The Paloma Cardigan is a jacket style sweater with three quarter length sleeves and mesh shoulders that stretch down the sleeves to make this free crochet cardi pattern perfect year round!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links; materials provided by Red Heart Yarns & Clover USA.

Made with Red Heart Amore Yarn (so soft!) and a Clover Amour crochet hook (so comfy!), the Paloma Cardigan is a quick and easy topper that you can throw on over jeans and a tank or a pretty dress – any time you need a little extra warmth.

This free crochet cardigan pattern features a V stitch mesh over the shoulders that is tapered in the sleeves and carried right down to the cuff. This adds a little extra breathability to the pattern – great for days that are all about layers!

The Paloma Cardigan is made with positive ease, but it’s not bulky or super oversized – great for active days, running errands, or even a night out on the town!

The Paloma Cardigan crochet pattern includes instructions for sizes Small to 5X, and can be made in a week – or a long weekend!

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Paloma Cardigan

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US – I, 5.5mm Clover Amour Crochet Hook

875-1675 yds Red Heart Amore (“4”/Worsted/ UK: 10-12 ply; 198 yds/181 m; 3.5 oz/100 g)
Colorway Shown: Chamomile (5(6, 8, 9) balls)

Clover Stitch Markers

Gauge: 14 sts x 8 rows = 4″/10cm in flo exhdc

Sizes: Small/Medium (Large/XL; 2X/3X; 4X/5X)
Sizing is based on the Craft Yarn Council Standards, Large/XL shown

Helpful Links and Tutorials:

Paloma Cardigan Tutorial

Crochet Abbreviations

FDC – Foundation Double Crochet

FLO – Front Loop Only

Exhdc – Extended Half Double Crochet

CSDC – Chainless Starting Double Crochet

How to Extend a Row with Foundation Sts

How to Join with dc (Standing Double Crochet)

Mattress Stitch Seaming

Fpdc/Bpdc – Front Post/Back Post Double Crochet

Special Stitch:

V st – (dc, ch 1, dc) in the indicated stitch or ch sp

NOTES:

When the instructions for the sizes are different, they are listed as Small/Medium (Large/XL; 2X/3X; 4X/5X). It is recommended that you print a copy of this pattern and circle or highlight correct numbers for your size.

For ease of use, the Row/Rnd numbers restart with each new sweater section.

If you prefer not to use Foundation Stitches, you can begin with a chain that you dc into for the first row.

If you prefer not to use the CSDC stitch, you can substitute a ch 3 and use that as the first dc.

The sleeves (not including the cuffs) are worked in turned rounds, so even numbered rows will be worked from “inside” the sleeve. This is important to maintain the look of the stitches and to keep the joining seam under the arm straight.

INSTRUCTIONS

BACK WAIST:

Row 1 (Wrong Side): FDC 74(89, 101, 116); turn. (74(89, 101, 116) sts)

Row 2 – 20(20, 22, 22): CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc across until 1 st rem, dc in the last st; turn. (74(89, 101, 116) sts)

BACK SHOULDERS:

Row 1: Sl st in the first 4(4, 7, 7) sts, CSDC in the same st as the last sl st, FLO exhdc until 4(4, 7, 7) sts rem, dc in next st, rem sts left unworked; turn. (68(83, 89, 104) dc)

Row 2 – 7(9, 11, 13): CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc across until 1 st rem, dc in the last st; turn. (68(83, 89, 104) dc)

BACK MESH:

Row 1: CSDC in the first st, skip the next st, FLO V st in next st, *skip 2 sts, FLO V st in next st; rep from * across until 2 sts rem, skip the next st, dc in the last st; turn. (22(27, 29, 34) V sts)

Row 2 – 10: CSDC in the first st, V st in the ch-1 sp of each V st across, dc in the last st; turn. (22(27, 29, 34) V sts) Place st marker in dc # 22(28, 30, 34) of the last row.

LEFT FRONT MESH (will be Right Front if Left-Handed):

Row 1: CSDC in the first st, V st in the ch-1 sp of the first 10(13, 14, 16) V sts, skip the next dc (last part of V st just crocheted into), dc in the next dc, rem sts left unworked; turn. (10(13, 14, 16) V sts)

Row 2 – 10: CSDC in the first st, V st in the ch-1 sp of each V st across, dc in the last st; turn. (10(13, 14, 16) V sts)

LEFT FRONT SHOULDER:

Row 1: CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc in each st and ch across until 1 st rem, dc in the last st; turn. (32(41, 44, 50) sts)

Row 2 – 7(9, 11, 13): CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc across until 1 st rem, dc in the last st; turn. (32(41, 44, 50) sts)

LEFT FRONT WAIST:

Row 1: CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc across previous row, extend row with 3(3, 6, 6) FDC; turn. (35(44, 50, 56) sts)

Row 2 – 20(20, 22, 22): CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc across until 1 st rem, dc in the last st; turn. (35(44, 50, 56) sts) Break yarn after last row.

RIGHT FRONT MESH (will be Left Front if Left-Handed):

Row 1: Join with dc in marked st of Back Mesh Row 10, V st in the ch-1 sp of each rem V sts across, dc in the last st; turn. (10(13, 14, 16) V sts)

Row 2 – 10: CSDC in the first st, V st in the ch-1 sp of each V st across, dc in the last st; turn. (10(13, 14, 16) V sts)

RIGHT FRONT SHOULDER:

Row 1: CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc in each st and ch across until 1 st rem, dc in the last st; turn. (32(41, 44, 50) sts)

Row 2 – 7(9, 11, 13): CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc across until 1 st rem, dc in the last st; turn. (32(41, 44, 50) sts)

RIGHT FRONT WAIST:

Row 1: Ch 5(5, 8, 8), dc in 3rd ch from the hook (skipped chs do not count as a st), exhdc in each rem ch, FLO exhdc across previous row until 1 st rem, dc in last st; turn. (35(44, 50, 56) sts)

Row 2 – 20(20, 22, 22): CSDC in the first st, FLO exhdc across until 1 st rem, dc in the last st; turn. (35(44, 50, 56) sts) Break yarn after last row.

SEAM THE SIDES:

Using the mattress stitch, seam the sides of the rows in the Waist sections, leaving the Shoulders and Mesh unsewn for the armholes.

SLEEVES (REPEAT FOR BOTH ARMHOLES):

Rnd 1: From Right Side of sweater, join to bottom center of armhole opening, exhdc in each st, 2 exhdc in the side of each FLO exhdc row, V st in the side of every other V st row, 2 exhdc in the side of each FLO exhdc row, exhdc in each st; join and turn. (10 V sts)

Rnd 2 – 5: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), FLO exhdc in each exhdc st, 3 exhdc in ch-1 sp of first V st, V st in the ch-1 sp of each V st across until 1 V st rem, 3 exhdc in ch-1 sp of last V st, FLO exhdc in each rem exhdc st until 1 st rem, skip the last st; join to first exhdc and turn.

Rnd 6: Ch 2, FLO exhdc in each exhdc st, V st in the ch-1 sp of each V st, FLO exhdc in each rem exhdc st until 1 st rem, skip the last st; join and turn.

Rnd 7 – 24(24, 26, 26): Rep Rnd 6.

CUFF (REPEAT FOR BOTH SLEEVES): 

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each st and ch around; join, do NOT turn.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, *fpdc in next st, bpdc in next st; rep from * around, if 1 st rem, skip it; join.

Rnd 3: Ch 1, *fpdc in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around and join.

Rnd 4: Sl st in each st around; join and break yarn.

BOTTOM HEM:

Row 1: From Right Side of sweater, join to first st at bottom edge with dc, dc in each rem st across last row of Front Waist, foundation chain of Back Waist, and last row of Front Waist; turn.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the first st, *bpdc in the next st, fpdc in the next st; rep from * across until 1-2 sts rem; if 1 st rem, sc in last st and turn; if 2 sts rem, bpdc in next st, sc in last st, and turn.

Row 3 and 4: Ch 1, sc in first st, maintain post st pattern to last st, sc in last st; turn.

FINAL EDGING:

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc across the previous row, ch 2, sc in side of each Bottom Hem row, *ch 1, sc in the side of the next row; rep from * across entire front opening to opposite side of Bottom Hem rows, sc in side of each Bottom Hem row, ch 2, join to first sc.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc each st to corner, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 sp, sc in each st and ch-1 sp across front opening to next corner, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 sp; join and break yarn.

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And that’s how to crochet the Paloma Cardi! It’s really pretty simple, with lots of possibilities for customization – like making the V st mesh in a contrasting color! I hope you like it!