How To Crochet A Long Sleeve Sweater Pattern – Beginner-Friendly

Long sleeve crochet sweater with cuffs you end up pulling over your hands while the kettle boils. Over a plain tee it turns into the whole outfit without trying. Make it once in a quiet colour, then again in something louder, because this is the one that never makes it back into the drawer.

Long sleeves and an open lacy texture make this sweater one of those pieces that works across seasons. The puff V stitch body gives it real visual depth without making the finished fabric heavy, and the rounded neckline keeps the silhouette clean and easy to wear. If you enjoy garments with a relaxed fit and a bit of texture, you might also love this slouchy sweater.

Materials and Tools

• Your preferred yarn in any weight (the original uses Yarntopia yarn)
• Two hook sizes: a smaller hook for the body and sleeves, and a larger hook used only to make the starting chains loosely enough
• 4 stitch markers
• Scissors
• Yarn needle
• Measuring tape

Know This Stitch

• Puff stitch

The Stitch Math (Size This to Your Body)

The stitch pattern requires a starting chain in multiples of 6 plus 4. Here’s how to calculate yours:

• Body panels (front and back): Measure your shoulder-to-shoulder width on a sweater you love, or measure your own shoulders. Divide that measurement in inches by 2 (since 6 stitches equals roughly 2 inches per repeat). Multiply the result by 6, then add 4 extra chains.
• Example: an 18-inch panel ÷ 2 = 9 repeats. 9 × 6 = 54 stitches. 54 + 4 = 58 starting chains.
• Sleeves: Measure the widest part of your arm or your desired sleeve width. Divide by 2, multiply by 6, add 4.
• Example: an 8-inch sleeve ÷ 2 = 4 repeats. 4 × 6 = 24 stitches. 24 + 4 = 28 starting chains.

The Stitches (with tips as you go)

Two stitch units alternate throughout the entire pattern:

• Regular V-stitch: 1 double crochet, chain 1, 1 double crochet — all into the same space. Tip: on Row 2 and beyond, regular V-stitches always land in the chain-1 space of the previous row’s puff V-stitch.
• Puff V-stitch: Yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop — repeat this 3 times into the same space until you have 7 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops, then chain 1. Immediately repeat the identical puff process into that same space. Two puffs with a chain-1 close. Tip: on Row 2 and beyond, puff V-stitches always land in the chain-1 space of the previous row’s regular V-stitch. The stitch types simply swap positions each row.
• The alternating rule: Regular and puff V-stitches alternate across every row. On the very next row, every regular becomes a puff and every puff becomes a regular. Once you see this rule the repeat is easy to track visually — look at what’s in the space below and work the opposite type.
• Starting chain tip: Use the larger hook for the foundation chain only, then switch back to the smaller hook for Row 1. This prevents the starting edge from being tighter than the rest of the fabric.
• Finding the final dc: The last double crochet of each row can be tricky to locate. Use a stitch marker in that stitch on Row 1 and move it up each row so you always know where to place the final dc.

The Pattern

Both body panels and both sleeves are worked the same way — flat rectangles in the alternating puff V-stitch repeat. The neckline is shaped by working a short shoulder section on each side of a center opening.

The Starting Chain

• Using your larger hook, make a slip knot and chain loosely for your calculated number of starting chains (multiples of 6 plus 4). Switch to your smaller hook for all following rows.

Row 1 — The Foundation Row

• Turn your chain over to work into the back bumps.
• Skip the first 2 chains and work 1 double crochet into the 3rd chain from the hook.
• Skip 1 chain, then work a regular V-stitch (1 double crochet, chain 1, 1 double crochet) into the next chain.
• Skip 2 chains, then work a puff V-stitch into the next chain: yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop — 3 times into the same space (7 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops, chain 1. Repeat the identical puff process into that same chain space.
• The repeat across the row: skip 2 chains, work a regular V-stitch; skip 2 chains, work a puff V-stitch. Continue alternating to the end.
• When you reach the end, skip the second-to-last chain and place 1 double crochet into the final chain.

Row 2 — The Alternating Row (Repeat This Row Throughout)

• Chain 2 and turn. (The chain-2 does not count as a stitch.) Place a double crochet into the very first double crochet stitch.
• Work across: into every puff V-stitch’s chain-1 space, work a regular V-stitch. Into every regular V-stitch’s chain-1 space, work a puff V-stitch.
• End the row by placing 1 double crochet directly on top of the last row’s final double crochet. Use a stitch marker here if you have trouble finding it.

Still getting the hang of reading crochet patterns? That’s completely okay, the video tutorial below breaks everything down in a simple, beginner-friendly way!

Grow the Panels and Sleeves

• Body panels: Repeat Row 2 continuously until the panel stretches from your hips up to your collarbone. Make two identical panels (front and back).
• Sleeves: Work the same Row 2 repeat starting with your narrower sleeve chain count until the sleeve matches your desired arm length. Make two identical sleeves.

Split for the Neckline

• Hold your body panel up to your body and mark where you want the neckline opening using two stitch markers, roughly 5 inches wide in the center. Confirm you have an equal number of stitches on the left and right sides.
• Alignment check: the left stitch marker should sit inside a regular V-stitch, and the right stitch marker should sit inside a puff V-stitch. This keeps the shoulder stitches matching correctly when seamed.

Crochet the Shoulders

• First shoulder side: Chain 2, turn, and crochet across in the normal alternating pattern until you reach the first stitch marker. Place a double crochet into the marked stitch, chain 2, and turn back. Repeat this shortened section for 4 rows (or until the shoulder tab rests comfortably on top of your shoulder). Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
• Second shoulder side: Attach your yarn with a slip knot one stitch to the right of your second stitch marker. Chain 2, double crochet into the same stitch, and crochet in pattern to the outside edge. Repeat for the exact same number of rows as the first side.

Seaming and Assembly

• Shoulder seams: Place the front and back panels right sides together (wrong sides facing out). Use your yarn needle and the long leftover tails to whip stitch the shoulder tabs together, going under both loops on either side.
• Sleeves: Lay the body panels flat. Find the midpoint of your sleeve panel, line it up directly with the shoulder seam, pin with stitch markers, and sew the sleeve edge straight onto the body.
• Sides and underarms: Fold the sweater together. Join the side panels and the full length of the sleeves using a row of single crochets along the inside edges to secure the seams. Use stitch markers every 10 rows to keep everything aligned.

The Neckline

• Flip the sweater right-side out. Attach your yarn to the center back of the neckline.
• Crochet a clean border of single crochets all the way around the neck opening.
• If the trim begins to flare out or bunch, skip every 4th stitch to help it lie flat.
• Join with an invisible join or slip stitch, weave in all ends, and your sweater is complete.

Yarn Substitution

Any yarn works here as long as you calculate your stitch math from a swatch rather than from the designer’s 2-inch-per-6-stitch figure, which is specific to the original yarn. Work 10 to 15 rows of the V-stitch pattern in your chosen yarn, measure a 6-stitch repeat, and use that measurement in the formula. The puff V-stitch reads beautifully in smooth yarns; heavily textured or fuzzy yarns will obscure the puff clusters.

Customization Ideas

• Adjust the body and sleeve length. Because everything is a straight rectangle, more rows = more length. Stop wherever suits your frame.
• Change the neckline width. The 5-inch center opening is a guide — mark wider for a boat neck or narrower for a closer crew.
• Adjust the shoulder tab height. Working more than 4 shoulder rows raises the neckline; fewer rows lowers it. Try it on before fastening off.
• Add sleeve ribbing. Work a band of single crochet at the cuff opening for a fitted wrist, or leave the edge raw for a relaxed look.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why are two hook sizes needed for one sweater? The larger hook is used only for the foundation chain to ensure it stays loose and stretchy. Switching back to the smaller hook for Row 1 gives the body fabric the right density, while the loose chain prevents the bottom edge from pulling tighter than the rest of the sweater.

2. How do I know I’m placing the V-stitches and puff V-stitches in the right spaces? Look at the stitch in the row below: if it’s a puff V-stitch, work a regular V-stitch into its chain-1 space. If it’s a regular V-stitch, work a puff into its chain-1 space. The two types simply swap every row. Once the visual rhythm is clear, it’s one of the easiest stitch patterns to self-correct.

3. Why does the alignment check at the neckline matter? When you whip stitch the shoulder seams together, the front and back shoulder tabs need to have matching stitch types at the edges — regular V opposite regular V, puff opposite puff — so the pattern flows continuously across the seam without an awkward join. The marker check before you start the shoulder rows is the easiest place to catch and fix a misalignment.