Toasty Marshmallow Cardigan

Fall is Cardigan Season! Cardigans are my favorite kind of crochet project, so I just couldn't resist designing another one. My goal for this one was to create the biggest, puffiest, most textural sleeves I could think of without adding too much weight to the sweater. The body of the sweater uses all double crochet stitches in the front loop only which creates a nice drape. It has a loose-fitting, boxy shape which is very flattering on most body types.

Let's get started, shall we?

Level:

Easy

Materials:

Worsted weight yarn (I used Red Heart Soft in the color Toast)

3 balls for Size Small

L/8 mm Crochet Hook

K/6.5 mm Crochet Hook

Stitches Used:

Sc – single crochet

Dc – double crochet

3sctog - [Insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull loop through stitch] 3 times (4 loops on hook). Yarn over and draw yarn through all 4 loops on hook. Completed sc3tog—2 stitches decreased.

2sctog - [Insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull loop through stitch] 2 times (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and draw yarn through all 3 loops on hook. Completed sc2tog.

Chainless dc – Used at the beginning of each dc row. Turn work without turning chain, sc loosely in first stitch, then sc again in left side 2 loops of the sc just created - you're just "stacking" the 2 single crochets on top of each other.

Dcflo – double crochet through the front loop only

Ch – chain stitch

Hdc – half double crochet

Fphdc - hdc around the front of the post

Bphdc - hdc around the back of the post

Sl st – slip stitch

Notes:

Front and back panels are worked separately, from side to side, then joined together at shoulders. Sleeves are worked back and forth directly onto the shoulders, and then stitched together at underarm seam.

Sizing:

Cardigan is over-sized with drop shoulders, and designed with 7” of positive ease.

Sleeves are generous balloon-style and are approx. 10” wide when laid flat.

Approx. width at underarms when laid flat: S (20”) M (22”) L (24”) XL (26”).

Cardigan pictured is approx. 20” in length, I normally wear a size Small, and am 5’ 5” tall.

Sizing is easy to customize in width and in length.

Gauge:

Using K hook: 11 dcflo = 4”, 5 rows = 4”

BACK:

Using K Hook

R1- Loosely Ch 51, chainless dc in 2nd chain from hook, and in each chain across (50 dc) Note: You may start with more chains to create a longer garment, keep in mind the fabric created has a lot of vertical stretch. Every 5 extra chains will add about 2” in length.

R2- Turn, chainless dc in front loop only of first dc, and in each st across.

Repeat row 2 until piece measures 20” (26 rows for size Small), or add more rows to reach desired width as long as row count is an even number.

FRONT PANELS (MAKE 2):

Repeat instructions as for back panel, ending with row 12 - for size Small (or take back panel row count, divide by 2, and then subtract 1 row). Leave long tails for sewing shoulder seams.

Sewing the Panels Together:

Lay back panel down with rows oriented vertically, and place 2 front panels on top at shoulders, lining up the rows as shown below. Sew together shoulder seams only using the mattress stitch.

Match rows together as shown.

SLEEVES:

The following stitch pattern is a “modified” Cabbage Patch stitch. Usually the cabbage patch stitch consists of groups of 4 double crochets. I am using groups of only 3 dcs in order to create a softer drape.

Using L Hook

R1- Open up body panel with shoulder seam centered in front of you. Count out 29 stitches to the right of shoulder seam (don’t count the stitches that are sewn together at seam), attach yarn and work 1 chainless dc in this stitch. Sk 1 st, 3 dc in next st, *skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st. Repeat from * across – (you’ll be centering one of the 3dc groups at the shoulder seam). Stop when you reach the 19th 3dc group, sk 1 st, dc in next st. You should have (8) 3dc groups to the right of the seam, one group centered on the seam, and then 8 more groups to the left of the seam.

R2- Turn, chainless dc in first st. *Skip 2 sts, dc in next st. Ch 2, dc back into the first skipped st. You have just created a "crossed dc". Repeat from * across. Dc in last st.

Further explanation: In the first row you made groups of 3-double crochets. In the second row, you will make a double crochet in the last double crochet of the group from the previous row. Then chain 2. You will finish your crossed double by making 1 double crochet back into the first stitch of that group of 3.

Showing where the first dc goes for each crossed dc. From here you ch2, and then dc into the first skipped dc.

Right side of sleeve. See the crossed dc's?

R3- Turn, chainless dc in first st. 3 dc in each ch 2 sp across. Dc in last stitch.

Rows 4-13 (or until desired length) repeat rows 2 and 3, ending with a dc row.

R14- Using K hook turn, ch 1, sc3tog across, ending with a sc2tog.

R15- Turn, sl st in each stitch across. Finish off leaving a very long tail to sew underarm and side seam later.

For other sleeve repeat instructions above, making sure you start by laying piece with RS facing up (see photo).

Side Seams:

With wrong sides together, fold cardigan at shoulders and sew underarm and sides of body together using the long tails.

Bottom Ribbing:

Using K hook

R1- On RS, attach yarn to bottom of cardigan and sc evenly across bottom edge.

Note: on mine I made these stitches a little on the tight side which “cinches in” the bottom of the cardigan a little.

R2- Turn, ch1, hdc in each stitch across.

R3- Turn, ch 1, sc in first st, *fphdc in next stitch, bphdc in next stitch. Repeat from * across, ending with a sc in last st.

Do not finish off. Ch 1, turn work and sc along front edge, around neck, and down other front edge.

Finish off, weave all ends.