 32-34

M 36-38

L 40-42

1XL 44-46

2XL 48-50

3XL 52-54

4XL 56-58

MATERIALS:

• 745-1200mtrs, DK weight, medium 3 yarn. This pattern uses DMC 100% Baby Cotton yarn

MC- Off white 7 (7, 8, 9,10,10,11,11) 

CC1-Yellow, CC2- Dark Pink, CC3- Cream and CC4- Green, 1 ball of each colour.

• 3.5mm hook
• Tapestry Needle
• Stitch markers

STITCHES/ABBREVIATION:

• SC- single crochet
• SC2TOG- single crochet decrease
• CH- chain
• RS- right side
• WS- wrong side
• MC- main colour
• CC- contrast colour

NOTES:

• The Pattern uses U.S terms
• Sizing in bracket begins from XS (S, M, L,1XL,2XL,3XL to 4XL)
• The terms ‘Ch 3 loop’ and ‘loop’ are used interchangeably; it is refers to the same thing

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VIDEO TUTORIAL

PATTERN

FRONT PANEL- make 2

Row 1: Chain 100 (104, 104, 108, 108, 112, 112, 116) SC in 4^th chain from hook, *Ch 3, skip 1 ch, SC in next. Repeat from * across. Turn

Row 2: *Ch 3, SC in Ch 3 loop. Repeat from * across. Turn

Rows 3-26 (28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40): repeat row 2.

BACK PANEL

Row 1: Chain 100 (104, 104, 108, 108, 112, 112, 116) SC in 4^th chain from hook, *Ch 3, skip 1 ch, SC in next. Repeat from * across. Turn

Row 2: *Ch 3, SC in Ch 3 loop. Repeat from * across. Turn

Rows 3-26 (28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40): repeat row 2.

Rows 27 (29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41) : *Ch 3, SC in ch 3 loop. Repeat from * across. DO NOT work into last Ch 3 loop. Turn

Rows 28 (30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42) – 50 (52, 54, 58, 58, 62, 66, 68): *Ch 3, SC in Ch 3 loop. Repeat from * across. Turn

Row 51 (53, 55, 59, 59, 63, 67, 69): *Ch 3, SC in Ch 3 loop. Repeat from * across. Ch 4, turn

Row 52 (54, 56, 60, 60, 64, 68, 70): skip 3 chains, SC in next ch, Ch 3, *SC in ch 3 loop. Repeat from * across. Turn

Row 53 (55, 57, 61, 61, 65, 69, 71) – 76 (80, 84, 90, 94, 98, 104, 108): *Ch 3, SC in ch 3 loop. Repeat from * across. Snip yarn, weave in tails.

JOIN

Lay panels flat on any side you choose, but make sure the front panels have their starting chains on the sides to close.

Mark the armhole (see armhole depth below), also mark the bottom sides with the same number of inches for each size, this is the slit at the sides.

Armhole depth (inches)- 7.5 (8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11)

Sew the sides closed.

FRONT PANELS

Row 1: Lay your item flat with front panels facing up, join CC1 into 1^st SC, ch 1 3SC in ch 3 loop till joining at shoulder. In the last stitch that connects to the back panel (a small SC), SC2tog into that st and the first ch 3 loop on the back panel.

SC into the same ch 3 loop, 2SC into the remaining loops till last loop, SC into last loop, SC2tog into same loop and first loop of front panel (the loop that connects with the back panel).

3SC into each loop across till last ch 3 loop. 2SC in last loop. Ch 1, turn

Row 2: SC into each st across. End last SC with CC2. Ch 1, turn

Row 3: SC into each st across. Ch 1, turn

Row 4: SC into each st across. End last SC with CC2. Ch 1, turn

Rows 5-8: repeat rows 3 & 4. End last row, snip yarn, weave in tails.

You may find your panels curling, this is because the stitches just made a tighter compared to the mesh. Once your cardigan is completed, you can block it by dipping it in water, pin it down and let dry.

SLEEVES

A

making the left sleeve:

Round 1: Starting from back panel, join yarn in ch 3 loop, ch 1, SC2tog in same loop and next loop on front panel, *Ch 3, SC in ch 3 loop. Repeat from * till last ch 3 loop on front panel, Ch 3, SC2tog in last loop on front panel and first loop on back panel, continue to repeat from * around till the last ch 3 loop )same place where you began). Join to the 1^st SC2tog.

Round 2: Ch 1, SC in ch 3 loop, *Ch 3, SC in ch 3 loop. Repeat from * around. Join into ch 1.

Round 3-4: repeat round 2.

Round 5: Ch 1, SC in ch 3 loop, *Ch 3, SC in ch 3 loop. Repeat from * around. After the last SC, ch 3.Join into ch 1.

Round 6: Ch 1, SC in ch 3 loop, *Ch 3, SC in ch 3 loop. Repeat from * around. Join into ch 1.

Round 7-10 (10, 12, 12, 14, 14, 16, 16): repeat rounds 5 & 6. At the end of the round, join into ch 1 with new colour. snip yarn.

Round 11 (11, 13, 13, 15, 15, 17, 17): Ch 1, 3 SC into each loop around. Join into ch 1, ch 1. Turn

Round 12 (12, 14, 14, 16, 16, 18, 18):  SC into each st around. Join into ch 1 with next colour. Turn

Round 13 (13, 15, 15, 17, 17, 19, 19): SC into each st around. Join into ch 1, ch 1. Turn

Round 14 (14, 16, 16, 18, 18, 20, 20): SC into each st around. Join into ch 1 with next colour. Turn

Rounds 15 (15, 17, 17, 19, 19, 21, 21) – 18 (18, 20, 20, 22, 22, 24, 24): repeat the last 2 rounds 13 & 14 above, and for the larger sizes too.

Make the right hand sleeve:

Repeat as for left sleeve but start from the front panel.

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