Anyone who loves roomy layers will reach for a long sleeve crochet batwing sweater with full balloon sleeves that gather in at the wrist. Wear the crochet batwing top with black trousers on a cool evening out and let the dolman sleeve shape stand out against a dark base.
Effortless is hard to fake, and blush pink over a batwing shape gets close by accident. What tips it into looking considered are the drawstring cuffs with wooden bead pulls, small details that stop it reading as merely oversized. That wide neckline slides off one shoulder without any extra shaping worked into it; the batwing construction just puts enough width up top to let it fall. Adjust the drawstrings before you block, not after, so the cuff gathers set where you want them. For a lighter, airier take on the same batwing shape, the shell stitch batwing sweater uses an open stitch instead of this denser fabric.
Crochet Batwing Sweater Long Sleeve
Body is one large rectangle that drapes from shoulder to hem with the sleeves dropping naturally from the widest point, so the entire sweater works up as a single flat piece before the side seams are joined. The drawstring at each cuff is threaded through eyelets worked into the final sleeve row, then finished with wooden beads that add weight and keep the tie from pulling through. That one detail is what sets this apart from a standard batwing and makes it worth photographing from the side.
Materials & Tools
- Fine or fingering weight yarn (the original uses salvaged charity shop yarn — any fine yarn at a loose 4.0 mm tension works)
- 4.0 mm crochet hook (used throughout)
- Tape measure
- Yarn needle (optional, for shoulder seaming)
- Optional: beads for the tie ends
Key measurements to take before starting:
- Widest part of your upper body — divide by 2 for minimum panel width
- Shoulder-to-shoulder measurement — add 16 cm total (8 cm overhang per side) for the batwing shape
- Use whichever of these two panel widths is larger
Abbreviations used in this pattern: ch = chain · dc = double crochet · sc = single crochet · sl st = slip stitch · st(s) = stitch(es) · sp = space · dec = decrease (2 sts worked together as one)
Learn the Stitch First
Difficulty & Time
Beginner-intermediate. The alternating dc/sc rows are simple and repetitive. The only unfamiliar element for a first-time garment maker is the sideways construction — the panel is worked horizontally across its width rather than vertically from hem to shoulder. Once you understand that the rows run across the body from side to side (rather than up and down), the rest of the construction clicks into place. Budget several sessions for the panels and an extra one for the sleeves.
Beginner Technique Notes
Sideways construction: In this pattern, each panel is worked sideways — meaning your foundation chain runs from the top of your shoulder down to the hem, and the rows build outward across the width of your body. What looks like a column of stitches when it’s on the hook becomes a row when the panel is laid flat. This is the key to understanding the whole pattern.
- Alternating dc and sc rows: Row 1 is double crochet (dc), Row 2 is single crochet (sc), Row 3 is dc again, and so on. The dc rows are taller; the sc rows are shorter. This alternation creates a subtle ridged texture. The turning chain is ch 3 for dc rows and ch 1 for sc rows.
- Back bumps of a chain: When you work into the back bumps (the ridges on the underside of the foundation chain rather than the V-shaped top loops), the bottom edge stays cleaner and more even. Run your finger along the underside of a chain and you’ll feel a row of small bumps — those are what you insert your hook into.
- The neckline scoop technique: Section B of the panel is shorter than Sections A because you stop the dc row 8 stitches short of the top edge. This creates the lower neckline without any actual shaping stitches — the scoop is just a matter of leaving some stitches unworked before turning and coming back. When you move into the second Section A, you chain 8 and sc into the back bumps of those chains to restore the full height.
- Decreasing for the sleeve taper: On single crochet rows in the sleeve, work the first 2 stitches together as one (sc2tog) and the last 2 stitches together as one. This removes 2 stitches per sc row, narrowing the sleeve gradually from the armhole to the cuff.
- The tie: Both the hem and cuff ties are the same: chain 50, work sc across the edge of the garment, then chain 50 again and sc back up the chain. The two chains form the tie on each side and are part of the same continuous row of work — you don’t attach them separately.
The Pattern
Step 1: Main Panels (Make Two Identical Panels)
Each panel is worked sideways in three sections: Section A (first shoulder), Section B (neckline center), and Section A again (second shoulder).
Section A — First shoulder:
- Make a slip knot and chain enough stitches to run from the top of your shoulder down to your desired hem length. (Example: 85 chains.)
- Ch 3 extra as turning height — these do not count as a stitch.
- Row 1 (dc): Working into the back bumps of the chain from the 4th ch from the hook, work 1 dc in each st down the chain.
- Row 2 (sc): Ch 1, turn. Work 1 sc in every st across, starting in the top of the last dc. Leave the turning chain unworked.
- Alternate dc rows and sc rows until Section A’s width reaches just before where a bra strap sits.
- End on a sc row from top to bottom, then work one dc row back up — stopping approximately 4 cm (about 8 stitches) short of the top edge.
Section B — Neckline scoop:
- From your stopping point, ch 1 and turn. Sc back down — this row drops the height by 8 stitches and forms the neckline scoop.
- Continue alternating dc and sc rows for Section B until you reach your desired center width.
- End on a dc row at the top edge.
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!
Section A — Second shoulder:
- Ch 8 from where you left off, then ch 1 extra to turn.
- Sc into the back bumps of the 8 chains, then continue straight into the existing body of the panel.
- Continue alternating dc and sc rows until this Section A matches the width of the first Section A.
- End on a dc row at the top edge. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for the shoulder seam.
Make a second identical panel.
Step 2: Bottom Hem (Choose One Option)
Option A — Open cord channel:
- Along the bottom edge, work 2 sc around each chain-3 space to reinforce the loops.
- Thread a long cord or crocheted chain through the loops to create an adjustable drawstring hem.
Option B — Gathered waist tie:
- Ch 50 at the start of the bottom edge (leave a long tail if you plan to add beads).
- Work 1 sc into each chain-3 sp across the bottom edge. (If the fabric needs more gathering, work sc2tog at evenly spaced intervals across the row.)
- Ch 50 at the opposite end of the row. Fasten off, reattach to the beginning of the first ch-50, and sc back up the chain to finish the tie.
Step 3: Shoulder Seams
- Place both finished panels together with preferred right sides facing inward.
- Join the shoulder edges using a sc seam, sl st seam, or needle and yarn — work across the top edges of both panels, matching row lines as you go.
Step 4: Neckline Edging
- Attach yarn at the center back or front of the neckline. Ch 1.
- Work 2 sc into the side of each row along the flat neckline edges; work 1 sc into each actual stitch across the shoulder top sections.
- Sl st to close the round.
- Work a second round if needed to tighten and neaten the scoop. Fasten off.
Step 5: Sleeves (Make Two)
- Position your work at the side. Skip the bottom 8 stitches of the opening and attach yarn to the 9th stitch up — this leaves a small underarm gap.
- Row 1: Work sc all the way around the arm opening — up the front panel, over the shoulder join, and back down the back panel — stopping 8 stitches before the bottom edge.
- Subsequent rows: Alternate dc rows and sc rows.
- On every sc row, work a dec at both the beginning and the end of the row to taper the sleeve.
- Continue until the sleeve reaches your desired length.
Step 6: Cuffs and Finishing
Cuff ties:
- Ch 50 at the start of the cuff edge.
- Work sc across the cuff, working decreases as needed to fit the widest part of your hand.
- Ch 50 at the other end. Reattach to the beginning of the first ch-50 and sc back up the chain.
Sleeve seams:
- Fold the sleeve in half with the underarm edges together, leaving the bottom 8 stitches unworked (matching the body opening).
- Sc or sew the underarm seam closed up to about 10 cm from the top of the sleeve.
- Repeat for the second sleeve.
Finishing:
- Attach optional beads to the ends of the tie chains.
- Weave in all remaining yarn ends.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Swatch the alternating dc/sc rows before you start the panel. Because the dc and sc rows are different heights, the fabric can draw in unevenly if your tension varies between the two. Work 10 rows of each alternating stitch on a practice swatch and check that the rows stay parallel before committing to the full panel length.
- When working the neckline sc edging in Step 4, don’t pull the stitches tight. The edging round is meant to neaten and gently gather the scoop, not constrict it. A slightly loose sc round lies flat; a pulled-tight round will cause the neckline to pucker inward.
- For the sleeve decreases, work the sc2tog at the very first two stitches of the row and the very last two stitches. Don’t leave even one stitch before the decrease at the start of the row — doing so moves the decrease inward and creates a step rather than a gradual taper.
- Check that both panels are the same width at each Section boundary before seaming. The sideways construction makes it easy for one panel to drift slightly wider or narrower than the other if your tension shifts mid-project. Count your rows at Section A, B, and the second A before making the second panel, then match those row counts exactly.
FAQ
1. I’ve never crocheted sideways before — how do I tell if I’m doing it right? Hold your finished panel up and turn it 90 degrees so the foundation chain runs along the top. The rows you’ve been working are now running vertically — those become the body of the blouse when the panels are assembled. If the panel looks like a rectangle with rows running from side edge to side edge, you’re doing it correctly.
2. How do I know how many chains to start with? Your starting chain runs from the top of your shoulder down to where you want the hem to sit. Hold a tape measure from your shoulder tip to that point, then chain until your chain matches that measurement when laid flat. The chain becomes the length (height) of the finished blouse.
3. The neckline scoop looks too high/low — can I adjust it? Yes. The scoop depth is controlled by how many stitches you leave unworked at the top of the dc row before turning in Section B. Fewer unworked stitches give a higher, shallower scoop; more give a lower, deeper one. On the second panel, match whatever count you used on the first.
4. My tie chains are twisting when I sc back up them — what’s happening? The tie chain needs to be kept flat and not twisted before you sc back up it. Lay it out straight on a table, hold it taut at the far end, and sc back from the hook end toward the body of the garment. If the chain has already twisted in your hands, it will show in the finished tie.
5. Can I make this without the tie and just have a straight hem? Yes. Skip the chain-50 at the start and end of the hem row and simply work 1 sc into each chain-3 space across the bottom edge for a plain, non-gathered hem. For a cleaner finish, work 2 rounds of sc instead of 1.
