Cropped and loose is a combination worth making: the airy open stitch keeps it light for warm evenings, while the relaxed body layers happily into fall. Because it hits right at the waist, it sits perfectly over anything high-waisted jeans, a skirt, wide-leg trousers. The stitches stay simple and the fit stays forgiving throughout, so newer crocheters get a wardrobe win without the fuss of fitted shaping. Free pattern’s waiting, come make yours.
Chunky teal yarn and an all-over puff stitch texture give this cropped sweater a cozy, sculptural look that works as well with leggings as it does layered over a collared shirt. It sits in great company with the free crochet puff stitch pattern if you want to get comfortable with the stitch before casting on.
Loose Crochet Sweater Cropped
Ribbed cuffs and a neat neckline strip finish it properly. If you know how to single crochet and can manage a puff stitch, this one is yours.
Materials
- Approximately 5 skeins (200 grams each) of super saver milk fiber and acrylic blend yarn
- A 3.5 mm hook for the body and sleeves
- A 3.0 mm hook for the cuffs and neckline
- Tape measure
- Scissors
- Stitch markers
The Puff Stitch
Every row after the first is built on this stitch: insert your hook into the stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over, insert into the same stitch, pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), yarn over, insert into the same stitch one more time, pull up a loop (6 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops. That’s the puff. A chain-1 follows each puff, and the next puff lands in the next space — simple, rhythmic, and satisfying to work.
The Pattern
The sweater is worked as two matching body panels, two sleeves, and two separately-made ribbing strips for the cuffs and neckline.
Front and Back Panels (Make 2)
Written for a size Medium — approximately 18 inches wide by 14 inches tall.
Reading crochet patterns can be tricky when you’re just starting out, feel free to follow the video tutorial below instead!
- Row 1: Using the 3.5 mm hook, make a slip knot and chain 80 (should measure approximately 18 inches). Skip the first chain and work 1 single crochet into every remaining chain across.
- Row 2 (puff stitch row): Chain 1 and turn. Place 1 single crochet into the very first stitch. Work a puff stitch into the next stitch. Chain 1, skip 1 stitch, and work another puff stitch into the next stitch. Repeat this puff stitch, chain-1, skip-1 sequence until 2 stitches remain. Work a final puff stitch, skip 1, and finish with 1 single crochet in the very last stitch.
- Row 3: Chain 1 and turn. Single crochet into the first stitch. Work puff stitches directly into the chain spaces created between the clusters of the previous row. Repeat: puff stitch into the chain space, chain 1, skip to the next space, all the way across. Finish with a single crochet in the last stitch.
- Rows 4–41: Repeat Row 3 until you have completed 41 rows total (measuring roughly 14 inches). Fasten off. Repeat the entire process to create the matching second panel.
Joining the Body Panels
- Shoulders: Lay the two panels together. Count 23 stitches inward from each outer edge on both panels and mark them with stitch markers. Join the panels at the shoulders by working single crochets straight across from the outer edge to each stitch marker. Chain 2, cut the yarn, and fasten off.
- Sides (armholes): From the bottom edge up, count 14 rows on both sides and place stitch markers. Join the bottom sides together using single crochets from the bottom up to the markers, leaving the remaining top sections open to create the armholes.
Sleeves (Make 2)
- Sleeve body: Calculate your stitch count around the armhole by counting the rows around the opening and adding a few extra stitches for ease. (In the size medium, 54 rows plus 4 extra = 58 stitches.) Chain 58 (approximately 14 inches).
- Row 1: Skip the first stitch and work single crochets all the way across.
- Row 2: Chain 1 and turn. Work 1 single crochet in the first stitch, then work the puff stitch sequence across — puff stitch, chain 1, skip 1 — ending with a single crochet.
- Rows 3–42: Repeat the puff stitch pattern into the chain spaces for a total of 42 rows. Do not cut the yarn.
- Ribbed cuff: Switch to the 3.0 mm hook. Chain 15. Work single crochets back down the chain. When you reach the sleeve edge, skip the first edge stitch and make 3 consecutive slip stitches along the sleeve row edge. Turn and work single crochets into the back loops only of the cuff stitches. Repeat this back-and-forth process — attaching to the sleeve edge with slip stitches each time you return to the base — until the cuff is fully ribbed and complete.
Assembly and Finishes
- Attaching the sleeves: Turn the sweater body to the right side. Work a base row of single crochets evenly around each armhole opening, matching the stitch count of your sleeve top. Turn the garment to the wrong side, line up the sleeve, and seam it to the armhole by single crocheting through the back loops. Seam the full length of the sleeve underarm down to the cuff.
- Neckline ribbing: Count the remaining neckline opening stitches (approximately 74 stitches total). Separately chain 4 plus 1 turning chain, and work a long strip of back-loop single crochet ribbing for 74 rows. Line the strip up against the neckline on the wrong side of the sweater and attach it completely using a row of single crochets. Fasten off all loose ends and weave in your yarn tails.
A Few Tips
- Match your panels. Both body panels must hit 41 rows — count as you go on the second one rather than relying on measuring alone, since puff stitch fabric can compress.
- Don’t skip the armhole base round. Working a clean single crochet round around the armhole before seaming the sleeve gives you an even, stable edge to work into, which makes the sleeve attachment much tidier.
- Keep your cuff ribbing tension consistent. The slip stitches that anchor each cuff row to the sleeve edge can tighten up; work them loosely enough that the cuff sits flat rather than pulling the sleeve in.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I adjust this for a different size? Yes — your foundation chain sets the panel width, and your row count sets the height. Chain to your desired width (in roughly the same stitch ratio) and work rows until it reaches your preferred length. Match the armhole calculation to your own armhole measurement before starting the sleeves.
2. Why is the cuff on a smaller hook? Dropping to the 3.0 mm hook for the ribbing tightens the fabric at the wrist so the cuff grips rather than droops. The body fabric is deliberately open and airy; the smaller hook pulls the cuff in for a neater finish.
3. The neckline strip is made separately and sewn on — is there another option? Working it separately as a strip and sewing it on is a reliable, beginner-friendly approach that gives you full control over tension and length before committing. If you’re comfortable picking up stitches around a neckline, you could work the ribbing directly around the neck opening instead — but the sewn-strip method in this pattern is clean and works well.
