Crochet Patterns / December 5, 2024

Plaid Cardigan – Crochet Pattern for Size Inclusive, Beginner-Friendly Cardigan! [Photo Tutorials Included]

Hi friends!

This post includes everything you need to know about my new Plaid Cardigan, an EASY worsted weight cardigan with a beginner-friendly weaving technique to create the plaid effect! The base of this oversized cardigan is comprised of double crochet stitches, and the weaving hardly adds any weight at all to create a lightweight cardigan with great drape!

Get the Lion Brand Crochet Kit here (in your desired colourway)!

Before we begin, here are some quick links for you:

Find the PDF version on Ravelry, Etsy, and my website.
Add your finished project to Ravelry here!
Shop the recommended yarn, Lion Brand Wool-Ease, here.
- Shop the full Lion Brand crochet kit here on (comes with all yarn required for your chosen size + a FREE copy of the PDF pattern)!
For any questions about this pattern, please email knitsnknotswpg@gmail.com and I’ll get back to you asap!

Shop my first book – Modern Crochet Sweaters: 20 Chic Designs for Everyday Wear – here!

Pre-order my new book – Summer Crochet: 19 Delicate Designs with Simple Lace and Timeless Silhouettes – here!

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About

Designed to bring you the warmth and comfort of the holiday season, the unique Plaid Cardigan features a generously oversized fit and the timeless charm of classic plaid created using a beginner-friendly weaving technique applied to your crocheted fabric (plenty of tutorial photos included). Whether you’re curling up with a book by the fire or taking a brisk outdoor stroll, this cardigan is sure to become your new cool-weather staple.

This unique weaving technique will completely transform your fabric – check out these before and after photos of the sleeve!

Some Quick Q + A

Q. Is it super heavy?

A. No, it is not heavy! The base is made with double crochet stitches so the fabric is light and airy before adding the weaving which adds basically nothing in terms of weight! It’s no heavier than a regular cardigan without the plaid effect.

Q. Are there a ton of ends to weave in?

A. For the body, ends will be woven in from the weaving columns along the back-neck and the bottom of the front panels only. See the photo below in the top-left corner; ends are woven two at a time – it’s not that bad! I put on a movie and wove in all the ends for the body at once during the movie, then had a second, shorter session for weaving in the ends of the sleeves, which are woven in at the wrist (and help to create that stunning balloon sleeve shape). It didn’t take as long as I expected it to, and if you KNOW going in there are going to be some, it doesn’t seem as daunting. The result is 1000% worth it!

Q. Do I need any weaving knowledge?

A. Absolutely not! This technique is shockingly simple and I have included photo tutorials for you every step of the way. You can do it!

Q. What is the difficulty level? I’m worried about the colorwork!

A. The actual cardigan base itself would definitely be rated easy/beginner. It’s basically just rectangles! I have adjusted the rating for this pattern to “intermediate”, even though each step is individually easy, only because I felt that this was not quite on the same level as, say, a scarf labeled “easy” that uses only one stitch. But it really is not a difficult pattern to complete! You are not managing multiple colors, you are only crocheting stripes onto your cardigan. The weaving applied after (also SUPER EASY) is what creates the intricate-looking colorwork!

Materials

Yarn: Worsted—Lion Brand Wool-Ease in 4 colorways: Denim, Forest Green Heather, Thrush, Linen

80% Acrylic, 20% Wool
197 yds (180 m) per 3 oz (85 g) skein
Find this yarn on lionbrand.com or visit yarnsub.com to find comparable substitutes available in your region.

Yardage Required for Sizes XS (S, M, L, XL) (2X, 3X, 4X, 5X)

Color A (Denim)

5 (6, 6, 6, 6) (7, 7, 7, 7) skeins

950 (1000, 1050, 1075, 1125) (1175, 1225, 1285, 1325) yds

869 (914, 960, 983, 1029) (1074, 1120, 1175, 1212) m

Color B (Forest Green Heather)

2 (2, 2, 2, 2) (3, 3, 3, 3) skeins

275 (315, 335, 360, 375) (400, 425, 450, 475) yds

251 (288, 306, 329, 343) (366, 389, 411, 434) m

Color C (Thrush)

2 (2, 2, 2, 2) (3, 3, 3, 3) skeins

250 (275, 275, 300, 325) (425, 435, 475, 490) yds

229 (251, 251, 274, 297) (389, 398, 434, 448) m

Color D (Linen)

2 (2, 2, 2, 2) (2, 2, 2, 3) skeins

275 (300, 300, 325, 350) (350, 360, 375, 395) yds

251 (274, 274, 297, 320) (320, 329, 343, 361) m

Yarn Substitution: Substitute Lion Brand Wool-Ease with any similar worsted weight (category #4), medium weight yarn that matches gauge. Always swatch before beginning to ensure you are happy with the resulting fabric.

Hook: Size U.S. J/10 (6 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge (the Double Crochet Gauge below)

Notions: Tapestry needle, scissors, several locking stitch markers to help with seaming

Gauge Information

Three different gauge measurements are provided for you here. The Double Crochet Gauge is the gauge you must match while crocheting your cardigan. The Final Gauge describes your fabric once the woven plaid is applied. The Ribbing Gauge is provided for your convenience in case you may need to use a different hook based on your unique tension.

Double Crochet Gauge (Before Weaving Plaid)

5 x 5” (13 x 13 cm) = 14 dc and 8 rows in dc, lightly blocked.

You will want to achieve the Double Crochet Gauge for your cardigan before beginning. Note that the finished fabric with the woven plaid will change the dimensions of your fabric, making your rows slightly shorter and your fabric slightly wider.

Final Gauge (With Woven Plaid)

4 x 4” (10 x 10 cm) = 11 dc and 8 rows in dc, with woven plaid, lightly blocked.

This is the final gauge that will be achieved after you have completed the weaving. The weaving will make your fabric a bit wider and a bit shorter.

Ribbing Gauge

4 x 4” (10 x 10 cm) = 15 sc and 12 rows in scBLO, lightly blocked.

The sample cardigan shown uses the same hook size for the entire cardigan, but you may need to use a different hook size for the body and the ribbing, depending on your unique tension.

Pattern Notes

Skill Level: Intermediate

Sizing: This cardigan is written in nine sizes as follows: XS (S, M, L, XL) (2X, 3X, 4X, 5X). Make sure to follow the numbers for your size only. View full sizing chart on next page.

Right Side/Wrong Side: There is no right side or wrong side to this fabric until you begin the weaving. Once the weaving is added, there is a right side and a wrong side.

Stitch Counts: Stitch counts are listed after each row in italics. If no stitch count is given, there has been no change since the previous row. If only one number is provided, it applies to all sizes.

Turning Chain: The ch-3 turning chain counts as the first dc. You will need each row to begin with a ch-3 when weaving the plaid, so be sure to count your turning chain as the first stitch.

Woven Plaid Effect: Photo tutorials for weaving the plaid are included within the instructions for each section. The color patterns required for each size are illustrated on pages 15 and 16.

Construction: This cardigan is crocheted flat in three pieces: one body and two sleeves. You will begin with the back panel, working a rectangle from the bottom-up that splits into two rectangular front panels, creating one large U-shaped body panel. The unique weaving technique is worked next, creating the plaid effect. Next, the body panel is folded in half, hinging at the shoulders, and partially seamed along the sides, leaving openings for the sleeves. The bottom ribbing is worked next, then a matching collar. Lastly, two sleeves are crocheted flat. The plaid effect is added to each sleeve before seaming them closed and attaching them to the sleeve openings on your body panel.

Terms + Abbreviations

Written in U.S. Crochet Terms

ch: chain

dc: double crochet

rep: repeat

RS: right side

sc: single crochet

scBLO: single crochet through the back loop only

sk: skip

sl st: slip stitch

st(s): stitch(es)

WS: wrong side

Sizing Chart + Schematic

Understanding the Weaving Chart

Weaving charts look different from crochet charts, but they are very simple to understand. Below is an example of one of the weaving charts from the pattern. Each square represents one “column”, the space in between the double crochet stitches. This is where you will be weaving your yarn – within this column. For example, let’s begin from the left since Box 1 is on the leftmost side. Box 1 tells us that the first column will be woven in your Color A. For my sample, Color A = Denim, or the blue colorway. Instructions are given within the pattern on how exactly to work this weaving technique. If you move on to the next boxes, you’ll see that Boxes 1-7 are all woven in Color A, so you will work 7 columns of Color A. Next is 8 boxes of Color D, then you’ll continue working your weaving until you’ve made your way to the last box.