If you’re looking for a fabulous crochet cardigan sweater pattern, then the Shorebreak Cardigan is just the crochet pattern for you! It’s made with the iconic crochet shell stitch and has a fun two-tone design. Be sure to keep reading for information about the pattern, supplies, & design process!
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Before we begin, here are some quick links for you:
- If you want a PDF of this basic crochet sweater pattern, then you can find it on Ravelry and Etsy – keep reading for more information about the crochet cardigan sweater!
- Shop Sewrella Yarn here!
- If you have any crochet pattern questions, then please email herrstitches@gmail.com.
- Do you want another crochet cardigan sweater pattern? Check out my other crochet patterns!
Crochet Cardigan Sweater
The Shorebreak Cardigan was intended to be an elegant, almost art-deco-esque crochet pattern. The black yarn with the splotchy pink accents combined with the shell stitch just gave me such a 1920s art-deco/Great Gatsby vibe, so I ran with it. I wanted to modernize that vibe so the crochet cardigan sweater could still be an “everyday” piece. And so, the Shorebreak Cardigan was born!
This stitch (and yarn!) may look super similar to my FREE Shorebreak Scarf pattern and guess what? You’re not wrong! Same stitch, same yarn! After I finished designing the Shorebreak Cardigan, I had some leftover yarn from that design and in the Herr Stitches household the motto is “No hand-dyed yarn must go to waste”.
The Shorebreak Cardigan is definitely considered intermediate (or for the adventurous beginner) in terms of difficulty. A great primer for this pattern is the FREE Shorebreak Scarf pattern. Since it uses the exact same stitch & gauge, if you can make that pattern, the you’re ready to move onto the Shorebreak Cardigan!
Construction & Fit
This cardigan is written to have 0-2 inches of positive ease. However, if you want it be oversized, choose 1 size larger. It’s made in 3 separate panels: one back panel and two identical front panels. Finally, the sleeves are worked in rounds from the cuff upwards. I love this method of crochet cardigan sweater design because it allows you to repeatedly try on the sleeves so you get the perfect sleeve length.
Yarn
The yarn I used was Sewrella Yarn Single Ply DK, which is a buttery soft DK weight yarn. However, you can pretty much use any DK weight yarn for this project. If you’ve never tried hand-dyed yarn before, I highly recommend it! Each skein not only supports a small business, but also tells a story. For example, here’s how the Sewrella Yarn team described the black “Givenchy” colorway I used for most of the design:
Givenchy 🖤 Our second black colorway we’ve ever made and I think she was worth the wait ✨ sateen black with glittering blue undertones to represent Audrey’s lifelong working relationship with Hubert de Givenchy.
During production of Sabrina, Audrey traveled to Paris to meet with Givenchy about dressing her for the film. When she arrived at the atelier, he took one look at her and declined – stating he was expecting (the much more famous) Katharine Hepburn. Audrey convinced Hubert to go to dinner with her and by the end of the meal he’d “fallen under her spell, entranced by her beauty, personality, and lightness of spirit.” 🥺
He designed two iconic dresses for Sabrina before going on to create fashion for Audrey until the end of her life. My favorite look is the tea length black satin gown she wears toward the end of the movie. The ultra tailored fit, demure little bows on the shoulder, full skirt cut to the perfect hemline. The gloves and low heel slippers complete the look.
We dyed a black tonal that achieves the same luxe sheen as satin… but in wool 🤩 with layers of iridescent sapphire under deep black, it doesn’t get more chic 👌🏻
– Sewrella Yarn (@sewrellayarn)
WOW. As you can see a lot of thought goes into each colorway!
Stitches & Crochet Hook
In terms of stitches, it’s constructed mostly with the shell stitch (aka one of my new favorite stitches!). I absolutely love the fabric the shell creates because it’s always super drapey and looks super elegant. If you like this stitch, be sure to check out the Shorebreak Scarf!
It will probably shock no one when I say that what crochet hook I used for this project – a Furls Streamline! These hooks are my absolute favorite and I use them for every single crochet project. I have a set I received about a year ago (Shout out to my parents for the amazing birthday gift!) and honestly there has been no looking back. These hooks are stunning and crocheting with them is a breeze because of the thick handles. Check out the post I did comparing different Furls crochet hooks here for more information!
I hope you loved this cute crochet cardigan sweater! Be sure to stay tuned for lots more of your favorite crochet patterns!
xo,
Jessica
P.S. I absolutely LOVE seeing your makes! If you make any Herr Stitches patterns, then tag me and then I’ll share them!
P.P.S. If you love this design, don’t forget to Pin It to save for later!
