Crochet Basketweave Saddle-Shoulder Baby Cardigan – Free Pattern

This original crochet saddle shoulder baby cardigan pattern explains how to make crochet basketweave saddle-shoulder baby cardigan from the first counted stitch through final assembly. The design is a practical free tutorial in US terms, with measurements and stitch checkpoints that you can verify as you work.

The cardigan uses separate plain half-double-crochet front, back and sleeve pieces joined through two structural basketweave shoulder strips. Each shaping stage is counted below, including the underarm bridge, body, both sleeves and front edging. The yoke motif is worked into the fabric rather than attached later.

Pattern Details

• Hook Size: 4 mm or hook that matches both washed swatches
• Finished Size: 12–18-month planning size: approximately 19-inch fabric chest, 13-inch shoulder-to-hem length and 8-inch upper-sleeve circumference; compare with a comfortable garment
• Gauge: 16 hdc stitches and 12 hdc rows = 4 inches; slate basketweave: 16 stitches and 8 dc rows = 4 inches, after washing
• Estimated Time: 12–16 hours plus washing and swatching
• Construction: 40-stitch back, two 18-stitch fronts, two 12-stitch by 4-row shoulder strips, and two sleeves growing 28→30→32 stitches
• Skill level: Intermediate

Why You’ll Love This Project

The decorative shoulder area reads clearly in a flat-lay photograph while the lower body stays soft and practical. Every change in circumference has a stated stitch count, so the garment can be checked before a sleeve is separated.

Materials

• Approximately 570 yards ivory and 55 yards slate washable DK cotton-wool blend, including a swatch allowance; actual use depends on tension
• 4 mm hook, locking markers in two colors, blunt yarn needle, tape measure and scissors
• Use yarn joins and a completely open front without buttons, cords or detachable decorations

Gauge, Measurements, and Planning

Make separate washed swatches for plain hdc and post-stitch basketweave. The back is 40÷4=10 inches wide; each front is 18÷4=4.5 inches. The three panels supply 19 inches of fabric around the chest, excluding the open-front gap. All body panels have 33 hdc rows, approximately 11 inches tall. A four-row basketweave saddle adds 2 inches over the shoulder, giving a 13-inch shoulder-to-hem target. Each armhole follows the upper nine front rows (3 inches), the outer saddle end (2 inches), and nine back rows (3 inches), for an 8-inch seam path matched to the 32-stitch sleeve head. Check these actual edge lengths before sewing; adjust swatch tension or make a new size plan if they do not match.

Make and wash a gauge swatch before beginning. Measure only after the swatch is completely dry. If the stitch width differs, change hook size rather than pulling the working yarn tighter. Keep a written count at the end of every section so the finished edges remain balanced and the assembly points line up.

Abbreviations and Special Stitches

• ch: chain
• sc: single crochet
• sl st: slip stitch
• st(s): stitch(es)
• rnd: round
• inc: 2 sc in one stitch
• sc2tog: single crochet two stitches together
• hdc: half double crochet
• dc: double crochet
• FPdc: front-post double crochet
• BPdc: back-post double crochet

Special stitch guidance: FPdc: yarn over, insert the hook from front to back and back to front around the next stitch post, yarn over and draw up a loop, then complete a dc. BPdc reverses that insertion direction. Each post stitch replaces exactly one ordinary stitch. A basketweave repeat is three FPdc followed by three BPdc. For this short shoulder strip, the same sequence on both turned post rows gives two textured blocks with a balanced wrong side. Hdc2tog draws up a loop in each of two consecutive stitches and closes them together; this pattern instead increases sleeves with 2 hdc in one edge stitch.

Important Notes

• This is an original, arithmetically checked design; no physical sample has been made. The photographs are illustrative, not stitch-count references.
• Measure a washed swatch and compare the finished chest, length and armhole with a comfortable garment for the intended child. Age ranges are guidance, not a substitute for measurements.
• A starting chain and a joining slip stitch do not count unless a row explicitly says that an interior chain counts. Mark the first counted stitch and all shaping boundaries.
• Use smooth washable yarn, avoid buttons and dangling ties, and inspect seams and ends before supervised wear. Remove outerwear for sleep; never leave an infant unattended in it.

Complete Instructions for Crochet Basketweave Saddle-Shoulder Baby Cardigan

Make the Ivory Back and Two Fronts

Work all body pieces flat with an uncounted ch 2 at the start and turn at the end of every row. Mark the first counted stitch. The lower body is plain crochet; the slate strips carry the shoulder texture.

1. Back Row 1: Ch 42, hdc in the third chain and in each remaining chain, turn. (40 sts) Work Rows 2–33: ch 2, hdc in each of 40 stitches, turn. Keep the back a rectangle 10 inches wide by 11 inches high at gauge.
2. Front Row 1: Ch 20, hdc in the third chain and each remaining chain, turn. (18 sts) Work Rows 2–33 exactly as the back, maintaining 18 stitches. Make a second matching front; mirror the placement during assembly rather than changing the stitch count.
3. At the top of the back, mark 12 stitches for one shoulder, leave the central 16 stitches unjoined for the back neck, and mark the other 12 stitches. At the top of each front, mark the outer 12 stitches as its shoulder and leave the inner six stitches unjoined at the neckline. The front inner edges face each other.
4. On both outer side edges of the back and each front, mark the bottom of the upper nine-row armhole section. The 24 lower row ends beneath each marker form the side seam. Both fronts must measure the same height; do not stretch a shorter front into place.

Crochet and Attach the Two Basketweave Saddles

Each shoulder strip bridges a front shoulder to the corresponding back shoulder. It is a structural garment piece, not an applique. Use slate and make two identical strips.

1. Saddle Row 1: Ch 14; dc in the third chain and each remaining chain, turn. (12 sts) The starting chain does not count. Row 2: Ch 2, repeat [FPdc around the next three posts, BPdc around the next three posts] twice, turn. (12 sts)
2. Row 3: Ch 2 and repeat Row 2 on the newly facing posts; turn. (12 sts) Row 4: Ch 2, dc in each of the 12 top loops, fasten off with a sewing tail. The strip should measure 3 inches across its 12-stitch edge and 2 inches across its four-row depth after washing.
3. With right sides facing outward, sew one 12-stitch edge of a strip to the outer 12 stitches of a front top edge, matching one stitch to one stitch. Sew the opposite 12-stitch edge to the corresponding outer 12 stitches of the back. Repeat on the other shoulder. Keep both slate inner short ends beside the neckline and both outer short ends beside the sleeve openings.
4. Sew each side seam through exactly the 24 matched lower row ends, starting at the hem and stopping at its armhole marker. Leave the upper nine row ends open on front and back. The assembled hem has 18+40+18 = (76 sts) before its final edging.

Work Two Matched Sleeves and Their Seams

Sleeves are flat pieces worked from cuff toward shoulder. A straight sleeve head fits the measured eight-inch saddle armhole; there is no shaped set-in cap to estimate.

1. Sleeve Row 1: In ivory, ch 30, hdc in chain three and the remaining chains, turn. (28 sts) Rows 2–4: ch 2, hdc across 28, turn. Row 5: Ch 2, work 2 hdc in the first stitch, one hdc in the next 26, and 2 hdc in the last, turn. (30 sts)
2. Rows 6–8: hdc across 30 and turn. Row 9: Work 2 hdc in each end stitch and one hdc in the middle 28, turn. (32 sts) Rows 10–24: hdc in each of 32 stitches and turn after each row. Fasten off. Make the second sleeve to the same row number and measured length; each is about eight inches long.
3. Prepare 32 attachment points around one armhole: on its nine front row ends, use one point per row plus a second point at Rows 3, 6 and 9, giving 12. On the four outer saddle row ends, mark two points per row, giving eight. On the nine back row ends, repeat the front marking, giving 12. Total: 12+8+12=32 points, in order from one side-seam top around the shoulder to the other.
4. Pin the sleeve’s 32-stitch top edge to those 32 points and sew one top stitch to each point without gathering. Check the seam path measures eight inches and lies flat before securing it. Fold the sleeve and sew matching side row ends from cuff to underarm, closing the final corner firmly. Repeat on the other sleeve; do not sew the sleeve opening shut.

Edge, Wash and Inspect the Open Cardigan

The neckline includes the unjoined inner front tops, both inner saddle ends and the central back-neck stitches. Keep the front opening clear and smooth.

1. For one hem row, join ivory at a lower front corner; sc once in each of the 18 front, 40 back and 18 other-front foundation positions. (76 sts) Fasten off. For each cuff, sc once into each of its 28 foundation stitches, join with sl st and fasten off.
2. Join ivory at a lower front edge. Work four sc over every three hdc row ends: one in each bar plus a second sc at each third bar, counting from the hem. The 33-row front receives 44 sc. Continue across six unjoined front-top stitches, use two sc in each of the four inner saddle row ends, sc across the 16 back-neck stitches, repeat eight sc along the other inner saddle end, cross six front-top stitches and mirror the 44-sc pickup down the other front. The nominal route has 44+6+8+16+8+6+44=132 sc. Add one extra sc only at a front-top turning corner if it pulls, mirrored at the other front. The four-per-three hdc pickup matches the planned stitch-to-row gauge instead of drawing the front shorter.
3. Weave all tails inside the fabric, wash and dry flat. Compare both shoulder joins, sleeve heads and side seams; there should be no stiff ridge, exposed tail, gathered sleeve or stretched saddle. Recheck the 19-inch fabric chest, 13-inch length and the child’s freedom of arm movement.
4. The slate panels should read as two narrow strips across the shoulder tops, with ivory fabric below. Keep the front open and closure-free, inspect every seam before supervised wear and remove the garment for sleep.

Assembly and Shaping

The shoulder arithmetic is exact: back 12+16+12=40; each front 12+6=18. Each 12-stitch saddle edge meets a 12-stitch shoulder. Its four-row outer end forms the middle two inches of an eight-inch armhole, between two three-inch nine-row sections. Thirty-two sleeve-head stitches meet 32 marked attachment points; the remaining 24 row ends on each body side seam are closed one-to-one. The body hem is 76 stitches and the open chest fabric is 19 inches at gauge.

Lay every component on a flat surface before joining. Match the marked centers first, then divide each remaining edge into equal sections. Work through both layers with consistent tension and pause after each section to check that the fabric lies flat. This measured approach prevents twisting and keeps decorative details facing the intended direction.

Finishing

1. Weave each tail in three directions on the wrong side, reversing once, then trim after gentle stretching.
2. Wash by the yarn label, dry flat to the measured dimensions and check the neckline, armholes and sleeve openings again.
3. Inspect every underarm join and edge for gaps or loose yarn. This garment is for supervised wear only and should not be used during sleep.

For a polished result, weave each tail through several same-color stitches, reverse direction once, and trim only after the fabric has been gently stretched. Block to the listed dimensions without flattening textured stitches. Inspect joins, borders, straps, and decorative pieces before the project is used or gifted.

Helpful Tips

• Use a different marker color at the front edges and each sleeve boundary; move markers upward after every shaping row.
• Count the whole row before turning. If a count is wrong, return to that row instead of hiding an extra stitch in the next one.
• Make both sleeves to the same counted round and compare their measured lengths before weaving ends.

Good lighting and a contrasting stitch marker make counting much easier. If a section looks uneven, compare the current count with the previous checkpoint before continuing. Fixing one missed stitch early is faster than compensating later, and it preserves the measurements used by the assembly instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I choose the size?

Use the listed finished chest and a washed gauge swatch. Compare with a comfortable garment; if the gauge or desired ease differs, do not rely on the age label alone.

Can I change the sleeve length?

Work the same additional plain rounds on each sleeve before edging. Recheck yarn quantity and measure the child or reference garment after washing.

Conclusion

The finished cardigan has its own counted shoulder construction, smooth body and matched sleeves. Check the final measurements and all joins before using it as supervised outerwear.

BabyYarnie Printable Crochet Pattern Card

BabyYarnie — easy-to-follow crochet for everyday makers.

Project: Crochet Basketweave Saddle-Shoulder Baby Cardigan

Skill level: Intermediate   Hook: 4 mm or hook that matches both washed swatches   Yarn: Soft washable DK cotton-wool blend

Finished size: 12–18-month planning size: approximately 19-inch fabric chest, 13-inch shoulder-to-hem length and 8-inch upper-sleeve circumference; compare with a comfortable garment

Card Materials

• Approximately 570 yards ivory and 55 yards slate washable DK cotton-wool blend, including a swatch allowance; actual use depends on tension
• 4 mm hook, locking markers in two colors, blunt yarn needle, tape measure and scissors
• Use yarn joins and a completely open front without buttons, cords or detachable decorations

Card Instructions

1. Make the Ivory Back and Two Fronts: Back: 40 hdc × 33 rows. Fronts: two pieces, each 18 hdc × 33 rows. Mark 12-stitch shoulders and nine-row armhole sections.
2. Crochet and Attach the Two Basketweave Saddles: Make two slate 12-stitch, four-row basketweave strips. Sew their opposite long edges to the marked front and back shoulders; close 24-row side seams.
3. Work Two Matched Sleeves and Their Seams: Two sleeves: 28 stitches through Row 4, increase to 30 on Row 5 and 32 on Row 9, finish at Row 24. Match each 32-stitch head to 12/8/12 armhole points.
4. Edge, Wash and Inspect the Open Cardigan: Edge the 76-stitch hem and both cuffs; finish the counted open neckline, weave ends and check all structural seams and actual fit.

Finish: Check every count, weave in all ends, block to measurement, and inspect each join.