7 Crochet Baby Cardigan Free Patterns (Newborn to Toddler)
A baby cardigan is the most useful thing you can crochet for a new baby. It goes on without pulling anything over the head, it layers over everything, and a size 0 to 3 months takes two skeins at most. It is also a kind first garment to make, because a baby never complains about the fit.
We opened and checked each of these 7 free patterns. There are top-down raglans with no seams, a classic cardigan in six sizes up to 4T, a granny square version and a toddler cardigan in tweed. Each one lists the yarn, hook and the sizes it is written for.
Crochet Baby Cardigan Free Patterns
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What You’ll Need
- Soft, washable DK (#3) or worsted (#4) yarn: acrylic, cotton blends or superwash wool, 2 skeins for the smallest sizes
- A 4 mm to 5 mm hook
- Small buttons, 4 to 6, or snaps
- Stitch markers for the raglan lines
- A yarn needle and scissors
1. Classic Baby Cardigan in 6 Sizes
Photo: Crochet Dreamz
A beginner-friendly cardigan written in six sizes up to 4T, in Vanna’s Choice worsted with a 5 mm hook. The designer notes that the two smallest sizes take only two skeins. A reliable pattern to make again every time a baby arrives.
- Designer: Crochet Dreamz
- Skill level: Beginner
- Yarn: worsted (#4), Vanna's Choice
- Hook: 5 mm (H)
- Price: Free written pattern + paid PDF
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
2. Baby Adventure Cardigan
Photo: Daisy Farm Crafts
A textured cardigan in herringbone half double crochet, which gives it a woven look. Made in Red Heart Super Saver, and the designer shares how she softened the acrylic after finishing. Bright colors and clear stitch definition.
- Designer: Daisy Farm Crafts
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: worsted (#4) acrylic, Red Heart Super Saver
- Hook: 5 mm (H)
- Price: Free written pattern + paid PDF
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
3. Top-Down Raglan Baby Cardigan, 12 to 18 Months
Photo: LisaAuch Crochet
Worked top down in one piece with classic raglan shaping and almost no seaming, in DK with a 4 mm hook. The designer made it slightly roomier for layering. The same design exists in a 0 to 3 months size, linked from the page.
- Designer: LisaAuch Crochet
- Skill level: Beginner
- Yarn: DK (#3)
- Hook: 4 mm (G)
- Price: Free written pattern
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
4. Simple Newborn Cardigan
Photo: LisaAuch Crochet
The newborn version: seamless, simple and written for tiny babies, in DK yarn with a 4 mm hook. The designer calls it practical and beginner-friendly, the kind of cardigan a new mum can actually use every day.
- Designer: LisaAuch Crochet
- Skill level: Beginner
- Yarn: DK (#3) acrylic or cotton blend
- Hook: 4 mm (G)
- Price: Free written pattern
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
5. Easy Baby Cardigan
Photo: The Crochet Crowd
An easy cardigan that uses the same stitches as the designer’s beginner baby blanket, with a tutorial that shows the stitch. Follow the hook size, yarn and chain counts on the pattern page and the shaping takes care of itself.
- Designer: The Crochet Crowd
- Skill level: Beginner
- Yarn: see pattern
- Hook: see pattern
- Price: Free written pattern
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
6. Granny Square Baby Cardigan, 6 to 12 Months
Photo: Aisha Ba
A cardigan built from starburst granny squares joined into shape, then finished with a border and slip-stitched edges. Made with a 4 mm hook. If you already love granny squares, this is the baby cardigan for you.
- Designer: Aisha Ba
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: see pattern
- Hook: 4 mm (G)
- Price: Free written pattern
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
7. Children's Tweed Cardigan, 18 Months to 12 Years
Photo: Bella Coco Crochet
For when the baby becomes a toddler: a beginner-friendly cardigan in six sizes from 18 months up to 12 years, in Sirdar Hayfield Bonus Tweed aran. The designer says a beginner can manage it, and the tweed flecks hide any uneven stitches.
- Designer: Bella Coco Crochet
- Skill level: Beginner
- Yarn: aran (#4) acrylic-wool tweed, Sirdar Hayfield Bonus Tweed
- Hook: 4.5 mm and 5 mm (H)
- Price: Free written pattern
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
Which One Should You Make?
For a newborn gift, the LisaAuch newborn cardigan (#4) is seamless and quick; the Crochet Dreamz classic (#1) if you want one pattern that grows with the child up to 4T.
For a first garment, pick a top-down raglan (#3): no seams, and you can try it on a teddy as you go.
For a toddler, Bella Coco’s tweed cardigan (#7) covers 18 months to 12 years, so one pattern lasts for years.
FAQ
What yarn is safe for a baby cardigan?
Soft and machine washable. Acrylic, cotton blends and superwash merino all work; the designers here use Vanna’s Choice, Red Heart Super Saver (softened after washing) and DK acrylics. Skip fuzzy or shedding yarns and anything that must be hand washed.
What size should I crochet for a baby I have not met?
Make 3 to 6 months rather than newborn. Babies outgrow newborn size in weeks, and a slightly big cardigan gets months of wear. For a gift at birth in winter, 6 to 12 months will fit the following winter.
Buttons or no buttons?
Both are fine. Sew buttons on firmly and check them before every wear, or use snaps. Several patterns here make the button band part of the front edge, so the cardigan still looks finished if you leave the buttons off.
Pick the size the baby will be next season, grab two skeins of soft DK, and you will have a cardigan ready before the baby shower.