Crochet Grande Cardigan

Do you like short-sleeved, button-front cardigans? They are perfect for layering all year round. In summer, you can wear them over a tank top or dress, while in autumn and winter they look great over a shirt or turtleneck.

Schachenmayr Catania Grande is made from 100% cotton. Each 50 g ball contains 63 metres of yarn, making it a thicker cotton yarn—similar to holding two strands of regular Catania together. The yarn is beautifully soft, and Catania Grande is available in a lovely range of colours. For a cotton yarn this thick, I recommend using an airy stitch pattern and a large crochet hook. This combination will help you create a wonderfully soft, year-round addition to your wardrobe. Filet crochet and mesh patterns work especially well.

Take a look at the crochet beach dress pattern made with regular Catania to compare the appearance of a finished garment created with the thinner version of the yarn. We unboxed the yarn in the Povídání u klubíčka podcast, episode #126, and you can read the article here.

PART I – VIDEO TUTORIAL PREMIERE (front and back panels, stitch pattern, and joining), with automatically generated subtitles. Did you know that you can slow down YouTube videos and adjust the playback speed to match your own crocheting pace?

PART II – VIDEO TUTORIAL PREMIERE (edging and sleeves), with automatically generated subtitles. Did you know that you can slow down YouTube videos and adjust the playback speed to match your own crocheting pace?

The construction of the Grande Cardigan is very simple. We crochet one rectangular back panel and two front panels, shaping them at the front neckline. After joining the panels, we crochet short sleeves directly onto the armholes and finish the entire cardigan with an edging. The length of the panels depends on your height and personal preference. Please note that the weight of the finished garment will cause it to stretch by approximately 5 cm in length.

For the stitch pattern, we work double crochet stitches through the back loop only together with chain stitches in one row. In the following row, we crochet extended slip stitches, which create a textured effect. I came up with this stitch pattern completely by chance, and from a distance it resembles knitting.

The edgings are a very important part of the cardigan because they complete the overall design. I chose herringbone single crochet, which helps disguise the colour changes while creating an attractive finish. For the sleeves, I used herringbone double crochet, which has a similar effect and helps conceal any unevenness around the armholes.

I hope your Grande Cardigan turns out beautifully. I would be delighted to see your photos if you would like to inspire others or share your experience with crocheting or styling the cardigan. You can share your photos in the Krampolinka Facebook group. On Instagram, please use the hashtag #svetrikgrande so others can easily find your projects.  If you tag me in your creations made using my patterns, I can reshare them in my Instagram Stories to inspire others.

GRANDE CARDIGAN

Yarn: Schachenmayr Catania Grande, available from Bavlnkarna.cz, Bavlnkaren.sk or Klubickaodsrdicka.cz
Yarn required: 6 balls in salmon shade no. 3213, 2 balls in camel shade no. 3248 and 2 balls in pigeon blue shade no. 3242
Crochet hooks: 6 mm, 7 mm or 8 mm depending on your tension, and 4 mm for the cord
Measurements: width 49 cm, front length 60 cm, short sleeve length 11 cm
Size: The cardigan is made in size 42 for a height of 168 cm. It is designed as a longer cardigan.
Other materials: large-eye yarn needle, decorative label, stitch marker and wooden beads
Estimated time: approximately 20 hours
Skill level: beginners

ABBREVIATIONS

ch – chain
ext sl st – extended slip stitch
dc – double crochet
dc BLO – double crochet in the back loop only
herringbone sc – herringbone single crochet
herringbone dc – herringbone double crochet
FPdc – front post double crochet
BPdc – back post double crochet

BACK PANEL — 6 MM CROCHET HOOK

Row 1: Ch 71. Turn.

Row 2: Ch 2 in place of the first dc. Insert the hook into the third chain from the hook and work 1 dc. Continue with 1 dc in each chain across. Turn. (72 stitches)

BACK PANEL — 7 MM CROCHET HOOK

Row 3: Ch 2, work 1 dc BLO into the next dc, ch 1 and skip 1 stitch. Repeat: 1 dc BLO, ch 1, skip 1 stitch. At the end of the row, work 1 dc BLO into the next dc and 1 dc into the turning chain. You should have 2 dc next to each other at both the beginning and end of the row. Turn. (34 individual dc stitches)

Row 4: Ch 1, then work 1 extended sl st through the back loop only. Alternate extended sl st through the back loop only into the chain space and into the dc. Count the stitches carefully. You should have 72 stitches in total, including the turning chain. Mark the turning chain with a stitch marker. Turn.

Row 5: Ch 2, work 1 dc BLO into the next extended sl st, ch 1 and skip 1 stitch. Repeat: 1 dc BLO, ch 1, skip 1 stitch. At the end of the row, work 1 dc BLO into the extended sl st and 1 dc into the turning chain. You should have 2 dc next to each other at both the beginning and end of the row. Turn. (34 individual dc stitches)

Rows 6–24: Repeat Rows 4 and 5 using the salmon yarn.

Rows 25–36: Repeat Rows 4 and 5 using the pigeon blue yarn.

Rows 37–43: Repeat Rows 4 and 5 using the camel yarn. Finish with a row of extended slip stitches. Fasten off.

FRONT PANELS — 6 MM CROCHET HOOK

Row 1: Ch 39. Turn.

Row 2: Ch 2 in place of the first dc. Insert the hook into the third chain from the hook and work 1 dc. Continue with 1 dc in each chain across. Turn. (40 stitches)

FRONT PANELS — 7 MM CROCHET HOOK

Row 3: Ch 2, work 1 dc BLO into the next dc, ch 1 and skip 1 stitch. Repeat: 1 dc BLO, ch 1, skip 1 stitch. At the end of the row, work 1 dc BLO into the next dc and 1 dc into the turning chain. You should have 2 dc next to each other at both the beginning and end of the row. Turn. (18 individual dc stitches)

Row 4: Ch 1, then work 1 extended sl st through the back loop only. Alternate extended sl st through the back loop only into the chain space and into the dc. Count the stitches carefully. You should have 38 stitches in total, including the turning chain. Mark the turning chain with a stitch marker. Turn.

Row 5: Ch 2, work 1 dc BLO into the next extended sl st, ch 1 and skip 1 stitch. Repeat: 1 dc BLO, ch 1, skip 1 stitch. At the end of the row, work 1 dc BLO into the extended sl st and 1 dc into the turning chain. You should have 2 dc next to each other at both the beginning and end of the row. Turn. (18 individual dc stitches)

Rows 6–24: Repeat Rows 4 and 5 using the salmon yarn.

Rows 25–32: Repeat Rows 4 and 5 using the pigeon blue yarn. Finish with a row of extended slip stitches.

Row 33 – First front panel: Fasten off. Rejoin the yarn at the level of the 9th individual dc stitch, working into an extended slip stitch. Ch 2 and work 1 dc BLO into the next extended sl st. Continue in the established pattern: ch 1, work 1 dc BLO and skip 1 stitch. At the end of the row, work 1 dc BLO into the extended sl st and 1 dc into the turning chain. You should have 2 dc next to each other at both the beginning and end of the row. Turn. (9 individual dc stitches)

Row 33 – Second front panel: Work the dc BLO and ch 1 pattern until you reach the level of the 9th individual dc stitch. After the final dc BLO, work 1 additional dc into the same stitch. Turn. (9 individual dc stitches)

Rows 34–36: Repeat Rows 4 and 5 using the pigeon blue yarn.

Rows 37–43: Repeat Rows 4 and 5 using the camel yarn. Finish with a row of extended slip stitches. Do not fasten off. Use the same yarn to join the shoulder seam.

JOINING THE SHOULDER SEAMS — 7 MM CROCHET HOOK

Place the back and front panels together with the right sides facing.  Join one shoulder from the outer edge towards the neckline. Join the second shoulder from the neckline towards the outer edge. Use the camel yarn and join the panels with slip stitches. Insert the hook through the back loop of one panel and the front loop of the other panel, then work 1 sl st.

JOINING THE SIDE SEAMS — 7 MM CROCHET HOOK

Work on the wrong side. Join each coloured section with the matching yarn colour used for that stripe. Connect the front and back panels with slip stitches. Work slip stitches through the edge posts and into the edge stitches. The height of the armhole depends on the width of your upper arm, so adjust it to suit your body. From the lower edge, count 14 rows of extended slip stitches. I joined both side seams up to this height. Fasten off.

CARDIGAN EDGING — 6 MM CROCHET HOOK

Round 1: Work on the right side. Join the yarn at the side seam. Ch 2 in place of the first dc. Alternate FPdc and BPdc along the lower edge. At the lower front corner, work 2 sc. Along the front edge, work 2 herringbone sc around each edge post and 1 herringbone sc into each row of extended slip stitches. Adjust this spacing if the front edging pulls in or becomes wavy.

Along the diagonal neckline edge, work 2 herringbone sc into each suitable edge space. Continue with herringbone sc into the extended slip stitches. Along the vertical neckline edge, work 2 herringbone sc around each edge post and 1 herringbone sc into each row of extended slip stitches. Across the back neckline, work herringbone sc into each stitch.

Work the opposite front side in the same way, in reverse. Along the lower edge, continue alternating FPdc and BPdc. Join with 1 sl st.

Round 2: Ch 2 in place of the first dc. Work FPdc into each FPdc and BPdc into each BPdc. Along the front edges, work herringbone sc through the back loop only. When working along the left neckline edge, you may skip 1 stitch and ch 2 to create a buttonhole. Continue the FPdc and BPdc pattern along the lower edge. Join with 1 sl st.

CROCHETING THE SLEEVE DIRECTLY ONTO THE ARMHOLE — 6 MM CROCHET HOOK, CAMEL YARN

Round 1: Use the same colour as the final stripe of the cardigan. Join the yarn at the side seam. Ch 2 in place of the first dc. Work 2 herringbone dc around each edge dc post and 1 herringbone dc into each row of extended slip stitches. Join with 1 sl st.

Round 2: Ch 2 in place of the first dc, then ch 1 for the pattern. Repeat: 1 dc BLO, ch 1, skip 1 stitch. Join with 1 sl st. Turn.

Rounds 3–7: Ch 2 in place of the first dc, then ch 1 for the pattern. Work 1 dc into each dc and ch 1 between the stitches. Join with 1 sl st. Turn. I changed to the salmon yarn color in Round 5.

SLEEVE EDGING — 6 MM CROCHET HOOK

Round 8: Ch 1 in place of the first sc. Work herringbone sc into each dc and into each chain space. Join with 1 sl st.

Round 9: Ch 1 in place of the first sc. Work herringbone sc through the back loop only around. Join with 1 sl st.

TIE CORD — 4 MM CROCHET HOOK

Unwind approximately 3 metres of yarn and fold it in half. Attach the folded loop to the neckline edge with the crochet hook. Using both strands together, crochet a chain of 60 stitches.

FINISHING

Weave in all loose ends. Add a decorative label.