If you fell in love with our viral Evermore Plaid Granny Square Blanket (“The Flannel Cure”), you have probably been dreaming of its sister album wearable: the iconic Fisherman-cream Folklore Crochet Cardigan with textured diamond cables, contrasting dark charcoal borders, and misty silver-gray sleeve stars!

While traditional Aran cable cardigans can feel intimidating to knit, this free Folklore crochet cardigan pattern is engineered from 5 simple rectangular panels (1 Back Panel, 2 Left/Right Front Panels, and 2 Drop-Shoulder Sleeve Panels) with zero complicated armhole shaping!

Even better, our studio’s signature Crochet Diamond & Rope Cable panel is worked using basic Double Crochet (dc) and Front-Post Double Crochet (FPdc) stitches framed by squishy Moss Stitch (sc, ch 1) texture—giving you heirloom cabin drape without stiff, heavy fabric.

The Folklore crochet cardigan pattern construction schematic showing 5 rectangular panels, FPdc diamond cable columns, charcoal button placket, sleeve star patches, and XS to 5XL yardage chart

📋 Size-Inclusive Measurements & Yardage Chart (XS to 5XL)

This cardigan is designed with 6 to 8 inches of relaxed oversized positive ease for that true cozy cabin-in-the-woods fit. Find your size below:

Size GroupTo Fit Actual BustFinished Cardigan Bust (Buttoned)Back Panel WidthBack & Front Panel Length (Before Hem)Color A: Fisherman Cream (#4 Worsted)Color B: Dark Charcoal (#4 Worsted)Color C: Silver Gray (6 Stars)
XS / S30” – 36”40” – 42” (102–107 cm)20.5 in21.5 in1,250 yds (6 skeins)210 yds (1 skein)~35 yds
M / L38” – 44”48” – 50” (122–127 cm)24.5 in23.0 in1,520 yds (8 skeins)250 yds (2 skeins)~35 yds
XL / 2XL46” – 52”56” – 58” (142–147 cm)28.5 in24.5 in1,840 yds (9 skeins)295 yds (2 skeins)~35 yds
3XL – 5XL54” – 62”64” – 68” (163–173 cm)33.0 in25.5 in2,150 yds (10 skeins)340 yds (2 skeins)~35 yds

(Also love seamless top-down sweaters? Check out our companion Evergreen Circular Yoke Sweater Pattern!)

🧶 Materials, Yarn & Hook Recommendations

  • Yarn: #4 Medium / Worsted Weight Wool-Acrylic Blend (such as Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Fisherman + Charcoal + Oxford Grey, or Cascade Pacific Worsted):
    • Color A — Fisherman Cream / Natural Aran: 1,250 to 2,150 yards (Main cabled body & sleeves)
    • Color B — Dark Charcoal / Slate Black: 210 to 340 yards (V-neck button placket, twin hem stripes, and cuff borders)
    • Color C — Misty Silver / Heather Gray: 35 yards (6 five-point star appliqués for the elbows/sleeves + optional hip pocket patch)
  • Crochet Hooks (see our Crochet Hook Conversion Chart):
    • Main Body Hook: US I-9 (5.50 mm) — creates soft, wearable drape across the post-stitch cables
    • Ribbing & Star Appliqué Hook: US G-6 (4.00 mm) or US H-8 (5.00 mm) — keeps the charcoal cuffs, button band, and stars crisp and structured
  • Notions: Three 1-inch (25 mm) dark tortoise or matte charcoal buttons, 6 locking stitch markers, tapestry needle, and scissors.

🔤 Stitch Glossary & How to Work Crochet Cables (FPdc & FPtr)

If you already know how to make a Single Crochet (sc), Half Double Crochet (hdc), Double Crochet (dc), and Treble Crochet (tr), you already know every stitch in this sweater!

  • Moss Stitch Background (sc, ch 1): Work 1 sc into a ch-1 space, ch 1, skip the next sc. On the next row, work your sc into the ch-1 spaces of the row below.
  • Front-Post Double Crochet (FPdc): Yarn over, insert your hook from front to back and back to front around the vertical post of the stitch 2 rows below (pushing the post forward toward you), yarn over and pull up a loop, [yarn over, pull through 2 loops] twice. Always skip the unworked stitch top directly behind your FPdc so your stitch count never increases!
  • Front-Post Treble Cable Cross (2-over-2 Rope Cross): Skip two post stitches, work 1 FPtr around each of the next 2 posts; now reach in front of the two stitches just made and work 1 FPtr around each of the 2 skipped posts. That single crossover creates a raised braided rope cable!

🧥 Step-by-Step Folklore Cardigan Construction

Part 1: The Back Panel (Moss Stitch + 3 Raised Cable Columns)

Using Color A (Fisherman Cream) and your 5.50 mm hook:

  1. Foundation Chain:
    • XS/S: Chain 74 (20.5” wide)
    • M/L: Chain 88 (24.5” wide)
    • XL/2XL: Chain 102 (28.5” wide)
    • 3XL–5XL: Chain 118 (33.0” wide)
  2. Row 1 (Setup Row — Wrong Side): Starting in 2nd ch from hook, work 1 hdc into each chain across. Ch 2, turn.
  3. Rows 2 – 58 [62, 66, 68] (Cable & Moss Body):
    • Divide your panel into 3 vertical 6-stitch Cable Columns (1 Center Diamond Cable + 2 Flanking 4-stitch Rope Cables) separated by even sections of Moss Stitch (sc, ch 1).
    • Every Odd Row (Wrong Side): Work standard sc, ch 1 across the moss sections and 1 hdc into the top of each cable stitch so the inside of the sweater is completely smooth against your skin.
    • Every Even Row (Right Side): Work FPdc up the vertical cable posts, crossing your 4-stitch Rope Cables on Rows 4, 10, 16, 22, 28, 34, 40, 46, and 52.
  4. Fasten off leaving a 24-inch tail for shoulder seaming.

Part 2: The Left & Right Front Panels (Make 2 Mirror-Image Panels)

Each Front Panel is half the width of the Back Panel (minus 2 inches for the center charcoal button band) and features 1 central Rope-and-Diamond Cable Column:

  1. Foundation Chain: Chain 33 [40, 47, 55] with your 5.50 mm hook and Color A (Cream).
  2. Rows 1 – 38 [40, 42, 44] (Main Front Body up to V-Neck): Work your Moss Stitch background with 1 centered 6-stitch Cable Column straight up until the panel measures 14.0" [15.0", 16.0", 16.5"] tall.
  3. Rows 39 – 58 [62, 66, 68] (Gentle V-Neck Slope): At the inner neck edge only, work 1 hdc2tog decrease on every Right-Side row (10 [11, 12, 12] decreases total) while keeping the outer armhole edge completely straight (clip a stitch marker on the outer edge!). Fasten off.

Part 3: The Drop-Shoulder Sleeves (Make 2)

  1. Using Color A (Cream) and your 5.50 mm hook, chain 48 [54, 60, 66] (13.5” to 18.5” upper arm circumference).
  2. Work downwards from the upper shoulder toward the wrist cuff in Moss Stitch with 1 central 4-stitch Rope Cable running down the top center of the sleeve for 42 [44, 46, 46] rows (~16 inches).
  3. To taper smoothly toward the wrist, work 1 decrease at both the start and end of every 6th row until 34 [38, 42, 44] stitches remain at the wrist edge.

Part 4: The Signature 5-Point Silver-Gray Star Appliqués (Make 6 Stars)

Using Color C (Misty Silver / Heather Gray) and your 4.00 mm or 5.00 mm hook:

  1. Round 1: Make a Magic Ring, ch 1, and work 10 sc inside the ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc and pull the center ring tight. (10 sts)
  2. Round 2 (5 Star Points): *(Ch 3, in 2nd ch from hook work 1 sc, in next ch work 1 hdc, skip 1 st on ring, sl st into next st on ring)* repeat 5 times around. (5 crisp star points measuring 2.5” across!)
  3. Leave a 12-inch yarn tail on each star and whip-stitch 3 stars onto the lower outer elbow of each sleeve before seaming the sleeves closed!

Part 5: Flat Assembly & Two-Tone Charcoal Ribbed Trim

  1. Seam Shoulders, Sleeves & Sides: Lay the Back Panel flat (Right Side up), align the Left and Right Front Panels at the shoulders, and seam the shoulder edges together. Center the top of each Sleeve Panel along the armhole opening, seam flat, and then seam continuously from the wrist cuff down the side of the body.
  2. Bottom Hem Twin Charcoal Stripes: Attach Color A (Cream) at the bottom hem with your 5.00 mm hook and work 9 chains. Work Back-Loop-Only Single Crochet (sc BLO) ribbing perpendicularly around the bottom hem, switching to Color B (Dark Charcoal) for 2 stripe columns near the outer edges using our Seamless Crochet Color Change Method.
  3. Dark Charcoal V-Neck & Button Band: Attach Color B (Dark Charcoal) at the bottom right front corner, work 1 sc evenly up the right front edge, around the back of the neck, and down the left front edge. Work 6 rows of hdc BLO ribbing in Dark Charcoal, spacing 3 buttonholes (ch 2, skip 2 sts) along the right front placket. Sew your 3 dark buttons opposite the buttonholes, steam-block lightly, and wrap yourself in pure Folklore cabin comfort!