Lightweight + Easy Crochet Shrug – Free Pattern

Don’t let the dolman sleeves and modern silhouette fool you, this easy crochet shrug pattern is constructed with basic stitches and simple shapes. Great sweater for confident beginners! Find the entire free pattern below or purchase the ad-free, printable PDF here.

This free crochet shrug pattern is part of an ongoing collaboration with my friends at Lion Brand. This post contains affiliate links.

Oh boy am I excited to introduce you to a new friend. She’s easy to work with, she won’t have a lot of high maintenance requirements of you and she is just one of those classic beauties. I think you’ll love her as much as I do.

Her name is Jeans and she’s a new worsted weight yarn from Lion Brand. 😉 Guys, this yarn became an instant favorite it of mine by about row 2 of this easy crochet shrug. Isn’t it fun how it comes in all the colors of real jeans, complete with a rust accent color called “Topstitch?”

UPDATE: Lion Brand has created a kit that includes all the yarn you need to make this easy crochet shrug as well as a copy of the printable pattern. You can get the full kit here. (And their shipping is fast! 🙂 )

When this yarn arrived in the mail, I felt a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities. I asked on Instagram what you thought I should make and my favorite idea by far was the tongue-in-cheek suggestion of crocheted adult overalls.

Unfortunately, a full yarn pantsuit would have taken me until Christmas 2021 to make, so I’m offering this easy crochet shrug as an alternative. As it was, my mom still had to be my crochet wing-woman and help me finish the last part of this shrug collar so I could publish the pattern this week!

The open mesh combined with the super soft yarn makes this sweater really comfortable to throw on over a tank top when the sun sets. In the winter though, I think you could layer it over a long-sleeved shirt and feel cozy and snuggled up. In either case, the only stitches you’ll need are single crochet, double crochet and chains to make this easy shrug pattern. (Did I mention it’s made out of one big rectangle so it’s super customizable too? Sneaky, huh?!)

Then if you just fall in love with making trans-seasonal sweater-like objects, you  might like these other free sweater patterns I’ve recently shared on the blog. 🙂

New to making cardigans? Don’t miss How to Crochet a Sweater for our best beginner tips

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 →

And if you’ve read this far, I’m going to reward you with a photo that basically summarizes the family terror and drama that accompanies any Make & Do Crew photo shoot with my husband and kids. A massive gust of wind caught us by surprise and my husband just happened to photograph the exact moment I saw all our balloons go sailing off into the sky. Ha! I just have to laugh at the chaos that is my family/work life.

Please do not publish or share this pattern as your own. You may make items to sell with this pattern. In exchange, please link back to this post. Do NOT use my photos as your own sales photos. ­­You can read my policies here. Now let’s make something awesome!

“The Stonewash Shrug”
Free Easy Crochet Shrug Pattern

Purchase the ad-free, printable PDF here.

Add this pattern to your Ravelry favorites here.

Pin this free pattern for later here.

Explanation:
Don’t let the dolman sleeves and modern silhouette fool you—the construction of this on-trend sweater is super simple! You’ll work one large rectangle in a mesh pattern using only double crochet and chains. After seaming the rectangle in half, you’ll add sleeves, again using only basic stitches. Lastly, a long rectangle made from the accent color will be added to form the wide collar and edging.

Sizes:
This pattern is easily customizable. Notes are included in each section on how to adjust sizing. Sample pictured is a size S/M.

S/M: Length from shoulder to bottom of sweater when worn: 35”
Total width from wrist to wrist: 54.5”

L/XL: Length from shoulder to bottom of sweater when worn: 40”
Total width from wrist to wrist: 60.5”

See photo below for additional measurements.

Supplies:
Purchase the full kit for this pattern from here!
• Lion Brand Jeans Yarn (Weight: 4/medium – 246 yds, 3.5 oz)
– MC: Classic – 3 (4) balls
– AC: Stonewash – 2 (3) balls
• Tapestry needle
• Size I (5.5 mm) crochet hook
• Stitch markers or safety pins

Gauge:
8 rows of dc = 4”, 8 sets of (1 dc and 1 ch) = 4”

Abbreviations and Glossary (US Terms):
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
sk – skip
dcblo – double crochet through the back loop only
sp – space
ch1sp – chain 1 space (the space created by chaining 1 in the previous row)
tch – turning chain
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
rep – repeat
MC – main color
AC – accent color

Overall Pattern Notes:
• Pattern includes sizes S/M and L/XL, but you can easily adjust the size of this sweater to suite your body. Notes are given throughout on how to customize. When stitch counts are mentioned, size S/M is given first with L/XL following in parenthesis.

• Please note that if customizations are made, the amount of yarn needed will differ from what is called for above.

• Ch 3 at beginning of row counts as 1 dc throughout pattern.

Body Rectangle

Notes:
• See comments at the end of this section on how to modify the rectangle measurements if desired.

Make 1.

Foundation Row: Using MC, Ch 112 (128).

Row 1: Sk first 5 ch (counts as 1 dc and 1 ch), dc in sixth ch from the hook, *sk 1 ch, ch 1, dc in next ch; rep from * to end of row; turn. 54 (62) ch1sp

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as 1 dc and 1 ch), sk first dc, sk first ch, *dc in next dc, sk next ch, ch 1; rep from * to last ch, dc in tch; turn. 

Repeat Row 2 69 (79) times until there are a total of 71 (81) ch1sps vertically.

Fasten off.

To customize the length of the sweater: Measure from the top of your shoulders down your back to wherever you’d like the sweater to end. Subtract 7” (8”) for the border. The remaining length is how long you should make your chain for this rectangle. Begin with an even number of chains. 

To customize the width of the sweater: When draped across your back horizontally, the rectangle should hit at or right past your elbows. Work Row 2 additional times if desired.

Seaming Rectangle

Fold rectangle length-wise so that the longest sides are touching. (See photo at top of pattern.)

With a tapestry needle and a doubled-over length of MC yarn, sew side seam using the mattress stitch until 20 (26) ch1sps remain in armhole. (Moogly has a great mattress stitch tutorial.)

To customize: Try on sweater to see if this armhole sizing suits you. Increase or decrease number of ch1sps included in arm hole if desired.

Repeat for second armhole.

Sleeves

Notes:
• Sleeve length can be easily customized by working more or fewer rounds of the same mesh stitch.
• The sleeves are worked in the round. Do not turn at the end of each round.

With RS of sweater facing, attach MC in newly created seam at underarm.

Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as 1 dc and 1 ch), sk first ch, *dc in next dc, sk next ch, ch 1; rep from * to end of round, sl st to third ch from beginning of round to join. 20 (26) ch1sps

Rep Round 1 17, (18) more times until there are a total of 18, (19) ch1sps in the length of the sleeve. Fasten off.

Attach AC in any ch1sc around sleeve.

Round 1: Ch 1, sc in same sp, sc in each ch1sp around sleeve, sl st to first sc to join.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc to end of round, sl to to first sc to join. Fasten off.

To customize: If cuff (Rounds 2-3) feels too restrictive to you, do not sk dcs and instead sc in both the ch1sps and the dcs around sleeve.

Repeat for second sleeve.

Collar

Notes:
• The collar is worked in double crochet through the back loop only (dcblo), which is exactly like double crochet, but you’ll work the stitches through only the back loop of the dc from the previous row.

• To check gauge of collar, measure rows against the edge of sweater. Each collar row should be approximately the height of one ch1sp in the sweater.

To customize: The number of rows worked for the collar should be exactly double the number of rows worked for the body rectangle. If you made any adjustments to number of rows in your rectangle, take those into account with your collar. (So if you worked five extra rows in the rectangle, you collar will need 10 extra rows.)

Foundation Row: Using AC, Ch 30 (35).

Row 1: Sk first 3 ch (counts as 1 dc), dc in each ch to end of row; turn. 27 (32)

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), sk first dc, dcblo in each dc, dc in tch; turn. 27 (32)

Repeat Row 2 140 (160) times for a total of 142 (162) rows.

Fasten off.

Final Seaming

To Seam Collar: With a doubled strand of AC and a tapestry needle, seam the foundation row and the last row of the collar together using the mattress stitch. Take care not to twist the collar.

To Seam Collar onto Shrug: With RS of shrug facing you, position collar seam at back of neck. (There isn’t really a top or bottom of the shrug, so whichever side gets the collar seam will become the neck.) Use stitch markers or safety pins to pin collar to shrug, aligning one ch1sp in the shrug with one row of the collar. 

You may find that you don’t care to pin the collar all the way around, but rather just align each row and ch1sp as you seam.

With a doubled strand of MC and a tapestry needle, seam the shrug and collar together using the mattress stitch. Avoid joining extremely tightly so that seam is able to accommodate a small amount of stretch when the sweater is worn.

Weave in any remaining ends.

Pop on your new completely handmade sweater and head out to find James Dean, you all-American DIY-er, you!

Find Your Next Sweater Project

• Lightweight Mesh Top – doubles as a beach coverup
• Hexagon Layering Cardigan – with bishop sleeves
• 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

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4. Be a Deer free crochet afghan pattern