Free Crochet Granny Square Cardigan Pattern • Banana Moon Studio (2024)

Granny square cardigan crochet pattern

Granny square cardigans are all the rage lately, and with good reason! They are casual and cozy and filled with color. This version uses a cake yarn for the first three rounds of the square, so you can get some color change without changing colors every round. Then that color is complimented by the cream outer round and matching joining and edging.

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Granny square crochet patterns

Granny squares are a really traditional crochet pattern. They were most definitely around in the 70s when my husband’s aunt was crocheting them into blankets. They were probably around long before that.

For a lot of crocheters, they are one of the first things they learn how to make. Me? I didn’t actually crochet a granny square for the first time until a few years ago.

What is a granny square exactly? We see that term used a lot in the crochet world. Some people use this term to refer to any crochet square. Some use it to refer to any square that begins in the center and works outward. Technically speaking though, a granny square uses the exact stitch pattern of the squares used in this cardigan, and everything else is just a crochet square or crochet motif.

If you are just looking for the instructions and a video tutorial for a basic, traditional granny square, you can find that here.

What else can you make with granny squares? I have a few other crochet patterns that use traditional granny squares:

Granny Ghost, an adorable Halloween decor piece

Zena Zipper Pouch, a perfect case for crochet hooks or pencils

Dixon Drawstring Bag, a great reusable bag for gift wrapping

And I have one additional crochet pattern that uses the granny stitch, but not in a square:

Heartbeat Scarf, with fun colorwork hearts on each end

Where do I get this granny square cardigan pattern?

This crochet granny square cardigan pattern is free right here in this post! Just scroll down for the free version.

If you decide to use the free version, please bookmark this page and come back to it when you work on your project rather than trying to print or screenshot the page. Your time on this page helps me get paid for my work, so thank you!

If you would prefer a PDF that is easy to download and print, you can purchase one on Ravelry or Etsy.

What materials do I need to crochet this cardigan?

For the Gracemont Cardigan, which includes four sizes for adults, you will need a few things.

First up, yarn. I used Cascade Yarns Pacific Prints for the center of the granny squares. This is a cake yarn that changes colors all on its own, so you can get some color changes within each square without adding more ends to weave in. Believe me, granny square projects have enough of those as it is. I used #606 Eggplant. You can see all the colors available here.

For the last round of each square, the joining, and the edging, I used Cascade Yarns Pacific #01 Cream. Pacific is a soft, lovely, worsted weight blend of acrylic and Merino superwash, so this will make your cardigan easy care, you can machine wash and dry it. Cascade Yarns Pacific can be purchased through your local yarn shop. If they don’t have it in stock, they can order it for you.

Next up, you’ll need a crochet hook for this crochet granny square cardigan pattern. I used a K (6.5 mm) crochet hook for most of the cardigan. For the sleeve edging, I also briefly used J (6 mm) and I (5.5 mm) hooks. If you need to adjust hook sizes to make gauge, then you’ll want to adjust all three hook sizes. If, for instance, you need to move up to an L (7 mm) for your squares, then use K and J for the sleeve edging.

My favorite crochet hooks are Furl’s Streamline Resin. They are lightweight, have an inline hook shape, and have a thick, ergonomic handle.

In addition to those basics, you’ll need a couple of locking stitch markers for the edging and a tapestry needle. If you want to add buttons, you’ll need those and sewing needle and thread to attach them, plus more locking stitch markers. I didn’t put buttons on my cardigan, but I do have a tip within the pattern for how to add buttonholes if you want buttons on yours.

Gracemont Cardigan, a crochet granny square cardigan pattern

By April Garwood of Banana Moon Studio

As with all my patterns, please do not make paper or digital copies for others. Instead, please direct them to my website to get their own. Thank you!

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Available Sizes: 1 [2, 3, 4]

Finished Measurements: Chest circumference 39 ¼ [43 ½, 56 ¾, 61 ¼] inches; Length 25 ¾ [25 ¾, 28, 28] inches.

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Pacific Pacific and Pacific Prints (60% Acrylic, 40% Superwash Merino; 213 yds; 100 g; yarn weight category 4/Medium/Worsted) 4 [4, 5, 6] skeins #01 Cream, 4 [4, 6, 6] cakes #606 Eggplant.

Crochet Hook: K (6.5 mm) for squares and joining, J (6 mm) and I (5.5 mm) for edging, or sizes needed to obtain gauge.

Notions: 2 Locking stitch markers, tapestry needle, optional items include additional st markers for marking buttonhole locations, and buttons.

Gauge: 4 rnds of Granny Square pattern below = About 4 1/2 inches across.

Notes

This pattern uses standard US terms. For help with abbreviations, get my free, printable crochet abbreviations list here.

See this tutorial post for help with basic crochet stitches.

This video will show you how to crochet a basic granny square.

For a demonstration of the joining method, see this tutorial.

See this tutorial for help with post stitches, used in the edging.

Special Stitches

Single crochet 2 stitches together (sc2tog): Insert hook in first designated st, yo, pull up a loop, insert hook in second designated st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through all 3 loops.

Double crochet 2 stitches together (dc2tog): Yo, insert hook in first designated st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, insert hook in second designated st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through all 3 loops.

Front post double crochet (fpdc): Yo, beginning on front side of fabric, insert hook around post of designated st from right to left, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] 2 times.

Back post double crochet (bpdc): Yo, beginning on back side of fabric, insert hook around post of designated st from right to left, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] 2 times.

Cardigan

Granny Square (make 64 [73, 100, 110])

With Eggplant, make a Magic Ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 2, [3 dc in circle, ch 2] 3 times, 3 dc in circle, hdc in first st to join (hdc counts as corner ch sp) – 12 dc.

Rnd 2: Ch 2, 3 dc in corner ch sp, *skip next 3 sts, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next corner ch sp, repeat from * 2 times, skip next 3 sts, 3 dc in next corner ch sp, hdc in first st to join – 24 dc.

Rnd 3: Ch 2, 3 dc in corner ch sp, *3 dc in each sp between 3-dc groups to next corner ch sp, skipping sts between the sps, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next corner ch sp, repeat from * 2 times, 3 dc in each sp between 3-dc groups to next corner ch sp, skipping sts between the sps, 3 dc in next corner ch sp, hdc in first st to join – 36 dc. Fasten off Eggplant,

Rnd 4: With Cream, (sl st, ch 2, 3 dc) in first corner ch sp, *3 dc in each sp between 3-dc groups to next corner ch sp, skipping sts between the sps, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next corner ch sp, repeat from * 2 times, 3 dc in each sp between 3-dc groups to next corner ch sp, skipping sts between the sps, 3 dc in next corner ch sp, hdc in first st to join – 48 dc. Fasten off.

Triangular Half Granny Square (make 2 [0, 2, 0])

With Eggplant, make a Magic Ring.

Row 1: Ch 2, (4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in circle, turn – 8 sts.

Row 2: Ch 2, dc in first st, 3 dc in sp between first 2 sts, skip next 3 sts, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch sp, skip next 3 sts, 3 dc in sp between last 2 sts, dc in last st, turn – 13 sts.

Row 3: Ch 2, dc in first st, 3 dc in sp between first 2 sts, skip next 3 sts, 3 dc in next sp between 3-dc groups, skip next 3 sts, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch sp, skip next 3 sts, 3 dc in next sp between 3-dc groups, skip next 3 sts, 3 dc in sp between last 2 sts, dc in last st, turn. Fasten off Eggplant – 20 sts.

Row 4: With Cream (sl st, ch 2, dc) in first st, 3 dc in sp between first 2 sts, [skip next 3 sts, 3 dc in next sp between 3-dc groups] 2 times, skip next 3 sts, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch sp, [skip next 3 sts, 3 dc in next sp between 3-dc groups] 2 times, skip next 3 sts, 3 dc in sp between last 2 sts, dc in last st – 26 sts. Fasten off.

Tip: At this point, I suggest blocking your squares. This will be much easier than blocking the whole sweater when it is finished. I don’t often suggest blocking granny squares, but it will help your sweater turn out well to do so before assembling it.

Joining

Follow the included diagrams to see how to arrange the squares for your cardigan. For this first step, you will only be working the joins that move horizontally across the diagram, always beginning on the right side of the diagram, and working toward the left side.

After you have joined all of the squares together working horizontally across the sweater, you will turn the sweater 90 degrees and join the columns.

In the diagram, the pink section will be joined together first. Next, assemble the orange section. Then you will put together the yellow section, joining the 1 [2, 2, 3] yellow squares that are above the pink section to the top of the pink section. Then join the 1 [2, 2, 3] green squares to the top of the orange section and continue joining the rest of the green section from there. Then join the row(s) of blue squares. Then add each row of the purple section.

I suggest using the flat slip stitch joining method, but you can use a different method if you prefer.

Flat Slip Stitch Join

While joining, always insert hook through chs and sts from front to back.

The chains of corner ch sps will be joined along with the side to which they are closest. Each side has 12 sts, but the joining for each side will include 14 sl sts, because you will include one ch at each end from the corner ch sps.

Place first square of first row on a flat surface in front of you with RS up. Place first square of second row also RS up in front of you above the first square so that the line between them runs horizontally across your flat surface. Make a slip knot in yarn and place it on hook.

Insert hook through back loop of first ch of first corner ch sp of top square, insert hook through back loop of second ch of first corner ch sp of bottom square, yo, pull through both chs and loop on hook. As you continue, keep working-yarn below squares and hook so that as you work, you are pulling the working yarn from underneath your join.

*Insert hook through back loop of next st of bottom square, insert hook through back loop of next st of top square, yo, pull through both sts and loop on hook, insert hook through back loop of next st of top square, insert hook through back loop of next st of bottom square, yo, pull through both sts and loop on hook, repeat from * across in every st and corner ch, working each corner ch with the side to which it is closest.

After you join one set of squares, ch 1, and continue right on to join the next set of squares in order in the two rows.

When you have completed joining all the squares in those two rows, fasten off. Then join in order all the squares of the third row to those of the second row, and so on, always working joins in the same direction across the sweater.

Continue in this way until all the rows of squares are joined together.

Then, turn the piece 90 degrees and join the columns of squares in the same manner, working each column of joining in the same direction as all other columns. Each time you come to a corner, you will ch 1 and continue to the next set of squares, letting the ch travel over the perpendicular join.

Once all of the squares are joined together, fold the sweater in half, WS together, bringing front and back bottom edges even, and bottom edges of sleeves even.

Use the flat slip stitch join, or your preferred method, to join the seam from bottom edge, to armpit, to sleeve edge on one side of the sweater, and then on the other, fastening off at each sleeve edge.

Edging

Sleeve Edging

Rnd 1: With RS facing, using size J hook and Cream yarn, join in corner ch sp to the right of underarm seam with sc, place m in first st and move up into first st of each rnd as work progresses, (sc, skip next st, sc) in each group of 3 dc to next corner ch sp*, sc in next 2 corner ch sps, repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, sc in last corner ch sp, do not join or turn – 30 [30, 40, 40] sts.

Rnd 2: Switch to I (5.5 mm) hook, sc in each st around, do not join or turn.

Rnds 3-5: Repeat Rnd 2.

Rnd 6: Sl st in first 3 sts. Fasten off.

Bottom Edging

Row 1: With K hook and Cream yarn, with RS facing, join with sc at bottom left corner in ch sp, 1 additional sc in corner ch sp, sc in each st to next corner ch sp*, [2 sc in corner ch sp] 2 times, repeat from * across to last corner ch sp, ending last repeat at **, 2 sc in last corner ch sp, turn – 128 [144, 192, 208] sts..

Rows 2-7: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. Fasten off.

Front and Neck Edging

Tip: if you would like to add buttons to your cardigan, place a locking st marker at each place you would like to create a buttonhole. Move these markers up as your work on the front edging progresses. In Row 3 of the edging, skip one st at the location of each marker, continuing on both sides of the marker in the established st pattern. When the edging is finished, use optional sewing needle and thread to attach buttons opposite the buttonholes.

Use K hook and Cream yarn.

Row 1 (RS): Starting at right bottom corner of front opening, with RS facing, join with sc, sc evenly up right front side and along right side of neckline, sc2tog at back right corner of neckline, sc evenly across back of neckline, sc2tog at back left corner of neckline, sc evenly along left side of neckline and down left front side to bottom corner, turn. Your total number of sts needs to be an odd number. Place locking st markers at both decreases along back edge of neckline.

Row 2: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), *dc in each st to 1 st before next marker, dc2tog in two sts on either side of marker, move marker up into this decrease, repeat from * 1 time, dc in each remaining st, turn – dec of 4 sts.

Row 3: Ch 2, hdc in first st, fpdc in next st, hdc in next st*, repeat from * to ** to next marker, skip marked st, repeat from * to ** to next marker, skip marked st, repeat from * to ** to end of row – dec of 2 sts.

Row 4: Ch 2, hdc in first st, *bpdc in next st, hdc in next st, repeat from * around, turn.

Diagrams

Size 1

Size 2

Size 3

Size 4

Finishing

Weave in all ends. Finished!

And that finishes this crochet granny square cardigan pattern. I would love to see your in-process and finished cardigans! You can share them on Instagram and tag me, or you can join my Facebook group and share them there.

Happy crocheting!

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