Camille Cardi: Free Crochet Pattern for a Timeless, Wearable Cardigan
There is something deeply satisfying about making your own cardigan. You choose the yarn, you set the pace, and when you slip it on for the first time, it fits the way you always imagined a handmade garment should — like it was made exactly for you, because it was. The Camille Cardi is exactly that kind of project. It is relaxed without being sloppy, textured without being complicated, and wearable enough that you will reach for it every single day the temperature dips below comfortable.
This free crochet pattern walks you through every step of making the Camille Cardi from the ground up. Whether you are an intermediate crocheter looking for your next satisfying make or someone who has just got the basics down and wants to try a garment for the first time, this pattern is designed to grow with your confidence. The construction is intuitive, the stitch pattern is easy to memorize, and the result is a cardigan that looks far more complex than it actually is.
Let’s get into it.
About the Camille Cardi
The Camille Cardi is a top-down, seamed cardigan worked in flat panels. It features a relaxed, slightly oversized silhouette with a clean, open front, long sleeves, and a simple ribbed edging along the cuffs, hem, and button band. The stitch pattern is a combination of single crochet and extended single crochet that creates a dense, beautiful fabric with just enough texture to keep things interesting without demanding constant attention.
The name Camille was chosen for this pattern because it carries the same energy as the cardigan itself — classic, understated, and quietly elegant. This is not a trendy piece that will feel dated in two years. It is the kind of sweater you make once, wear for a decade, and eventually hand down or inspire someone else to make.
The Camille Cardi is designed to be worn with two to four inches of positive ease, meaning the finished garment is intentionally larger than your actual bust measurement. This gives it that lived-in, cozy quality that makes a cardigan feel like a hug rather than a structured blazer. You can adjust the sizing up or down depending on how you prefer your sweaters to fit.
Materials You Will Need
Before you begin, gather everything so the project flows without interruption.
Yarn: You will need a medium weight (worsted, category 4) yarn. The sample shown uses approximately 1,000 to 1,400 yards depending on your size, in a smooth, plied yarn that shows stitch definition clearly. A wool blend or cotton-acrylic blend works beautifully for this pattern. Avoid single-ply or very fluffy yarns for your first attempt, as they can make it harder to see your stitches and frog (unravel) if needed.
Hook: A 5.0 mm (US H/8) crochet hook is recommended as a starting point. Always check your gauge and adjust your hook size up or down as needed.
Notions: You will also need a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming, stitch markers, scissors, a measuring tape, and five to seven buttons approximately 3/4 inch in diameter if you choose to add a button closure. The Camille Cardi looks equally beautiful worn open, so buttons are entirely optional.
Gauge
Getting gauge right is the single most important step in making a wearable garment. Please do not skip this.
Work a swatch of at least 5 inches by 5 inches in the main stitch pattern before beginning. Block your swatch the same way you plan to block your finished cardigan, then measure.
Gauge: 14 stitches and 16 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in the main stitch pattern using a 5.0 mm hook.
If your gauge is too loose (your swatch is larger than 4 inches), go down a hook size. If your gauge is too tight (your swatch is smaller than 4 inches), go up a hook size. Even a small difference in gauge will result in a significantly different finished size when multiplied across the entire garment.
Sizing
The Camille Cardi is written in six sizes, designed to fit a range of bust measurements with the recommended ease included.
Size 1: Fits 30–32 inch bust (finished bust: 34 inches)
Size 2: Fits 34–36 inch bust (finished bust: 38 inches)
Size 3: Fits 38–40 inch bust (finished bust: 44 inches)
Size 4: Fits 42–44 inch bust (finished bust: 48 inches)
Size 5: Fits 46–48 inch bust (finished bust: 52 inches)
Size 6: Fits 50–52 inch bust (finished bust: 56 inches)
Throughout the pattern, stitch counts are written for Size 1 with larger sizes in parentheses: Size 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Abbreviations and Stitch Guide
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
esc — extended single crochet: insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over and pull through one loop only (two loops remain), yarn over and pull through both loops. This creates a slightly taller stitch than standard sc.
hdc — half double crochet
st(s) — stitch(es)
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
PM — place marker
SM — slip marker
rep — repeat
sk — skip
sp — space
blo — back loop only
Stitch Pattern: Alternating Texture Stitch
The main fabric of the Camille Cardi is worked in a two-row repeat that alternates sc and esc in a way that creates a subtle, ridged texture. Once you work through a few rows, your hands will fall into the rhythm naturally.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 1, sc in first st, esc in next st, sc in next st; rep from to end, turn.
Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, esc in first st, sc in next st, esc in next st; rep from to end, turn.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for pattern.
Pattern Instructions
Back Panel
Chain 60 (68, 78, 84, 92, 98).
Foundation Row (WS): Sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across — 59 (67, 77, 83, 91, 97) sts. Turn.
Begin working in Alternating Texture Stitch pattern as established above.
Continue even until piece measures 14 (14.5, 15, 15, 15.5, 15.5) inches from foundation, ending with a WS row.
Shape Armholes: Sl st across first 5 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8) sts, ch 1, work in pattern to last 5 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8) sts, leave remaining sts unworked. Turn — 49 (55, 63, 69, 75, 81) sts remain.
Continue even in pattern until armhole measures 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5, 9.5, 10) inches, ending with a WS row.
Fasten off and place a stitch marker at each end to indicate shoulder placement at 17 (18, 19, 20, 20, 21) sts from each edge. The center 15 (19, 25, 29, 35, 39) sts are the back neck.
Left Front Panel
Chain 32 (36, 41, 44, 48, 51).
Foundation Row (WS): Sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across — 31 (35, 40, 43, 47, 50) sts. Turn.
Work in Alternating Texture Stitch until piece measures the same as the Back Panel to the armhole shaping, ending with a WS row.
Shape Armhole (RS): Sl st across first 5 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8) sts, ch 1, work in pattern to end of row — 26 (29, 33, 36, 39, 42) sts. Turn.
Continue even until armhole measures 5 (5.5, 5.5, 6, 6, 6.5) inches, ending with a RS row.
Shape Neck (WS): Work in pattern across first 17 (18, 19, 20, 20, 21) sts, leave remaining sts unworked. Turn.
This sets the shoulder stitches. Continue even on these 17 (18, 19, 20, 20, 21) sts until armhole measures 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5, 9.5, 10) inches total.
Fasten off.
Right Front Panel
Work to match Left Front Panel, reversing all shaping. The armhole shaping will occur at the end of RS rows, and the neck shaping will occur at the beginning of WS rows.
Sleeves (Make Two)
Chain 36 (38, 40, 42, 44, 46).
Foundation Row (WS): Sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across — 35 (37, 39, 41, 43, 45) sts. Turn.
Work 4 rows even in pattern.
Sleeve Increase Row (RS): Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, work in pattern to last st, 2 sc in last st — 2 sts increased.
Repeat Increase Row every 6th row 8 (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) more times — 53 (57, 61, 65, 67, 73) sts.
Continue even until sleeve measures 17 (17.5, 18, 18, 18.5, 18.5) inches from foundation, or desired length to underarm.
Fasten off.
Assembly
Block all pieces to your finished measurements before seaming. Wet blocking or steam blocking both work well for this pattern depending on your yarn fiber content. Pin pieces to a foam blocking mat or a clean towel and allow to dry completely. This step makes seaming dramatically easier and gives the finished fabric a polished, professional appearance.
Once all pieces are blocked and dry, use a yarn needle and matching yarn to seam the panels together.
Shoulder Seams: With RS together, whipstitch or use a flat mattress stitch to join the shoulder sections of the Front Panels to the Back Panel at the marked shoulder points.
Set in Sleeves: Fold each Sleeve in half lengthwise to find the center top. Pin the center of the sleeve cap to the shoulder seam. Ease the sleeve into the armhole opening, distributing any fullness evenly, and seam in place.
Side and Sleeve Seams: Starting at the hem, seam up the side of the body to the underarm, then continue up the length of the sleeve to the cuff, keeping the seam on the inside (WS).
Finishing
Cuff Ribbing
With RS facing and beginning at the seam, join yarn at the cuff opening.
Round 1: Ch 1, work an even number of sc evenly around the cuff opening. Join with sl st to first sc.
Ribbing: Ch 10. Sc blo in second ch from hook and in each ch across — 9 sts. Sl st into the first sc of the cuff edge to anchor, turn. Continue working sc blo across the 9-stitch ribbing strip, anchoring with a sl st at the end of each row to the next sc of the cuff edge. Continue until all cuff sts are worked. Join the short ends of the ribbing strip together. Fasten off.
Alternatively, if you prefer a simpler finish, work 4 rounds of hdc blo directly into the cuff opening and fasten off.
Hem Ribbing
Work hem ribbing the same way as the cuff ribbing, attaching it along the bottom edge of the entire cardigan (back and both fronts).
Button Band
With RS facing, join yarn at the bottom right front edge.
Work 3 rows of sc evenly up the right front edge, across the back neck, and down the left front edge. Keep your tension even and consistent. After Row 1, count your stitches and note the count so your subsequent rows match.
If adding buttons, on Row 2 of the right front band (or left front if you prefer), create evenly spaced buttonholes by working ch 2 and skipping 2 sts at each desired button placement. On Row 3, work 2 sc into each ch-2 space to close the buttonholes.
Fasten off and weave in all ends.
Sew buttons to the opposite front band aligned with the buttonholes.
Yarn Substitution Tips
One of the most rewarding parts of using a free crochet pattern is choosing your own yarn, and there is a lot of room for creativity here. The Camille Cardi was designed with a smooth, medium weight yarn in mind, but it adapts beautifully to other fibers.
A pure wool or wool-blend yarn will give you excellent stitch definition, natural warmth, and the ability to wet block the finished fabric into a clean, precise shape. Superwash wool is a great choice if you want easy machine washing care. A cotton-acrylic blend makes the cardigan a great transitional season piece — breathable but still cozy. If you are making the Camille Cardi for warmer months or a warmer climate, consider a bamboo or linen blend for a draping, lightweight version of the same silhouette.
Whatever yarn you choose, make sure you recalculate your yardage if the weight or gauge of your substitution differs from the original.
Tips for Making Your First Crochet Cardigan
If this is your first time making a garment, a few extra thoughts might save you time and frustration along the way.
Swatch and block before you begin. It is tempting to skip this step, but garment sizing depends on it. A swatch that takes thirty minutes could save you hours of reworking a finished piece that does not fit.
Work from the body length up, not from the total yardage down. Check your measurements as you go using a flexible tape measure on a flat surface, rather than estimating by how much yarn you have left.
Do not be afraid to write notes directly on a printed copy of the pattern. Mark your size throughout so you are not hunting for your number in every set of parentheses.
Finally, seaming takes practice. If your first seam is not invisible, that is completely normal. With time and repetition, the mattress stitch becomes second nature and your seams will become a point of pride rather than anxiety.
Pattern Notes and Final Thoughts
The Camille Cardi is designed to be generous and forgiving, both in the ease built into the sizing and in the construction method. Flat panels are among the most beginner-friendly ways to approach a crochet garment because each piece is worked simply from one edge to the other, checked against a measurement, and then assembled into the finished shape.
Once you have made one Camille Cardi, you may find yourself wanting to make it again in every color. It is that kind of pattern — one that becomes a reliable go-to, a trusted recipe you return to season after season. Make it in a warm heather grey for autumn. Make it in a buttery cream for spring layering. Make it in a deep forest green or burgundy for winter. The Camille Cardi is endlessly adaptable, and it is entirely yours.
Happy crocheting. Take your time, enjoy the process, and trust that every stitch is bringing you closer to something genuinely beautiful.
If you make the Camille Cardi, share your finished project and tag it so others in the crochet community can find it and be inspired. Seeing this pattern come to life in different yarns, colors, and hands is one of the best parts of sharing a free pattern with the world.
