PART 1: The Alchemy Cardigan Free Pattern

Learn how to make the back piece of this modern, lightweight cardigan in Part 1 of the Alchemy Cardigan Crochet Along. Part 1 of the free pattern and video tutorial are below, or you can purchase the ad-free, easily printable PDF with stitch chart and schematic here. 

The Alchemy Cardigan pattern is part of a collaboration with my friends at LoveCrochet.com. This post contains affiliate links.

Welcome to the first week of the Alchemy Cardigan Crochet Along! I'm so excited to finally share the first section of the pattern with you and teach you exactly how to crochet it in this week's step-by-step video tutorial.

If you're new to this pattern and looking for some specific tutorials, here's where to find them:

Week 1: Kickoff, explanation of project, pattern and video tutorial for cardigan back is released. (You're here now. Scroll down for video and pattern.)

Week 2: Pattern and video tutorial for cardigan fronts is released. (Find Part 2 here.)

Week 3: Pattern and video tutorial for sleeves is released. (Find Part 3 here.)

Week 4: The grand finale! Pattern and video tutorial for seaming it all together and adding pockets and ribbing is released. (Find Part 4 here.)

• YARN: The recommended yarn for the pattern is Lion Brand Vanna's Style. It's a category 3/DK weight yarn and you can grab it in a few beautiful colors at a great price here from LoveCrochet.com. (Teal and charcoal are pictured below.)

• PATTERN: If you're a couch crocheter or a visual learner, I highly recommend investing in the PDF version of the pattern. The PDF contains two stitch charts and a schematic with more detailed sweater measurements, plus a few additional charts that are super helpful to less experienced pattern readers. You can grab your printable PDF here on LoveCrafts or here on Etsy.

• SHARE: When you're ready to show off your progress, please share your pics on Instagram with #AlchemyCAL so we're sure to see your stitches. We'd also love for you to hop into the Love Crochet CAL Facebook group and join in on the crochet along festivities. If you have questions about the pattern, this is a great place to get support too.

• WHAT'S NEXT: Next week, we'll learn how to crochet the front two pieces of the Alchemy Cardigan. If you have a busy week or fall behind, don't worry--the pattern and tutorials will still be available after the crochet along concludes. Let this be a fun journey of crochet sweater making and skill building!

This Critical Step Will Make or Break Your Sweater

How many of you regularly check your gauge or tension when you start a pattern? Yeah, I never did either! Until I invested dozens of hours in to a few knit projects that ended up way too big/small/wide/tall and then I wised up to the importance of gauge. Especially when making something that you want to be a particular size, like a garment, taking the 15-20 minutes to check your gauge is critical.

If you're a newly reformed gauge-checker, I share instructions on how to check your gauge a few minutes into the video tutorial below. Pop over to the Love Crochet CAL group on Facebook to ask any gauge questions as they come up.

Okay, let's do this thang! The video tutorial is directly below and Part 1 of the free pattern is right below the video player. If you prefer a printed pattern, grab the pattern PDF with stitch chart and schematic here.

Get your supplies, purchase the pattern PDF and read more about the crochet along here on LoveCrochet.com. 

More Free Crochet Sweater Patterns

Crochet sweater patterns don't need to be difficult. In fact, most of ours are made with very simple shapes. Dive into the wonderful world of crochet garments with cardigans, pullovers, ponchos, shrugs and more!

See more free crochet sweater patterns →

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The Alchemy Cardigan Crochet Along
Free Pattern - Part 1

Purchase the ad-free, printable PDF with schematic and stitch chart here on LoveCrafts.com or here on Etsy.

Pin it for later here.

You can find the other pattern stages here: Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Explanation:
Whether you’re new to garment crocheting or an old pro, the Alchemy Cardigan will transform what you think is possible with a hook, some yarn and your own two hands. This lightweight sweater is perfect to toss on for some summer stargazing or layer with a long-sleeve shirt in the colder months.

Worked sideways to create flattering vertical rows, the entire sweater is made with different applications of a simple double crochet stitch (U.K: treble crochet). A few modern details, like cuffed sleeves and wooden buttons, ensure this cardigan will be a wardrobe staple for years to come. Released in four separate manageable stages, in this crochet along, you’ll learn some new intermediate-level techniques and then have a chance to master them with plenty of step-by-step practice.

Supplies:
• Lion Brand Vanna’s Style (Weight: 3/light -  254 yds, 3.5 oz)
- Ecru (#867-098) – 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 11) skeins [(approx. 570 (640, 710, 790, 900, 975, 1060) g)]
• Tapestry needle
• Size I (5.5 mm) crochet hook
• Stitch markers or safety pins
• (2) ¾” or 1” buttons
• Sewing needle and thread to match buttons

Sizes:
S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X, 4X

Fits Bust:
S: 32-34”
M: 36-38”
L: 40-42”
XL: 44-46”
2X: 48-50”
3X: 52-54”
4X: 56-58"

See schematic in the printable, ad-free PDF for additional measurements.

Gauge:
Main Pattern:
14 sts = 4”
7.5 rows = 4”

Please check your gauge and adjust your hook size accordingly! This is critical to making a sweater that meets the sizing listed in the pattern. See first few minutes of video tutorial for explanation of how to do this.

Abbreviations and Glossary (US Terms):
bpdc - back post double crochet
ch – chain
dc – double crochet
dc2tog – double crochet two together
fpdc - front post double crochet
PM – place marker
rep – repeat
RS – right side
sc - single crochet
sp – space
sl st – slip stitch
st(s) – stitch(es)
tch – turning chain
WS – wrong side

Overall Pattern Notes:
• Ch 3 at beginning of a row always counts as a dc.

Cardigan Back

Notes:
• Sweater back is worked vertically from one underarm side to the other. (See photo above.)

• See photo below for details on how to increase and decrease in the shoulder sections.

Make 1.

First  Underarm Indent:

Foundation Row: Ch 66 (68, 68, 70, 70, 72, 72).

Row 1 (RS): Sk 3 ch (counts as 1 dc), dc in each ch to end; turn. (64 (66, 66, 68, 68, 70, 70) dc))

Row 2 (WS): Ch 3, sk first dc, *sk next dc, dc in next dc, working behind last dc made, dc in last skipped dc (X made); rep from * until tch remains; dc in third ch of tch; turn (31 (32, 32, 33, 33, 34, 34) Xs)

Row 3 (RS): Ch 3, sk first dc, dc in each dc to end of row; turn. (64 (66, 66, 68, 68, 70, 70)

Row 4 (WS): Ch 3, sk first dc, *sk next dc, dc in next dc, working behind last dc made, dc in last skipped dc (X made); rep from * until tch remains; dc in third ch of tch; at end of row: ch 28 (30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40); turn. (31 (32, 32, 33, 33, 34, 34) Xs + 28 (30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40) ch)

Shoulder Increasing:

Row 1 (RS): Sk 3 ch, dc in each dc and ch to end of row; turn. (90 (94, 96, 100, 102, 106, 108) dc)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 3, sk first dc, *sk next dc, dc in next dc, working behind last dc made, dc in last skipped dc (X made); rep from * until tch remains; dc in third ch of tch; turn (44 (46, 47, 49, 50, 52, 53) Xs)

Row 3 (RS inc): Ch 3, 2 dc in first dc, dc in each dc to end of row; turn. (92 (96, 98, 102, 104, 108, 110) dc)

Rows 4-5 (7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17)**: Continuing in established pattern, rep a RS inc Row every RS row, 1 (2, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1) time(s), then rep a RS inc Row every other RS row, 0 (0, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3) time(s). At the end of increasing, there are 94 (100, 102, 106, 110, 114, 118) total dc.

**UPDATED TO ADD: Some people have had question about these rows, so I've written the row-by-row shoulder increase in layman's terms for each size below. I hope you find it helpful. These rows are NOT in addition to what's written above, this is just another way of explaining what is written above in pattern speak. Only work the shoulder increase section once.

Small:
Row 4: X row
Row 5: dc inc row

Medium:
Row 4: X row
Row 5: dc inc row
Row 6: X row
Row 7: dc inc row

Large: 
Row 4: X row
Row 5: dc inc row Row 6: X row
Row 7: dc non inc row
Row 8: X row
Row 9: dc inc row  

XL:
Row 4: X row
Row 5: dc row
Row 6: X row
Row 7: dc inc row
Row 8: X row
Row 9: dc non inc row
Row 10: X row
Row 11: dc inc row  

2X:
Row 4: X row
Row 5: dc inc row
Row 6: X row
Row 7: dc non inc row
Row 8: X row
Row 9: dc inc row
Row 10: X row
Row 11: dc non inc row
Row 12: X row
Row 13: dc inc row

3X:
Row 4: X row
Row 5: dc non inc row
Row 6: X row
Row 7: dc inc row
Row 8: X row
Row 9: dc non inc row
Row 10: X row
Row 11: dc inc row
Row 12: X row
Row 13: dc non inc row
Row 14: X row
Row 15: dc inc row  

4X: 
Row 4: X row
Row 5: dc inc row
Row 6: X row
Row 7: dc non inc row
Row 8: X row
Row 9: dc inc row
Row 10: X row
Row 11: dc non inc row
Row 12: X row
Row 13: dc inc row
Row 14: X row
Row 15: dc non inc
Row 16: X row
Row 17: dc inc row

Mid Back:

Row 1 (WS): Ch 3, sk first dc, *sk next dc, dc in next dc, working behind last dc made, dc in last skipped dc (X made); rep from * until tch remains; dc in third ch of tch; turn (46 (49, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) Xs)

Row 2 (RS): Ch 3, sk first dc, dc in each dc and ch to end of row; turn. (94 (100, 102, 106, 110, 114, 118) dc)

Rep Rows 1 and 2 (9 (9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10)) more times each.

Work one additional rep of Row 1.

Shoulder Decreasing:

Row 1 (RS dec): Ch 3, sk first dc, dc2tog twice over next 4 dc, dc in each dc and ch to end of row; turn. (92 (98, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116) dc)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 3, sk first dc, *sk next dc, dc in next dc, working behind last dc made, dc in last skipped dc (X made); from from * until tch remains; dc in third ch of tch; turn (45 (48, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57) Xs)

Rows 3 (5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15): Continuing in established pattern, rep a RS dec Row every other RS row, 0 (0, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3) time(s), then rep a RS dec Row every RS row, 1 (2, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1) time(s). At the end of Row 3 (5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17), there are 90 (94, 96, 100, 102, 106, 108) dc.

Second  Underarm Indent:

Counting from bottom edge of sweater, place marker in 64th (66th, 66th, 68th, 68th, 70th, 70th) st.

Row 1 (WS): Ch 3, sk first dc, *sk next dc, dc in next dc, working behind last dc made, dc in last skipped dc (X made); from from * until marked st remains, dc in marked st; turn (31 (32, 32, 33, 33, 34, 34) Xs)

Row 2 (RS): Ch 3, sk first dc, dc in each dc to end of row; turn. (64 (66, 66, 68, 68, 70, 70) dc)

Row 3 (WS): Rep Row 1.

Row 4 (RS): Rep Row 2.

Fasten off, leaving a 24” tail for seaming.

You’re amazing! In Part 2, we’ll make the cardigan fronts using many of these same skills. Find Part 2 here.

Find Your Next Sweater Project

• Granny Square Cardigan - modern take on a classic motif
• Seamless Crochet Poncho - a great first garment for beginners
• Basic V-Neck Pattern - classic styling
• High Low Jumper Pattern - finish in one weekend
• Rectangle Crochet Poncho - made from two simple pieces
• Oversized Cardi - with fur collar
• Sherpa Fleece Sweater Jacket - extremely cozy cardi
• Raglan Baby Sweater - cute for Christmas

While you're finishing Part 2 of the Alchemy Cardigan pattern, fill up your Pinterest boards with these free crochet sweater patterns! (You can always find all my free sweater patterns here.)

1. The Habitat Cardigan - free crochet pattern and video tutorial

2. The Navajo Blanket Shrug - free crochet pattern and video tutorial

3. The Stonewash Shrug - free crochet pattern and photo tutorial

4. The Dwell Sweater - free crochet pattern and video tutorial