Part 2: Day Date Easy Crochet Cardigan Pattern – Free!

In Part 2 of this easy crochet cardigan pattern, we’ll finish the sleeve extensions, seam the two hexagons together and add pockets. Get the free pattern below or purchase the ad-free, printable PDF with stitch chart for $2.99 here. (You can find Part 1 here and the video tutorial here.)

This easy crochet cardigan pattern is part of a collaboration with Lion Brand Yarn. This post contains affiliate links.

You’ve given Part 1 of this easy crochet cardigan pattern such a warm reception, I can’t wait to share Part 2 with you today!

Let’s Recap This Easy Hexagon Sweater

Unless you’re a master of geometry, you might find it hard to believe that this easy crochet cardigan pattern really is made from two simple hexagons. Crazy, huh?

Because the hexagons do much of the work, you don’t have a lot of decreasing, sizing and seaming to worry about. You can even try on the hexagon as you work, which will keep you inspired when you get shiny yarn syndrome and want to start a new project. All of this makes this hexagon cardigan perfect for confident beginners or more advanced crocheters looking for a quick, satisfying project that’s different from the norm.

And the yarn? Well, this color of Lion Brand Vanna’s Style is just about the perfect shade of watermelon-meets-summer-sunset for your warm weather wardrobe. This color is simply perfection in person, but there are also a lot of fantastic colors in this line of yarn.

Get All the Yarn You’ll Need In One Kit

To keep things convenient, Lion Brand has put together a kit for us. This kit includes all the yarn you’ll need, plus a printed copy of the pattern. This affordable yarn is so lovely and not readily available in stores, so snag you kit here or choose from any of the 18 gorgeous colors sold individually here!

Finishing Up Your Simple Crochet Cardigan

In Part 2 of the Day Date Cardigan pattern, first we’re going to extend one side of the hexagons to create longer sleeves. Similar to how the main hexagon was worked, the sleeve extension contains one decrease stitch to keep the sleeve from becoming massively wide.

Next (and perhaps most exciting!) we’ll seam both hexagons together to form the sweater. Lastly, we’ll add a bit of length to the bottom of the sweater and pockets to the front. If you’re happy with the length without the extra rows or if you want an even longer cardigan, this is a section of the pattern that’s easily customizable.

REMINDER: You can find the complete step-by-step video tutorial for this pattern here!

And while we’re talking crochet clothing, here are a few more FREE modern patterns and tutorials you might enjoy. You can always find my free crochet sweater patterns here.

Saratoga Poncho Top / Staycation Cardigan / Dwell Sweater

Alright, ready to finish your beautiful new crochet sweater off? Let’s do it!

The Day Date Hexagon Cardigan
Free, Easy Crochet Cardigan Pattern – Part 2

Purchase the ad-free, printable PDF with stitch chart and schematic here.

Save this to your Ravelry favorites and queue here.

Pin it for later here.

Find Part 1 of the Day Date Cardigan free pattern here.

Explanation:
This oversized, lightweight cardigan comes together almost like a magic trick. Two simple hexagons transform into an on-trend sweater complete with cozy pockets and roomy bishop sleeves. Because it’s built from two large hexagons, you can try on the sweater as you work, plus avoid most of the shaping and seaming that comes typical sweaters. This pattern is perfect for less experienced crocheters looking to make a super wearable first garment or more advanced crocheters who want an easy, satisfying project that’s different from the same old cardigan pattern.

Skills required include double crochet, working in the round, double crochet decreases and seaming (tutorial photos included in the pattern below).

Supplies:
Buy a kit with all the yarn you’ll need, plus a printed copy of the pattern here.
This pattern contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
• Lion Brand Vanna’s Style
(Weight: 3/light –  254 yds, 3.5 oz)
– Tomato (#867-143) – 6 (7, 7, 8, 8)) skeins [(approx. 580 (625, 670, 715, 760) g)]
• Tapestry needle
• Size J (6.0 mm) crochet hook
• Stitch markers or safety pins

Sizes:
XS/S (M/L, L/XL, 2X/3X, 4X/5X)

Finished Measurements:
Back Width: 26.25 (28.25, 30.25, 32.25, 34.25)”

The oversized nature of this sweater fits a variety of body types, but to achieve the fit of the sample pictured, choose the size that corresponds with your actual bust measurements below:

Bust Measurement: 30-34 (36-40, 42-46, 48-52, 56-60)”

Choose Size: XS/S (M/L, L/XL, 2X/3X, 4X/5X)

See schematic in printable pattern PDF for more detailed pattern measurements.

Sample pictured is a M/L on a 5’9” model with a 36” bust.

Gauge:
16 dc = 4”
9 rows = 4.125”

PLEASE CHECK YOUR GAUGE and adjust your hook size accordingly to ensure your sweater fits!

Abbreviations and Glossary (US Terms):
ch – chain
dc – double crochet
dc3tog – double crochet three together (see photo below)
PM – place marker
rep – repeat
RS – right side
sl st – slip stitch
sp – space
st(s) – stitch(es)
tch – turning chain
WS – wrong side

Overall Pattern + Sizing Notes:
• Pattern is written in smallest size with larger sizes following in parenthesis.

• Sweater is constructed by creating two hexagons, folding them and then seaming them together at the back and top of arms. Each hexagon begins the same, but then undergoes some adjustments to make two hexagons that mirror each other.

• In order to make the sleeve side of the hexagon (Side 1) more fitted than the other sides, a dc3tog decrease is worked on the even rounds after Round 2. See photo below for details on this stitch.

• Ch 3 at the beginning of a row/round always counts as a dc.

• Ch 4 at the beginning of a row/round always counts as a dc and a ch-1 sp.

HEXAGON EXTENSIONS

Notes:
• Extra length is added to certain hexagon sides to extend the back, bottom and sleeves of the sweater. Right and left sides are worked differently, so please follow separate instructions for both.

• Pattern refers to different sides of the hexagon by number, which is illustrated in the chart on p. 12. Think of these side numbers as fixed to the orientation of looking at the right side of the hexagon. For example, Side 3 is always Side 3, whether you flip the hexagon over or not. Side 3 does not become Side 5, just because the hexagon is flipped to the wrong side. If you’re feeling confused, lay hexagon out with RS facing and safety pin a paper “name tag” to each side so that you can easily identify them when you turn your hexagon over to the WS to begin attach yarn.

• Each extension is worked back and forth in rows.

• When working Row 1, check to make sure ch-1 sps line up with ch-1 spaces from last ch-1 sp row of hexagon.

SLEEVE EXTENSIONS

Notes:
• Sleeve extensions are identical on both hexagons and are worked along Side 1.

• As with main hexagon, a dc3tog dec will eliminate two sts from each even numbered row. The dc3tog is worked just as it was previously over a (ch-1 sp, dc, ch-1 sp). See photos above.

With WS facing, attach yarn in ch-2 corner sp at beginning of Side 1. (Lefties: Also attach yarn in ch-2 corner sp at beginning of Side 1, which will be opposite of where Righties attach.) See chart on p. 12 pattern for more details on where to attach yarn.

Place marker in top of dc3tog stitch from previous round. Move this marker to the new stitch as each row is worked.

UPDATE: There was an error in the stitch counts in the sleeve extensions and it has now been adjusted both here on the blog as well as in the printable PDF. (7.24.18)

Row 1: Ch 4, dc in first dc of side, ch 1, sk 1 dc, dc in next dc, [ch 1, sk 1 dc, dc in next dc] to last dc of side, ch 1, dc in corner sp; turn. 33 (36, 39, 42, 45) ch-1 sps per side)

Row 2: Ch 3, dc in each dc and ch-1 sp to marker, dc3tog over next [ch-1 sp, dc, ch-1 sp], PM in top of new dc, dc in each dc and ch-1 sp to end of side; turn. 65 (71, 77, 83, 89) dc per side)

Row 3: Ch 4, sk first 2 dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, sk 1 dc, dc in next dc, [ch 1, sk 1 dc, dc in next dc] to last dc of side; turn. 32 (35, 38, 41, 44) ch-1 sps per side)

Row 4: Rep Row 2. 63 (69, 75, 81, 87) dc per side)

Row 5: Rep Row 3. 31 (34, 37, 40, 43) ch-1 sps per side)

Row 6: Rep Row 2. 61 (67, 73, 79, 85) dc per side)

Row 7: Rep Row 3. 30 (33, 36, 39, 42) ch-1 sps per side)

Row 8: Rep Row 2. 59 (65, 71, 77, 83)  dc per side)

POCKETS

Make 2.

Foundation Row: Ch 27 (all sizes).

Row 1 (RS): Sk first 3 dc, dc in each dc to end; turn. (25 dc)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 4, sk 2 dc, dc in next dc, * ch 1, sk 1 dc, dc in next dc; rep from * to end of row. (12 ch-1 sps)

Row 3 (RS): Ch 3, sk first dc, dc in each dc and ch-1 sp to end of row; turn.

Rows 4, 6, 8, 10 (WS): Rep Row 2.

Rows 5, 6, 7, 9, 11 (RS): Rep Row 3.

Fasten off leaving a 24” tail.

JOINING PIECES

See photo above for visual explanation of seaming technique.

To pin each hexagon’s sleeve:
With RS facing out, bring both corners of side 1 together to form the wrist. Pin sides 2 and 6 together to form sleeve. Take care to keep stitches lined up. You may find it easiest to visually align the ch-1 sp “windows” on either side of the seam. Hexagons should now look like two mirrored “L” shapes. See photo below for more details on folding hexagon.

To pin back seam:
With RS facing out, line up both “L” shapes and pin so that once again, stitches are aligned.

Seaming:
Using a tapestry needle and single strand of MC yarn, begin seaming at the bottom of the back seam and work toward the neck using the mattress stitch. Fasten off and weave in end. (See photo at top of this section.)

Next seam each sleeve, beginning at the wrist and working toward the neck. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Wrist Cuff:
Turn cardigan so RS is facing out. Join yarn in ch 3 from beginning of last sleeve row, which is now located at the sleeve seam. Do not work a sc into this ch 3 st, instead, begin Round 1 in the next dc st.

Round 1: Ch 1, sc2tog around cuff, sl st to join to beginning of round. 29 (32, 35, 38, 41) sc

Round 2: Ch 1, *sc2tog, sc; rep from * to last 2 sc, sc2tog, sl st to first sc from beginning of round to join. 19 (21, 23, 25, 27) sc

Rounds 3-5: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to first sc from beginning of round to join.

Rep all steps on second hexagon.

Fasten off.

EXTRA BOTTOM EXTENSION

Notes:
• If you’d like extra to add optional extra length to cardigan bottom, work additional repeats of the following rows.

With WS facing, attach yarn in farthest right dc at cardigan bottom. (Lefties: Attach yarn in farthest left dc at cardigan bottom.)

Row 1 (WS): Ch 4, sk 2 dc, dc in next dc, * ch 1, sk 1 dc, dc in next dc; rep from * to end of row.

Row 2 (RS): Ch 3, sk first dc, dc in each dc and ch-1 sp to end of row; turn.

Rep Rows 1-2 (1) additional time or until desired length is reached. Do not fasten off. Proceed to collar border.

FINISHING

Collar Border:
With RS facing, yarn should be attached in bottom right front corner of cardigan (left front corner for lefties). Collar border is worked with RS of sweater facing.

Border Row 1: Ch 1, 2 sc into side of each dc row of extension, sc in each dc up cardigan front, 2 sc into side of each dc around neck, sc in each dc down cardigan front, 2 sc into side of each dc row of extension. Fasten off.

Seaming Pockets:
Referencing photo above as a placement guide, pin pocket to cardigan front with RS of pocket facing out. Place lower edge of pocket approximately 8 rows from lower front.

Using a tapestry needle and tail of pocket, whip stitch to join to cardigan front.

Rep with second pocket on opposite cardigan front.

Weave in all remaining ends and promptly sprint outside for a day date with your inner crochet artist!

I love to see your finished projects! Use #MakeAndDoCrew and tag me Instagram (@MakeAndDoCrew) to show off your stitches and have a chance to be featured.

Now that you’re rocking your new crochet cardigan, you might enjoy these other free patterns from Make & Do Crew:

1. Urban Gypsy Boho Bag – free, fringed crochet purse pattern

2. Coachella Boots – free crochet shoe pattern using flip flops for soles

3. Campfire Cardigan – free crochet sweater pattern made from two hexagons

4. Be a Deer C2C Afghan – gender neutral corner to corner blanket for babies or adults