A simple crochet cardigan you are going to LOVE! Introducing the Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan, a garment that promises to elevate your wardrobe with intricate patterns and delicate textures. Time to take a step beyond that granny square and create a sweater everybody will want.
Perfect for chilly offices, breezy evenings, or as a chic overlay for your favorite dress or T-shirt. This cardigan seamlessly blends style with comfort.
With easy-to-follow written instructions and crochet stitch diagrams, this one-piece crochet cardigan pattern is for crocheters of all skill levels. It promises an amazing crafting experience; it’s a perfect project for Netflix and Chill Crocheter.
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Made from the amazing yarn from WeCrochet, City Tweed Aran, this cardigan adds a touch of luxury to your clothing collection. It offers the joy of creating a truly unique piece.
Learn more about this piece of clothing that’s more than a rectangle with sleeves. It’s a sweater you’ll never want to take off. Yes, it’s time to make your very own Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan.
Get the full PDF with links to full-color PDF stitch diagrams for each pattern size. Click the button below to purchase the pattern.
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Discover the Beauty of the Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan
Leggings are everywhere, indeed. Personally, I absolutely love and live in them. You can dress them up with a cotton flare dress from Old Navy, a tunic from Torrid, or a new cardigan *wink. This crochet heavy worsted-weight cardigan was designed by the BiCrafty duo! Marly Bird and Robyn Chachula think this is the perfect accessory to wear with your favorite leggings. This must-have layering piece is great for anyone ready to try crocheting their own clothes.
The pattern is easy to follow. So, if you’re new to crocheting sweaters or you’ve been doing it for a while, you’ll find it fun. As long as you know a few basic crochet skills (and even if you don’t, we have help for that) –
- slip stitch,
- foundation single crochet,
- chain,
- single crochet,
- single crochet back loop ribbing,
- double crochet,
- stacked double crochet, and
- treble crochet.
If you can work these stitches, we’re telling you, you can do this! We use those basic crochet stitches in the stitch pattern we call the Aurora Lace stitch pattern. Once you get that 4-row stitch pattern sequence down, you will have a sweater in no time! Plus, Marly filmed a video tutorial to help you with these stitches, so you don’t have to flounder!
Understanding the Design Inspiration Behind this One Piece Sweater Pattern
The structure of the Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan is one both Marly and Robyn love to use when designing crochet. Neither enjoys seaming lots of little pieces to make a full garment. Even when they design motif-style sweaters, they always join as you go. So whenever they can design a piece to be made all in one, that is their go-to design.
Marly thought this cardigan should complement the 2023 Turkey Trot crochet pullover sweater (the Trifle Crochet Pullover free pattern on the blog). She doesn’t always like wearing a big pullover and prefers an easy-to-wear layering piece, hence the Aurora Lace.
Named for the city in Colorado where Marly used to live, Aurora. It is a beautiful name for a beautiful stitch pattern. So, as much as you’d like to think this sweater is named after the Aurora Borealis, it isn’t.
Simple One-Piece Construction Technique
As mentioned, the simple one-piece construction technique makes the crochet process of making a sweater a little easier. The Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan has minimal seaming. Even the rib is joined as you go and stitched directly onto the body of the garment.
This design approach eliminates the need for sewing or seaming multiple parts together, presenting a streamlined process from start to finish.
“It just makes sense to me to design this way. Crochet is so plyable, flexible and forgiving. Usually any extra waist or shoulder shaping just isn’t necessary to get a good fit. So, making a sweater in one piece with little shaping on the sleeve and neck just works.”
– Marly Bird; Your BiCrafty Bestie
It’s been widely mentioned in the Marly’s Minions Facebook group that they appreciate the ease and beauty of working their sweater as a continuous piece. Favorite designs include the Amimono Kimono, Creekside Ruana, Lyvia Ruana, Garden Party Sweater, Goldenrod Crochet Sweater, Ashley Sweater, Hydroponic Tunic.
With a helpful schematic, stitch diagrams, and thoughtful video guidance, understanding crocheting in one piece becomes simple for even a beginner sweater crocheter.
Visual Aids to Assist in Piece Construction
Visual aids are indispensable in demystifying the one-piece construction technique for the Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan. The 26-page pattern is more than just the written crochet instructions; it offers detailed charts and diagrams. These resources become an invaluable guide for crocheters, helping them visualize the layout and progression of their project with clarity and precision.
Video tutorials with clear step-by-step demonstrations further help the crocheter understand the one-piece construction. As visual learners, Marly and Robyn always give as many visual guidance tools as possible. So, even those new to any concept, especially one-piece crochet, can confidently tackle the project.
Here’s the stitch diagram for the Aurora Lace crochet stitch pattern. This chart is also used in the video tutorial. Full stitch diagrams for each size are only available in the pattern.
Size Matters. And this Pattern is Size-Inclusive
Since the beginning of their design careers, Marly and Robyn have designed for multiple sizes. They always pushed for more size inclusivity in the yarn fashion industry. Try searching a site like Ravelry for a sweater pattern available in a larger size (bigger than a 49 inch bust). Seeing the design shown on a larger model is also important. That was not often something they saw more than 20 years ago. For them, it is important to design garments for everybody, especially ones they can wear. So, you’ll find many (if not all) of their designs are sized up to three extra large. Lots of their newer patterns are sized up to five extra large.
The size range of this particular pattern is impressive. The entire pattern includes written instructions, and the added value of the stitch diagrams provided for each size is immeasurable. Whether you’re looking for a size extra small to a 5XL, this pattern will work for you.
The exact Measurements of this pattern are as follows –
To Fit Size: XS (S-L, XL/2X, 3-5X) with 4-15” [10-38 cm] of positive ease. Sample shown has 7” of positive ease.
Finished Cardigan Measurements: Sweater is 35 (46, 57.5, 69)” [89, 117, 146, 175.5 cm] bust circumference and 23 (25, 27, 29)” [58.5, 63.5, 68.5, 73.5 cm] in length.
Here is the schematic for this pattern to help you choose your correct size.
Does My Gauge Matter for a Crochet Sweater?
Yes, gauge does matter when you are crocheting a sweater. You must match the same gauge as the crochet pattern is written. Change your crochet hook size to get the stitches of the correct size (gauge) with the yarn you choose.
We did write a blog post about getting crochet gauge if you’re interested in reading it. Remember, you MUST use the same hook and yarn for your gauge swatch as you plan for your project. Even changing the color of the yarn can alter the gauge, so be aware!
The gauge for this sweater pattern is: 2 Stitch Repeats (10 dc + 4 ch-sps) by 8 Rows = 5.75” [15 cm] by 4” [10 cm]; use any size hook to obtain the gauge.
Gather Your Materials for the Aurora Lace Cardigan
Marly and Robyn wanted to keep the material list light for this crochet pattern. Still, they also wanted to use a semi-luxury yarn readily available at a very affordable price. City Tweed is one of their favorite yarns. But this is the first time using the aran/heavy worsted weight version.
The blend of merino, superfine alpaca, and Donegal tweed makes for an amazing crocheting experience. This yarn glides on your crochet hook, and the finished look is rustic and super cozy.
Here are the yarn details for this pattern: WeCrochet, City Tweed Aran, (55% merino wool/ 25% superfine alpaca/ 20% Donegal tweed, 164 yds / 150 m, 3.5 oz/ 100 g, CYCA #4 heavy worsted) – 5 (6, 8, 10) balls. Sample color on pattern – Jacquard; sample color on Marly – Cobalt.
Best Crochet Hooks for Aurora Lace
The lace crochet in this pattern is a bit of a misnomer. It’s an aran weight yarn with big lace stitches, so there’s no need to select a small hook. A crochet hook with a nice pointed tip does help get into the foundation stitches, but it’s not a must-have. Marly used a Susan Bates inline hook with a large ergonomic handle, as she loves to use this when she crochets. It prevents her hand from cramping.
For this pattern, the suggested crochet hook size is a J/10 or a 6mm crochet hook.
Additional Tools You’ll Need For This One-Piece Sweater Pattern
As with any pattern, it takes more than just yarn and hooks to crochet an item. A simple set of supportive tools plays a role in a successful project. These are the tools you need to make this sweater:
- A tape measure – to measure your gauge in the pattern and the ribbing. This is very important for making sure your cardigan matches the desired measurements.
- Pair of scissors – to cut the yarn. Always leave 4 – 6 inches of tail to weave in later.
- Speaking of weaving in, you need a darning needle. Don’t just crochet over your ends. You’ll be very disappointed in the results after you wash and wear your garment. Weaving in ends is crucial for finishing touches.
- As always, a set of stitch markers will come in handy. Use these markers to keep the edges of your sweater straight. Section off the edges for the back-loop single crochet ribbing added to the sleeve cuff, bottom hem, and neckline collar. These Clover locking stitch markers are Marly’s favorites.
- Blocking Materials: Blocking your sweater is very important to get the full effect of crochet lace. It also makes the seaming process easier. This blog post is full of information about blocking supplies that are Marly’s favorites.
- This is not listed on the pattern but may be useful for those who want a more closed-front cardigan without buttonholes: these pedestal buttons by Jul.
Step-by-Step Video Instructions for Crocheting Your Cardigan
Marly Bird created a YouTube video tutorial for this pattern. She walks you through stitch by stitch to create the stunning Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan. It’s an in-depth tutorial perfect for crocheters ready to expand their skills. Anyone longing to wrap themselves in a handcrafted layer of warmth and style will love it.
🧶 What You’ll Learn:
- Foundation Single Crochet: Kick off your cardigan with a sturdy and stretchy base.
- Aurora Lace Stitch Pattern: Master the heart of this pattern with its captivating lace details. Learn all the crochet stitches in this pattern so you don’t crochet without a clue.
- Sleeves: Learn to add, shape, and tailor sleeves with ease, including increasing and decreasing techniques.
- Neck Opening: Plan and execute the perfect V-neck opening that frames your face beautifully.
- Crocheting in One Piece: Simplify construction and reduce seaming as you work the entire sweater in a single piece.
- Join As You Go Ribbing: Finish with a flourish by adding ribbing that’s worked directly onto the cardigan for a polished look.
🌟 Whether an adventurous beginner eager to dive into your first crochet sweater or an experienced crocheter looking for a relaxing project with enough challenge, this crochet cardigan will become a cherished piece in your wardrobe.
Purchase the pattern to follow along with the video tutorial.
Get the full PDF with links to full-color PDF stitch diagrams for each pattern size. Click the button below to purchase the pattern.
Crocheting the Cuffs, Hem, and Collar for a Polished Look
The garment has been made, washed, and blocked to the schematic measurements and then seamed. The final step is to add the cuff to each sleeve, the bottom hem, and the comfy rib collar around the neckline and front of the cardigan. This task might seem daunting after all that crochet is done. But it’s the final piece that gives your garment a polished look turning it into a masterpiece.
Don’t worry—you don’t have to make the ribbing separate and then use your sewing skills. No, no, no, haven’t you learned yet? These two designers like to make things fairly easy and seamless. Therefore, these ribbed pieces are worked with the join-as-you-go technique, using slip stitches into the fabric to join the ribbing.
It’s quite easy, and Marly goes over this in detail in the video, so be sure to watch it.
Caring for Your Crochet Clothing
Taking good care of your crochet clothing is important to keep it looking great. After wearing this piece, wash it gently in cool water with a mild soap. Don’t twist or wring it; gently press the extra water. Then, lay it flat on a clean towel to dry, shaping it to keep its original form. Don’t hang it up – this could stretch out the lovely lace. If you need to store it away, fold it softly and place it in a drawer or a box where it won’t get squished. Looking after it this way, your handmade sweater will stay as pretty and comfy as the day you finished crocheting.
Showcase Your Work: Share Your Aurora Lace Cardigan
We all want to see your work when you finish your Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan! Take pictures of yourself wearing your sweater on a date or Sunday morning to church! Snap that picture and share it with us on social media!
Our BiCrafty Facebook community is here to show you love and support and give you big CONGRATULATIONS 🥳 as you work on your project!
Final Thoughts
Let me wrap up: crocheting the Aurora Lace Crochet Cardigan is much more than a crochet hook and yarn. It’s like you’re stitching a cozy hug. This pattern is your golden ticket to making a one-piece construction and a snuggly comfort sweater uniquely yours. Anyone can whip up this beauty with just the right yarn and some nifty stitch skills. Whether you’re dipping your toes into the crochet waters or the seasoned stitcher who’s seen it all.
And let’s not forget—when you rock your Aurora Lace, you’re rocking a piece you crocheted with your own hands! After you’ve worn it a few times, it’s time for a wash. Give it some tender loving care by hand washing it gently so it stays as perfect as the day you finished it.
Sharing your work with the world or our tight-knit crochet crew is the cherry on top. It’s about showing off your skills, sure. But it’s also about sparking that ‘Hey, I can make that too!’ moment in someone else.
So, there you have it! Making this cardigan is a journey full of heart, craft, and a touch of magic. Let’s get our hooks flying and hearts singing and make magic with this pattern!
Happy Stitching, everybody!
