Make something soft and special with this free crochet baby sweater pattern, sized for 0–12 months so it grows with your little one through that first year. The gentle, simple design works up quickly in soft yarn perfect for baby showers, welcome-home outfits, or a handmade gift that actually gets worn. This easy crochet baby sweater tutorial keeps the shaping beginner-friendly, so it’s a lovely first garment project even if you’ve never made clothing before. Small project, big love—grab the free pattern and start stitching.
Baby sweaters come together so quickly at this scale that they make a satisfying weekend project even if you’ve never crocheted garments before, the pink contrast trim at the collar, cuffs, and hem does all the design work without adding any complexity. For another beginner-friendly make in the baby and kids category, the beach wear for kids set is worth bookmarking alongside this one.
Crochet Baby Sweater
The open-grid body keeps the sweater lightweight and breathable, which matters more for baby wear than it might seem, you want warmth without bulk at that size. Working the trim bands last in a contrast color is also a great way to practice clean color joins before you tackle a larger garment project.
Materials
- Double knitting (DK) weight yarn (approximately 100 grams / 330 meters per bowl). Choose a soft, washable yarn, since it sits against a baby’s skin.
- Main color: White (1 bowl)
- Accent color: Pink or blue (a small amount)
- A 4.0 mm crochet hook
- Yarn needle and stitch markers
Common Stitch to Know
The whole cardigan is built from 3-double-crochet granny blocks and post-stitch ribbing. The front and back post double crochet stitches (worked around the post of the stitch below rather than into the top loops) create the stretchy ribbed collar, hem, and cuffs, while alternating your round starts keeps the side seam running straight.
The Pattern
The cardigan is worked from the top down: a ribbed collar, a raglan-increased granny yoke, then the body and sleeves worked separately, each finished with post-stitch ribbing. Instructions are for 6 to 12 months, with 0 to 6 months notes in parentheses.
The Collar / Neck Ribbing
Using the accent color:
- Foundation: Chain 56 for 6–12 months. (Chain 50 for 0–6 months.)
- Row 1: Turn your chain and work into the back bumps. Skip the first 3 chains (this counts as your first double crochet), then work 1 double crochet into each chain across. This gives 54 double crochet (48 double crochet for 0–6 months). Join the first and last stitches together with a slip stitch to form a circle.
- Round 2: Chain 3 (counts as a back post stitch). Then work a front post double crochet around the next stitch and a back post double crochet around the following stitch; repeat this pairing all the way around. Slip stitch to join.
- Rounds 3 and 4: Repeat Round 2, matching front post over front post and back post over back post to build the ribbed texture. Fasten off the accent color.
The Yoke
Switch to the main color. You’ll now create the four corners for the raglan expansion.
- Round 1 (granny block setup): Join the main color into any stitch space. Chain 3, then work 2 double crochets into the same space (this counts as your first 3-double-crochet block). Then skip 2 stitches and work 3 double crochets into the next stitch; repeat all the way around. Slip stitch to join. (This gives 18 blocks for 6–12 months.)
- Round 2 (establishing corners): Slip stitch to the middle double crochet of your first block. For Corner 1, chain 5 (counts as a double crochet plus a chain-2 space) and work 1 double crochet into the same stitch — this is your corner V-stitch. Work 3-double-crochet blocks into each space between blocks until you reach the next corner. To place the corners for 6–12 months, skip 4 blocks for the front and back panels and skip 3 blocks for the sleeve sections. Each subsequent corner is worked into the middle stitch of a block as 1 double crochet, chain 2, 1 double crochet.
- Rounds 3 to 8: Slip stitch into the corner chain-2 space. Chain 5, then work 1 double crochet in the same space. Work a 3-double-crochet block into every space between blocks across the sides, increasing by 1 block on each side every round. Complete 8 rounds total for the yoke. (Complete 7 rounds total for 0–6 months.)
Separating the Body
You’ll now fold the yoke and skip the sleeve sections to form the armholes.
Just starting out with crochet? The video tutorial below is a great place to begin, or challenge yourself with the written pattern below!
- Round 9 (body round 1): Bring Corner 1 and Corner 2 together and slip stitch into both chain-2 spaces at once to join them. Chain 3, then work 1 double crochet into that joined space. Work 3-double-crochet blocks in every space across the body panel until you reach the next corner. Bring Corner 3 and Corner 4 together, work 1 double crochet through both spaces to join the second armhole, and finish the round with blocks across the back. Slip stitch to join.
- Body Rounds 2 to 12: Continue working granny blocks (3 double crochet) into each space around the chest and body. To keep the joining seam perfectly straight down the side, alternate your start: one round begins with a full 3-double-crochet block, and the next begins with 2 double crochet, completing the block at the very end of the round. Finish 12 rounds for the body, then fasten off the main color.
Bottom Hem Ribbing
Switch back to the accent color.
- Round 1: Chain 3. Work 1 regular double crochet into every single stitch around the entire bottom edge. Slip stitch to join.
- Rounds 2 to 4: Chain 3. Alternate 1 front post double crochet and 1 back post double crochet around every stitch to create the bottom ribbed cuff. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
The Sleeves (Repeat for Both Sides)
Attach the main color at the bottom of the armhole opening.
- Round 1: Chain 3, then work 1 double crochet in the underarm space. Work 3-double-crochet blocks into every space around the armhole opening. Work a final double crochet in the underarm space to complete the setup. Slip stitch to join. (This gives 12 blocks.)
- Rounds 2 to 12: Work granny blocks in rounds just like the body, alternating your starting stitches to keep a straight seam line. Complete 12 rounds total, then fasten off the main color.
- Cuff setup (accent color): Attach the accent color. Chain 3 and work 1 double crochet into every stitch around (36 double crochet total).
- Cuff Rounds 2 and 3: Alternate 1 front post double crochet and 1 back post double crochet around.
- Cuff Round 4 (decrease round): To taper the wrist tightly, decrease by crocheting 2 front post double crochet stitches together at intervals around the cuff to narrow the sleeve opening.
- Fasten off, weave in all yarn tails with your needle, and your sweater is ready.
A Few Tips
- Don’t twist the collar when you join. Before slip-stitching the foundation row into a circle, lay it flat and check the whole chain faces the same way — a twist can’t be fixed later.
- Match your post stitches. On every ribbing row and round, work front post over front post and back post over back post so the ribbed texture stays clean and continuous.
- Alternate your round starts on the body and sleeves. Beginning every other round with a partial block is the trick that keeps the side seam straight instead of drifting into a spiral.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I make the smaller size? Follow the 0–6 months notes: chain 50 for the collar (giving 48 double crochet) and work 7 yoke rounds instead of 8. The body and sleeve rounds can also be shortened to suit a smaller baby — try it against the child if you can.
2. Why does my yoke ripple or cup instead of lying flat? This is almost always the corner increases. Make sure you’re adding exactly 1 block per side each round and placing your four corners consistently. If it cups, you may be missing an increase; if it ruffles, you may have added an extra.
3. What keeps the side seam looking straight? Alternating how each round starts — one round with a full block, the next with a partial block finished at the end — staggers the joins so they line up vertically rather than leaning into a spiral.
