Laughter is the Best Medicine
Perfect for Spring and Summer, this bottom-up cardigan features an elegant teardrop stitch design that will keep you cool. The Brighter Days Crochet Lace Cardigan can be customized to your specific styling options in both color striping, length, and the big question… to fringe or not to fringe? You can’t go wrong with what you choose as you’ll have the perfect spring and summer garment.
The Brighter Days Crochet Lace Cardigan comes in sizes S-5x.
Also available in children’s sizes 2-16 (size 16 is comparable to a women’s XS)- coming soon! Be sure to join my newsletter for updates.
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Pattern Details
YARN
Worsted Weight #4 Acrylic or Merino Wool of your choice
Regular/Short length– Sample Shown in Red Heart Soft
4 (5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9) skeins Red Heart Soft
OR
6 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) skeins Chic Sheep
OR
991 (1101, 1233, 1381, 1547, 1733, 1940, 2173) yards total
Adult Kimono/Long– Sample Shown in Red Heart Chic Sheep
6 (6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 12) skeins Red Heart Soft
OR
7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16) skeins of Chic Sheep
OR
1292 (1435, 1608, 1800, 2016, 2258, 2529, 2833) yards
MATERIALS
J10/6.0mm crochet hook– or hook needed to obtain gauge- I always use Furls Crochet hooks- Use my special promo code cre8tion15 to get 15% off your entire order from Furls Crochet.
Yarn needle
DIFFICULTY
Intermediate
FINISHED SIZES TO FIT S-5x
follows CYC Standard Sizes- for more information click here
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
see schematic
GAUGE (blocked)
4 shells OR 12 hdc = 4”
2 repeats OR 8 rows = 4.25”
GAUGE PATTERN (in pattern)
Repeat rows 1-6: Begin with fhdc of 21 (this will give you 5 shells)
Repeat rows 3-6: three times more
STITCH GUIDE
ch(s) – chain(s), sc – single crochet, hdc – half double crochet, st(s) – stitch(es), RS – right side, WS – wrong side, sl st – slip stitch
NOTES
- Pattern is written in size Small with changes for Medium through 5x in (parenthesis).
- Stitch counts are shown at the end of rows where a change takes place.
- Ch 2 does not count as the first hdc.
CONSTRUCTION
The Brighter Days Lace Cardi is worked bottom-up in turned rows. The front panels are decreased and the back panel is increased for shaping. The panels are then seamed at the shoulders. The sleeves are stitched in directly to the sleeve opening. Final edging is added to the front opening.
This design is also available in children’s sizes.
Pattern coming soon- Be sure to sign up to my newsletter for updates.
Pattern
Row 1 (RS): Fhdc 111 (123, 135, 147, 162, 168, 174, 189), turn work
Row 2: Ch 2 (does not count as first st- here and throughout), hdc in first st, hdc in each st to end, turn work. <111 (123, 135, 147, 162, 168, 174, 189) hdc>
Row 3: Ch 2, hdc in first st, hdc in next st, *skip 2 sts, [2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc] in next st (one shell made), repeat from * until 4 sts remain, skip 2 sts, hdc in last 2 sts, turn work. <35 (39, 43, 47, 52, 54, 56, 61) shells>
Note for Row 3: Your work may begin to bow here (along the bottom), this will be remedied in the following rows.
Row 4: Ch 2, hdc in first st, hdc in next st, *ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp (skipping all sts in between), repeat from * until last ch-2/shell, ch 2, hdc in last 2 sts, turn work. <35 (39, 43, 47, 52, 54, 56, 61) ch sps>
Row 5: Ch 2, hdc in first st, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next ch-2, *hdc in next sc, 2 hdc in next ch-2, repeat from * until two sts remain, hdc in the last 2 sts, turn work. <111 (123, 135, 147, 162, 168, 174, 189) hdc>
Row 6: Ch 2, hdc in first st, hdc in each st to end, turn work. <111 (123, 135, 147, 162, 168, 174, 189) hdc>
Repeat Rows 3-6: consecutively 9 times for sweater length or 12 times for kimono length.
Color changes will take place on Row 3 repeats; if desired.
Repeat Rows 3-5: one time.
Seperate for Sleeves
You will work the first front panel in full, move on to the second front panel, and end with the back panel, leaving the underarm area unworked. The front panels will then be seamed to the back panel at the shoulders.
First Front Panel
Row 1: Ch 2, hdc in first st, hdc in next 23 (26, 29, 35, 41, 44, 47, 53) sts, turn work. <24 (27, 30, 36, 42, 45, 48, 54) hdc>
Choose your sleeve type from Regular or Kimono, listed below.
Regular Sleeve
Repeat Rows 3-6 (from body): 3 (3, 2, 1, 2, 1, 0, 0) times.
OR
Kimono Sleeve
Repeat Rows 3-6 (from body): 4 (4, 3, 2, 3, 2, 1, 1) times.
You will have 6 (7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16) shells per repeat
Repeat Row 3-5 (from body): one time.
Next Row: Ch 2, turn, hdc in each st but decrease by 3 sts, by placing 3 hdc2tog evenly along this row. <21 (24, 27, 33, 39, 42, 45, 51)>
Repeat the last two lines of directions: x (x, 1, 1, 0, 1, 2, 1) times more. <x (x, 24, 30, 39, 39, 39, 48)>
1x through 5x ONLY
Repeat Row 3-5 (from body): one time.
Next Row: Ch 2, turn, hdc in each st but decrease by 6 sts, by placing 6 hdc2tog evenly along this row. <x (x, x, 24, 33, 33, 33, 42>
Repeat the last two lines of directions: x (x, x, x, 1, 1, 1, 2) times. <x (x, x, x, 27, 27, 27, 30)>
ALL SIZES
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming.
You should have a total of
Rows for Regular Sleeve 16 (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
OR
Rows for Kimono Sleeve 20 (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
21 (24, 24, 24, 27, 27, 27, 30) sts (this is 5 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8) shells)
Second Front Panel
With the WS facing you; Join yarn in the 24th (27th, 30th, 36th, 42nd, 45th, 48th, 54th) st from the outer edge.
Make the same as the First Front Panel, beginning with Row 1.
Back Panel
With the WS facing you; Join yarn in the 7th (7th, 7th, 10th, 10th, 10th, 10th, 10th) st from the front panel, leaving 6 (6, 6, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9) sts unworked.
Row 1: Ch 2, hdc in first st, hdc in next 50 (56, 56, 56, 59, 59, 59, 62) sts, leaving the remaining 6 (6, 6, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9) sts (before the next panel) unworked, turn work. <51 (57, 57, 57, 60, 60, 60, 63) hdc>
Choose your sleeve type to match what you chose for the front panels.
Regular Sleeve
Repeat Rows 3-6 (from body): 0 (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1) times
OR
Kimono Sleeve
Repeat Rows 3-6 (from body): 1 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) times
You will have 15 (17, 17, 17, 18, 18, 18, 19) shells per repeat
Repeat Rows 3-5 (from body): one time.
Next Row: Ch 2, turn, hdc in each st but increase by 3 sts, by placing 2 hdc in 3sts evenly along the panel. <51 (60, 60, 60, 63, 63, 63, 66) hdc>
Repeat the last two rows of directions: 0 (0, 0, 0, 1, 2, 2, 3) times. <51 (60, 60, 60, 66, 69, 69, 75) hdc>
Repeat Rows 3-6 (from body): 3 (2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 0) times
ALL SIZES
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming.
You should have a total of
Rows for Regular Sleeve 16 (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
OR
Rows for Kimono Sleeve 20 (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
51 (60, 60, 60, 66, 69, 69, 75) sts (this is 15 (18, 18, 18, 20, 21, 21, 23) shells)
Sleeves
The sleeves are worked in turned rounds. Each pattern repeat will decrease the amount of shells by one. St count is not mandatory, just be sure your fabric is neither bunched up or pulled tight. Directions are written for color changes on each shell row.
Working into the wrong side of the sleeve opening; Join yarn in any underarm st.
Rnd 1: Ch 2 and hdc in the joining st, hdc evenly around the sleeve opening. Be sure to stitch a multiple of 3 (decrease with hdc2tog as necessary), turn work. Fasten off if you are changing color for the shell rnd.
Rnd 2: Change color and join yarn in any underarm st; If you do not want to change color for the shell rows just continue with Color A; Ch 2, [2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc] in the same st, skip 2 sts, *[2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc] in the next st, skip 2 sts, repeat from * to end, sl st in the first hdc, skipping the beginning ch-2, to join, turn work. Fasten off. If you do not want to change color for the shell rows you will sl st into the next 2 sts of the next shell, so that you will begin in the ch-2 sp.
Rnd 3: Join Color A in the ch-2 sp of any underarm shell, Ch 1 and sc in the same sp, *ch 2, sc in the next ch-2 sp (skipping all sts in between), repeat from * till last ch-2/shell, sl st into the first sc, skipping the beginning ch-1, to join, turn work.
Rnd 4: Ch 2, *2 hdc in the ch-2 sp, hdc in the next sc, repeat from * around, sl st in the first hdc, skipping the beginning ch-2, to join, turn work.
Rnd 5: Ch 2, hdc in the first st, hdc in each st around, placing 3 hdc2tog evenly (to decrease by 3 sts), sl st in the first hdc, skipping the beginning ch-2, to join, turn work.
If your sleeve is larger than you would like you can decrease by 6 sts instead of 3. Each three sts decreased will set you up for one less shell on the next repeat. Alternatively, if you do not wish to decrease the sleeves you can work Rnd 5 evenly.
Repeat Rnds 2-5: till the desired length of sleeves, decreasing each round as necessary (see note above). On the final repeat you will not turn the work after Rnd 4 and will sc instead of hdc for Rnd 5. Fasten Off.
Repeat for second sleeve- be sure that the st count in Rnd 1 matches the first sleeve.
Front Edging
With RS facing towards you, join yarn in any bottom corner.
Row 1: Ch 1 and sc in the join, sc evenly along the entire opening, from this corner to the neck and down to the other corner, do not work along the bottom hem, turn work. <st count is not mandatory here, just be sure the fabric is neither overly stretched or pulled tight>
NOTE: If you find your edging is too large in width you can change to a half a size smaller hook.
Rows 2-11: Ch 1 and sc in the same st, sc evenly along the front opening, do not work along the bottom hem. Fasten off.
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Lorene Eppolite is the designer behind Cre8tion Crochet. She has been designing since October 2012. She loves to create fun and easy crochet accessories and garments. Lorene strives to make her designs to be achievable for any skill level. Just because it is easy, doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful. Lorene is also the COO of Furls Crochet, the world-leading manufacturer of luxury crochet tools.
