Side to Side Crochet Cardigan Pattern with Ribbed Knit Look

The Sydney Cardigan is an easy, side to side crochet cardigan pattern in sizes XS to 5XL. With the front and back made in one piece, there are hardly any seams to deal with and the easy crochet stitches create a beautiful crochet ribbed cardigan that will be a wardrobe staple all year round. 

The slouchy balloon sleeves are just right for Spring and Summer or make them longer for a cozy Winter wrap cardigan if you prefer. 

If you’ve ever been intimidated by crochet garments then this is the one for you!

Using just basic stitches and no shaping whatsoever, you can make this fabulous knit-look crochet sweater.

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About the simple side to side crochet cardigan pattern

I’ve always wanted to design a really simple, ribbed cardigan pattern that is really easy to wear and style differently.

After playing around with different stitches and combinations, I happened upon the idea of just mixing a long stitch (a US treble/UK double treble) with a slip stitch.

Even though I can knit, there’s something really appealing to me about knit-look crochet and I know so many others love it too.

Maybe it’s because of the funny conversations you can then have with people trying to convince them that not only did you make it, but that it’s crochet and not knitting too!

The entire body of the cardigan is worked side to side (so that the row sit vertically on you) in a two-row repeat and is such a lovely mindful project to get yourself lost in.

The sleeves are then worked separately with the cuff worked into them (I love anything that means less seaming!) and then added to the body.

Finally, there is a deep collar (which you can make as big or small as you like) worked in rows along the sides and neck to finish.

Super simple to crochet, super modern and so easy to wear. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Don’t forget to join HanJan Crochet to receive regular discount codes (and more free patterns!) and Pin this free ribbed crochet cardigan pattern to your crochet Pinterest board!

Are you new to crochet garment making?

If you’re new to crochet garment making then please don’t worry! I have a fabulous guide on how to start your perfect crochet wardrobe and also learn garment making with 12 free crochet top patterns for different skill levels.

If you have the garment making bug then you’ll also love this collection of easy crochet cardigan patterns for beginners!

Yarn

To make the Sydney Cardigan I used Alpaca Cloud DK yarn by WeCrochet which is 100% baby alpaca, 112m/50g in the shade Magnus.

It’s probably some of the softest yarn I’ve had the pleasure of working with and was perfect for this ribbed cardigan pattern.

You will approximately need the following amounts of yarn for each size:

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

Balls of yarn: 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) (13, 14, 15, 16)

Approx metres of yarn: 896 (1008, 1120, 1232, 1344) (1456, 1568, 1680, 1792)

I often get asked about ideas for alternative yarns and so here are some great options that I think will also give you a fabulous crochet ribbed cardigan.

Here are some that I think would work really well for this pattern in various price ranges:

• Swish DK by WeCrochet :100% Fine Superwash Merino Wool; 123yds/50g
• DROPS Cotton Merino: 50% fine merino, 50% Egyptian cotton; 110m/50g
• Capra DK by WeCrochet: 85% fine merino, 15% cashmere, 123yds/50g

Whatever yarn you choose, just make sure to check your gauge before starting your project as they will all be slightly different.

Tension and Sizing

The crochet cardigan pattern comes in sizes XS (S, M, L, XL) (2X, 3X, 4X, 5X) to fit bust measurements of 76, (86, 96.5, 106.5, 117) (127, 137, 147, 157) cm.

You will need to get 17sts and 8 rows of the main pattern repeat to measure 10cm by 10cm.

Materials

Along with your yarn, you will need the following:

• 4.5mm crochet hook – my favourites are Furls Streamline crochet hooks or Clover Amour crochet hooks.
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors 
• Stitch markers

Glossary and Abbreviations

ch(s) – chain(s)

ss – slip stitch

RS – right side

WS – wrong side

tog – together

sk – skip

rep – repeat

blo – back loop only

Crochet Stitches

The side to side crochet cardigan pattern uses the following crochet stitches:

sc – single crochet (UK dc – double crochet)

tr – treble crochet (UK dtr – double treble crochet)

Constructing the cardigan

A ch1 at the beginning of a row does not count as a stitch.

A ch4 at the beginning of a row does count as a stitch, but you can work a stacked stitch if you prefer.

The cardigan is worked from side to side with the front and back created in one panel.

The sleeves are then worked separately and joined.

The collar rib is added once the cardigan is seamed to complete.

Pattern Options

Get this easy side to side crochet cardigan pattern free in this blog post in US terms – just scroll down and login to the members area to find it! You can also purchase an ad-free, printable PDF with added extras in my pattern stores: 

Side to side crochet cardigan pattern

To view the pattern all you need to do is sign up for free below and join the HanJan membership site.

US Crochet Terminology (crochet cardigan pattern UK terms included in PDF version)

I hope you’ve enjoyed making this side to side crochet cardigan pattern – I’ve loved sharing it with you!

More Side to Side Crochet Patterns You Might Enjoy

If you enjoy making crochet cardigan and garment patterns as much as I do (especially side to side ones like this) then here are a few more of my designs you might enjoy exploring!