Crochet Baby Cardigan: How to Make It in 20 Easy Steps
This crochet baby cardigan is a top-down, one-piece cardigan for a 0-3 month baby, worked in DK yarn in granny stitch shells and V stitches, with a button band, long sleeves and three buttons. The guide below walks you through it in 20 steps with a photo for every step, from the first 18 cells to the last button, and then compares five other free baby cardigan patterns so you can check yarn, hook and size.
Below the steps you get a table of every stitch count, the places a crochet baby cardigan goes wrong, the hook, yarn and size figures, a safety note on buttons, and five more free patterns to compare. Where this design leaves a number out, we say so instead of guessing it.
The correction up front: this crochet baby cardigan design lists its hook as 4.0 mm in one place and as 4.5 mm in another, and it prints no yardage, no gauge and no chest measurement. We do not pick one hook for you. The hook table below shows what five other designers use for the same size, and the Craft Yarn Council figure for DK yarn, so you can swatch before you commit.
- Crochet Baby Cardigan at a Glance
- What You Need for This Crochet Baby Cardigan
- Crochet Baby Cardigan: Step by Step
- Where a Crochet Baby Cardigan Goes Wrong
- Hook, Yarn and Size for a Crochet Baby Cardigan
- Buttons and Safety on a Baby Cardigan
- Five More Free Crochet Baby Cardigan Patterns
- Crochet Baby Cardigan FAQ
- A Matching Baby Hat and a Bigger Sweater
Crochet Baby Cardigan at a Glance
The crochet baby cardigan starts at the neck with a row of cells, grows into a round yoke by adding a V stitch every few clusters, splits for the sleeves and then works the body and the sleeves one after the other. The only sewing is the buttons. Here is the design in one table.
| Detail | This design |
|---|---|
| Size | 0-3 months (one size) |
| Construction | Top-down, one piece, worked back and forth in rows, then sleeves worked onto the armholes |
| Yarn | DK weight, 200 g listed, in a self-striping pastel colourway |
| Hook | 4.0 mm (G) in the description, 4.5 mm on the materials list |
| Buttons | 3 buttons of 20 mm (3/4 in) |
| Yoke counts | 18 cells, then 27, 35, 42 and 46 V stitches or clusters |
| Body | 10 rows after the armhole rows, plus one more if the length needs it |
| Sleeves | 13 rows each, then a border of ch 3 loops |
| Length | 9 1/2 in (24 cm) shoulder to hem, on a target of 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 in (24 to 26.5 cm) |
| Skill | Beginner-friendly as described: chain, slip stitch, single, double and a double crochet two together |
This crochet baby cardigan has no stitch multiple to match, because the 18 cells at the neck set every count that follows. That is why the step photos below matter: if your cell count is right, the rest of the yoke falls into place.
What You Need for This Crochet Baby Cardigan
The crochet baby cardigan in the photos is worked in one self-striping DK yarn, which is why the stripes change colour without any joining. The design names Alize Bebe Batik in colour 7253, and the list of materials is short.
| Item | What to use |
|---|---|
| Yarn | DK weight yarn, 200 g. The design prints no yardage, so see the yarn table below before you buy |
| Hook | 4.0 mm (G) per the description or 4.5 mm per the materials list. Swatch and choose |
| Buttons | 3 buttons, 20 mm (3/4 in) |
| Tools | Yarn needle, scissors, measuring tape, stitch markers |
Stitches and abbreviations
Crochet has two naming conventions, so here are both. This design uses the first one, where a double crochet is the stitch with one yarn over.
| Abbreviation | Name used here | Other naming convention |
|---|---|---|
| ch | chain | chain |
| sl st | slip stitch | slip stitch |
| sc | single crochet | double crochet |
| dc | double crochet | treble crochet |
| dc2tog | two double crochets worked together | two trebles worked together |
| V stitch | dc, ch 1, dc in the same place | treble, ch 1, treble in the same place |
| Granny stitch | 3 dc in the same place (a cluster) | 3 trebles in the same place |
Counts to check as you go
These are the numbers the design states, plus two we worked out from its sequence. Check them after each increase row of your crochet baby cardigan, because a wrong count at the yoke shows up as a wavy edge later.
| Stage | Count | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Cells at the neck | 18 | Stated |
| V stitches after the first V row | 27 (18 plus 9 extra) | Stated, 9 extra counted by us |
| Clusters after the granny row | 27 | Stated |
| Clusters after the next increase row | 35 | Stated |
| Clusters after the following increase row | 42 | Worked out by us from the sequence |
| V stitches after the last increase row | 46 | Worked out by us: 42 plus 4 |
| Split at the markers | 6 + 10 + 14 + 10 + 6 | Stated |
| Stitches on the second front band | 36 | Stated |
Crochet Baby Cardigan: Step by Step
Turn at the end of each row unless a step says otherwise. The setup rows at the neck are not counted as rows, which matches how the design numbers its yoke.
1. Chain the 18 cells
Make a slip knot and leave a longer tail than usual, because you may need it to sew a button at the end. Chain 3, yarn over, and work a double crochet into the first chain. That is the first cell. Chain 3 again, yarn over, and work into the top chain and the loop behind it, so you grab two loops, then double crochet. Repeat until you have 18 cells.
2. Work the shell row
Chain 3, then work 3 double crochets into each space. Keep the rounded parts of the cells facing you. At the end of the row, work your last double crochet into the very first chain. This setup row is not counted as a row in the design.
3. Make the V stitch row
Chain 3. Into the middle stitch of each shell, work a V stitch: double crochet, chain 1, double crochet. After every two shells, work one more V stitch in the space between the shells. That is the first increase. Finish the last shell with one V stitch and end the row with a double crochet on top of the chain 3 from the previous row. With 18 shells and 9 extra V stitches you now have 27.
4. Work the granny row
Work one granny stitch, which is 3 double crochets, into every V stitch around. At the end of the row you should have 27 granny stitches.
5. Work the first increase row
Chain 3. Work a V stitch over each of the next three granny stitches, then one increase V stitch between two shells, and repeat that sequence of three V stitches and one increase across the row. The next row is plain granny stitches in every V stitch, chain 3 and turn first. At the end you should have 35 granny clusters.
6. Finish the increase rows
The next increase row starts with 2 V stitches over the next 2 granny stitches, then one increase, and for the rest of the row the sequence is 5 V stitches and one increase. Follow it with a granny row. By our count of that sequence you now have 42 clusters, though the design does not print the figure.
The last increase row skips the first 6 stitches, puts an increase V stitch between two shells, skips 10, increases, skips 10, increases, skips 10 and increases, which leaves 6 shells at the end.
Mark the stitches where the increases go before you start the last increase row so you do not lose your place.
7. Mark the sections for fronts, sleeves and back
Work V stitches across, with an increase where each mark sits. Then place a stitch marker after the 6th V stitch and divide the rest like this: 6 for the first front, 10 for a sleeve, 14 for the back, 10 for the second sleeve and 6 for the second front. That is 46 V stitches in all, and the markers tell you where the sleeves will be.
8. Work the armhole row
Chain 3 and work granny stitches in each V stitch until you reach the first marker, which gives you 6 granny stitches. Chain 2, skip all the sleeve V stitches, and work your next granny stitch into the V stitch just after the marker. Make this one a little tighter to avoid gaps once you start the sleeve. Continue to the next marker, chain 2, skip the sleeve again, and finish the row with granny stitches in the V stitches of the second front.
9. Work the underarm row
Chain 3 and work V stitches all the way along. At each underarm, where you chained 2, work one granny stitch of 3 double crochets instead of a V stitch, then go back to V stitches to the end of the row. You now have two arm openings and the start of the body.
10. Work the body and measure
Alternate V stitch rows and granny stitch rows. On a granny row, put the extra granny stitch in the middle granny stitch of the underarm and carry on as usual. Work 10 rows, then measure from the shoulder to the bottom. The target is 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 inches, and the cardigan in the photos measures 9 1/2 inches, which is 24 cm. The maker plans one more row during the finishing, and you can do the same if your length is short of the target.
11. Start the front band
The buttons for a girl go on the right side of the garment, so start with the band that carries the loops. Chain 1 and work a single crochet into the top of the last stitch. Along the edge, work two single crochets into each double crochet row, putting the hook inside the stitch if you can.
12. Skip stitches at the yoke
Where you reach the yoke, the rows are shorter, so you skip a stitch to keep the edge from rippling. Put one single crochet where you would normally put two, skipping a stitch, and do the same in two more places further along. That is 3 skips in all. Work the last stitch into the space at the neck, chain 1 and turn.
13. Make the button loops
Work 4 rows of single crochet in total. On the loop row, chain 1 and turn, work a single crochet into the first stitch and the next stitch, then chain 3, skip 2 stitches and slip stitch into the next one. Repeat to the neck. Near the neckline, chain 3, skip 2, work a single crochet into the next stitch and a single crochet into the last stitch of the band. Then slip stitch along the top of the band, cut the yarn and weave in the end.
14. Work the second front band
Join the yarn into the top of the chain 3 on the other side, chain 1 and single crochet into the same space. You should have 36 stitches along this edge, so count them as you go. Work 5 rows, finish with a slip stitch at the top of the band and weave in the end. Leave a decent tail before you cut.
15. Finish the bottom edge
Join into the last stitch at the bottom of the band with a slip stitch, chain 3, work a cluster of 2 double crochets into the second row of single crochets, then granny stitches in every V stitch of the previous row. At the other end, work 2 double crochets in the middle row and the last double crochet into the first stitch of the front. Chain 3 and slip stitch between two shells, and repeat to the end of the row. Slip stitch into the top of the first chain 3 and cut the yarn.
16. Join the yarn at the underarm for the sleeve
Start in the middle of the three double crochets at the underarm. Leave a longer tail to close any gap later. Chain 3 and work 2 more double crochets into that same space, which is the first granny stitch. Work 2 double crochets together over a stitch of the shell and the gap before the first V stitch. Work only 2 double crochets in the first V stitch, because they count as one granny stitch when you come back. Continue with granny stitches to the other end, finish with another 2 double crochets together and slip stitch to the top of the chain 3.
17. Work the sleeve rows
Turn and slip stitch to the middle stitch of the three stitches. Chain 3, work one more double crochet for a V stitch, and continue with V stitches over every middle stitch of the shell. Row 2 is all V stitches. Keep alternating V stitches with granny clusters for 13 rows in total. For longer sleeves, add more rows. Check that you have the same number of rows on both sleeves.
18. Finish the sleeve edge
Chain 3 and slip stitch between two granny stitches. Repeat along the row, then slip stitch into the top of the chain 3 of the last granny stitch, chain 1 and cut the yarn. Repeat the sleeve on the other side.
19. Place the buttons
This design uses 3 buttons with 5 loops between them: count 1, 2, 3, 4 and put the button at the 5th. For four buttons, change the number of loops between them. Thread the needle through the loop to see where the button will land before you sew.
20. Sew on the buttons
Start from the bottom, leaving about 3 in of yarn, and sew the button into the band row. Do not work through the yarn tail, because it is hard to tie off. With two strands, tie a couple of double knots, and repeat for the other buttons. Your crochet baby cardigan is done.
Where a Crochet Baby Cardigan Goes Wrong
Four mistakes account for most failures with a crochet baby cardigan like this one, and the design itself warns about each.
- The cell count is off. Every later count builds on the 18 cells, so count them before you work the shell row. A cell missed here becomes a lopsided yoke by the first increase row.
- The increases drift. Check 27, 35 and 42 after each increase row. If a count is short, find the row where an increase was left out and redo it, because patching later makes a ripple.
- Gaps at the armholes. The crochet baby cardigan design says to make the granny stitch after the skipped sleeve stitches a little tighter, and to leave a long tail at the sleeve so you can close any gap.
- Bands that wave. Two single crochets in each double crochet row, and 3 skips in the shorter yoke rows, keep the edge flat. If it still ripples, you have too many stitches in the yoke part.
Hook, Yarn and Size for a Crochet Baby Cardigan
The hook question
The Craft Yarn Council puts DK yarn in category 3 and gives a crochet hook range of 4.5 to 5.5 mm. This design names a 4.0 mm hook in the description and a 4.5 mm hook on its materials list. The five designers we checked use hooks from 4.0 to 4.5 mm for a 0-3 month crochet baby cardigan, so only the 4.5 mm hook sits inside the Craft Yarn Council range. A smaller hook makes a firmer fabric, which suits a small garment, but swatch first.
How much yarn
This crochet baby cardigan design lists 200 g of DK yarn and prints no yardage. Other designers publish yarn figures for a crochet baby cardigan in the same 0-3 month size, and they do not agree:
| Pattern | Hook | Yarn for 0-3 months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ella Cardigan, Maisie and Ruth | 4.5 mm | 400 yd printed | Uses 2 balls of 293 yd, 586 yd on hand |
| Bobble Cardigan, Maisie and Ruth | 4.0 mm yoke | 549 yd from 3 balls of 183 yd | Total is our sum, not printed |
| Mini Pop Cardigan, MJ’s Off The Hook | 4.5 mm | 240 yd from 1 ball | A second yarn has 290 yd per ball |
| Sweet Sugar Cardigan, Lisa Auch | 4.0 mm | about 100 g | No yardage printed |
| Baby Cardigan, SWE Craft Corner | 4.0 mm | 328 to 492 yd for its three sizes | Our sum of 2 to 3 balls of 164 yd |
Our figure: across the five designers the yardage for the same size runs from 240 to 549 yd, a 2.3x spread, calculated from each designer’s own ball count and yards per ball. So any page that says you need one set number of yards for a crochet baby cardigan is right for one pattern only. The 200 g listed for this design is double the 100 g printed by Lisa Auch for the same size, so expect leftovers, but we cannot tell you how much, because the design does not print what it uses.
What size is it
The design says 0-3 months and prints no chest figure. The Craft Yarn Council baby size chart starts at 3 months and has no separate 0-3 month column. Here are its numbers for the first two sizes, with the finished chest two designers give for 0-3 months.
| Size | Chest | Back waist length | Arm length to underarm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months (CYC) | 16 in / 40.5 cm | 6 in / 15.5 cm | 6 in / 15.5 cm |
| 6 months (CYC) | 17 in / 43 cm | 7 in / 17.5 cm | 6 1/2 in |
| Ella cardigan, 0-3 months | 18 in finished | n/a | n/a |
| Sweet Sugar, 0-3 months | 17 in finished | 9 1/2 in long | n/a |
Designers add ease to the body chest, so a finished chest near 17 to 18 inches suits a 3 month chest of 16 inches. The cardigan in the photos is 9 1/2 inches (24 cm) from shoulder to hem. Sizing up is not covered by this design, so for a larger baby start from one of the multi-size patterns below. Related reading: how big is a baby blanket and a crochet baby hat from 0 to 3 years.
Buttons and Safety on a Baby Cardigan
A button on a crochet baby cardigan is a choking hazard only if it comes off. The Consumer Product Safety Commission exempts buttons attached to clothing from its small-parts rule, but it still recommends testing the attachment on garments up to size 2. A 2005 recall of about 750 baby jackets was for buttons that could come loose. So sew each button on firmly with two strands, as in step 20, and pull on it hard before the first wear.
For sleep, the pediatricians’ HealthyChildren.org site warns against loose soft items in a baby’s sleep space and says layered clothing is safer than blankets. It does not address handmade knitwear, so this is our advice, not theirs: wear the cardigan while the baby is awake and take it off for sleep.
Buttonholes made of chain-3 loops, as in this crochet baby cardigan, avoid sewn ribbons and ties altogether. We found no safety source with a rule on ribbons on baby knitwear, so we skip them.
Five More Free Crochet Baby Cardigan Patterns
- Ella Cardigan by Maisie and Ruth: top-down in 8 sizes from newborn, a 4.5 mm hook for 0-3 months and 3 buttons. The page says no sewing is required, but the buttons still need to be sewn on.
- Bobble Cardigan by Maisie and Ruth: a V stitch yoke and a bobble body, in 6 sizes, on 4.0 and 4.5 mm hooks. It is rated intermediate and prints ball counts, not a yardage total.
- Mini Pop Cardigan by MJ’s Off The Hook Designs: a granny cluster yoke, one 100 g ball for 0-3 months. The blog version is for viewing and the printable PDF is sold.
- Sweet Sugar Baby Cardigan by Lisa Auch: top-down, 0-3 months only, 3 small buttons and about 100 g. Its finished size says chest 16 to 18 in in one place and about 17 in in another, so check before you start.
- Baby Cardigan by SWE Craft Corner: a double crochet raglan yoke in 3 sizes, with snap buttons instead of sewn buttons.
More baby makes on our site: the crochet baby shoes free pattern, the crochet hat for newborns and our crochet granny square cardigan for an adult.
Crochet Baby Cardigan FAQ
How much yarn do I need for a crochet baby cardigan?
It depends on the pattern. Five designers print or imply anywhere from 240 to 549 yd of DK yarn for a 0-3 month size, so use the figure from your own pattern. The design in the photos lists 200 g of DK but prints no yardage.
What hook size is best for a crochet baby cardigan?
The Craft Yarn Council gives 4.5 to 5.5 mm for DK yarn, while the designers we checked use 4.0 to 4.5 mm for a 0-3 month cardigan. Swatch with both, and use the hook that gives a soft fabric you can still stitch into.
What size is a 0-3 month crochet baby cardigan?
Designers finish the chest at about 17 to 18 inches (43 to 46 cm), against a Craft Yarn Council 3 month body chest of 16 inches (40.5 cm). The cardigan here is 9 1/2 inches (24 cm) from shoulder to hem.
How many buttons does a crochet baby cardigan need?
This design uses 3 buttons of 20 mm, with 5 loops between them. For four buttons, change the number of loops between them. Other patterns use 3 to 5 buttons.
Are buttons safe on a crochet baby cardigan?
They are safe if they stay on. The CPSC recommends testing button attachment on garments up to size 2, so sew each one firmly with two strands and pull on it before the baby wears the cardigan.
Can I make this crochet baby cardigan in a bigger size?
The design shows one size, and it advises adding rows for longer sleeves. It does not print a bigger yoke, so for a larger baby use a multi-size pattern, such as the Ella cardigan or the Bobble cardigan, which come in several sizes.
A Matching Baby Hat and a Bigger Sweater
Once your first crochet baby cardigan is done, make a matching hat from the crochet baby hat guide, or browse the full set of baby crochet patterns. For a bigger make, try the crochet pullover sweater pattern. You can also browse every baby clothes pattern on the site.
Sources
- Maisie and Ruth, Ella Cardigan
- Maisie and Ruth, Bobble Cardigan
- MJ’s Off The Hook Designs, Mini Pop Cardigan
- Lisa Auch, Sweet Sugar Baby Cardigan
- SWE Craft Corner, Baby Cardigan
- Craft Yarn Council, baby size chart
- Craft Yarn Council, yarn weight system
- Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2005 baby jacket recall
- Consumer Product Safety Commission, children’s clothing guidance
- HealthyChildren.org, safe sleep guidance from pediatricians
Pattern credit: the baby cardigan design in this guide is by CROchettera. Find more of their work on the YouTube channel CROchettera.
