Scrap yarn in weight 4 earns its keep across twelve circular granny squares, each with a popcorn round that raises the center. The square layout shapes the v neck on its own, and a tie front plus wide bell sleeves finish the cropped sweater.
Bold color is the whole point with this one, purple, pink, and teal cycling through large circular granny squares that cover every panel including the sleeves. The open v neckline and tie front keep the silhouette from feeling too heavy despite all the color, and the wide bell sleeves add a boho proportion that works well with the square motifs. It reads as a natural next step from a granny square top once you want to take the same motif into a full layering piece.
Crochet Granny Square V Neck Sweater
Each square is worked individually in the round before the panels are joined with a flat slip stitch seam, so assembly is the main event rather than complex shaping. The v neckline comes naturally from how the front squares are positioned without any extra decreasing. Bell sleeves are built from a column of squares that widens toward the cuff rather than tapering, which keeps the sleeve construction as simple as the body.
Materials
- Weight 4 yarn in any color or colors (ideal for scrap yarn)
- A 5.0 mm hook
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
- 12 completed granny squares total
Learn This Stitch
The Pattern
Step 1: Making the Granny Squares (Make 12)
Foundation ring
- Make a slip knot.
- Chain 7.
- Join with a slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring.
Round 1
- Chain 3 (counts as your first double crochet throughout).
- Work 15 double crochets into the ring (16 total, including the starting chain-3).
- Join with a slip stitch at the top of the chain-3.
Round 2 (Increases)
- Chain 3 (counts as 1 double crochet). Work 1 double crochet in that same stitch.
- Work 2 double crochets into every stitch all the way around with no skipped stitches (32 stitches total).
- Join with a slip stitch at the top of the chain-3.
Round 3 (Popcorn Stitches)
- Chain 3 (counts as a double crochet). Skip the next stitch and work 5 double crochets into the following stitch to start the popcorn.
- Remove your hook, insert it into the top of the first of those 5 double crochets, grab the working loop, and pull it through to close the popcorn.
- Work 1 double crochet into the next stitch.
- Repeat — popcorn in the next stitch, 1 double crochet in the following stitch — all the way around.
- Join. Optionally change color here.
Round 4
- Chain 1 (does not count as a stitch). Work 1 single crochet into the same top loop.
- Chain 2, skip the popcorn stitch, and work 1 single crochet into the middle stitch between the popcorns.
- Repeat — chain 2, single crochet in the middle stitch between popcorns — all the way around.
- Join with a slip stitch.
Round 5
- Slip stitch into the center of a chain-2 space.
- Chain 3 (counts as 1 double crochet), then work 2 more double crochets into the same space (3 double crochets total). Chain 1.
- Repeat — work 3 double crochets and chain 1 — into every chain-2 space around. Join.
Rounds 6 to 9 (Forming Corners and Expanding)
- Continue working rounds of 3-double-crochet clusters separated by chain-1 spaces.
- At each of the 4 corner spaces, work (3 double crochets, chain 3, 3 double crochets).
- Repeat until you have completed 9 rounds total.
- Fasten off, leave a tail, and weave in all loose ends on the wrong side with a tapestry needle.
- Repeat to make a total of 12 finished squares.
Step 2: Assembling the Back Panel (4 Squares)
- Take 4 squares for the back panel.
- Join main color yarn into a corner space.
- Seam the squares together using the joining method: work 3 double crochets into the corner and chain spaces, and use single crochets into the corresponding chain spaces of the adjacent square to lock them together.
- Neckline adjustment: Add a few extra rounds along the top edge of the back panel (working clusters and corners) to extend and shape the neckline area. Fasten off.
Step 3: Assembling the Front Panels (4 Squares Total)
- Take 4 squares for the front panels (2 per side).
- Join using the same single-crochet and double-crochet method.
- Ensure both front panels are identical.
Step 4: Assembling the Sleeves (4 Squares Total)
- Take 2 squares per sleeve (4 squares total).
- Seam each sleeve pair together using the same joining technique.
- Attach the sleeve units to the armhole openings of the front and back body panels.
- Seam up the sides of the cardigan and underneath the sleeves from the bottom up.
Step 5: Optional Sleeve Length Extensions
- Attach yarn at the underarm area.
- Chain 3, work 2 double crochets into the chain space, chain 1, and work 3 double crochets into every chain-1 space around to extend the sleeve length to your preference.
- Fasten off and weave in ends.
Step 6: Neckline and Optional Tie Straps
- Attach yarn at the bottom corner of the front opening.
- Work a row of single crochets evenly up the front edge, around the neckline, and down the other side.
- Optional tie straps: At the desired point on the front opening, chain approximately 50 chains. Slip stitch back into the back bumps of the chain to create a sturdy tie strap. Repeat symmetrically on the opposite side.
- Fasten off and weave in all final ends.
A Few Tips
- Weave in ends as you complete each square. Twelve squares create a significant number of color-change tails — handling them one square at a time is much easier than tackling all of them after the fact.
- Make all 12 squares to the same round count. Nine rounds for each square keeps the dimensions consistent, which is what makes the seams and joins line up cleanly at assembly.
- The neckline adjustment rows on the back panel are the only non-standard step. Everything else follows the same joining and cluster pattern — the extra back panel rows are what give the neckline its finished depth, so don’t omit them.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the popcorn stitch and how does it work? A popcorn is a cluster of 5 double crochets worked into one stitch, then closed by dropping the hook, reinserting it into the first of those 5 stitches, and pulling the working loop through to bunch the cluster together. It creates a raised, bobble-like bump on the surface of the fabric — the distinctive feature of this square’s texture.
2. Why are there only 12 squares for a whole cardigan? Each square is worked to 9 rounds and comes out fairly large. Four squares form the back panel (2 × 2), four form the two front panels (2 per side), and four form the two short sleeves (2 per sleeve). The cardigan is designed for a loose, draped fit, so the square count works out to a wearable garment even without additional panels.
3. Can I make this in a single color instead of scrap yarn? Yes — a single color gives a cleaner, more minimalist look and removes the need to manage multiple yarn tails at color-change points in each square. The texture of the popcorn round still stands out clearly in a solid color.
