Home » Hook » 8 Tips for Creating More Professional Crochet Cardigans
| |

8 Tips for Creating More Professional Crochet Cardigans

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. See our disclosure policy for more information.

For any crocheter, no matter the experience level, branching out from crocheting flat projects like scarves and blankets to crocheting wearables like cardigans can be frightening. We all strive to produce high quality crochet pieces, so here are my top eight tips for making crochet cardigans look more professional.

Tips for Crocheting More Professional Looking Cardigans

I consider crocheting your first cardigan (or other wearable) a rite of passage; a graduation of sorts. When you start loving your handmade cardigans more than store-bought, you know you’ve hit a whole new level of crochet mastery.

For this tutorial I am using the Painted Canyon Cardigan pattern using Red Heart With Love yarn in True Blue colorway.

1. Gauge

Gauge will always be the most important aspect of crocheting wearables. Whether you’re crocheting cardigans or any other wearable crochet pattern, the fit is always dependent on the size of your stitches compared to the designer’s. If you are off by even a few stitches in the gauge measurement, your garment may end up child size instead of adult size – or vice versa . If you need help, this article on understanding crochet gauge is for you!

crochet gauge

2. Read through the entire pattern before starting.

When crocheting a new-to-you pattern, it helps tremendously if you start by reading through the pattern in its entirety. This helps to make sure you understand all of the terms used and that you understand the basic makeup of the pattern.

3. Always turn your work in the same direction.

This isn’t necessarily a tip strictly for more professional crochet cardigans, but anything that will have a border attached later. When you turn your work at the end of the row (specifically flat rows, not worked in rounds) you’ll notice that you have a small bump where you made your turning chain. By turning in the same direction each row, you are creating a more consistent raw edge that will then be easier to crochet into when you start your first row of edging. Note that whether you turn the work to the right or left doesn’t matter as long as you remain consistent. I do this with ALL of my crochet.

consistent crochet stitches

4. Weave in all yarn tails only after you’ve finished the entire garment.

Leave all yarn tails to be woven in upon completion of the cardigan – NOT as you go. If you need to rip some of your work out (say you missed a stitch or added an extra stitch and you don’t notice for rows and rows) you don’t want to have to contend with frogging (ripping stitches out) woven in yarn ends. The only exception to this rule is when you are experienced with the pattern (ie: you’ve successfully crocheted it before) and you’re sure you won’t need to frog any. Part of the reason I do this is explained in #5.

See: Tips for weaving in yarn ends

5. Leave longer yarn tails at crucial areas such as the underarms and shoulders/neck.

At load-bearing areas of the cardigan such as the neck seam, underarms, and sleeve seams, leave longer tails when sewing or attaching yarn and DO NOT weave them in until you are completely finished. By leaving longer tails at those crucial areas, you are giving yourself the opportunity to use those yarn tails to cinch up any holes or problem areas left from seaming/sewing. This is my favorite tip!

Doesn’t this look nicer? Had I already woven in ends, this would look much sloppier.

Hiding seams in crochet

6. Be consistent on stitch placement on the first edging/border/sleeve row.

If you take my advice on number 3, you’ll have a nice, clean edge into which to crochet the first row of the border, edging, or sleeve. By having a clean edge to work into you’re allowing yourself to be more consistent in your stitch placement, meaning little to no puckering, curling, or bunching up of your stitches.

more professional crochet

7. Use Invisible Join for fastening off edging.

The Invisible Join is an invaluable crochet technique for crocheting more professionally. Instead of fastening off with a knot and trying to weave it in inconspicuously, try the Invisible Join! This only works when crocheting in rounds and joining, so you’ll use it on sleeves and possibly edgings – if they go around the entire garment. Even YOU won’t be able to tell where you fastened off.

How to make an invisible join in crochet

8. Adding crochet pockets.

Crocheting pockets can be intimidating. Normally I prefer to crochet afterthought pockets, meaning that they are made separately and then attached to the completed cardigan. When sewing your pockets to the piece, use plenty of stitch markers to pin the pocket into place, and remain as consistent as possible with their placement. For example, if you have 15 cardigan stitches in between the top left and top right corners of the pocket, make sure you will also have 15 cardigan stitches in between the bottom left and bottom right corners.

If you are crocheting inside pockets (such as an option in the Painted Canyon Cardigan) these can get quite bulky. Consider crocheting only the first few rounds of the inside pocket and sewing in a fabric pocket instead. This way when looking at the pocket from the outside it appears less bulky, it lays nicer, and you won’t be able to see the fabric because of the few rows you crocheted at the opening. Give this method a try – a fabric Fat Quarter would be the perfect size!

What tips do you have for making more professional crochet? I hope these tips take your crochet cardigans to a whole new, professional level!

10 Tips for Crocheting with Black Yarn

7 Tips for Counting Rows in Crochet

18 Craft Fair Tips for Beginners: How to Run a Successful Craft Show Booth

Tips for Pricing Handmade Items to {Actually} Make Money

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

12 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing these great tips! I really appreciate your blog and wonderful designs. Happy New Year to you and your family
  2. I know that this “tip” was perhaps not an issue for many of my fellow crocheters, but I don’t know now when I 1st discovered this…..when placing your hook back into the working yarn stitch, always make sure that the yarn moves towards you & isn’t twisted…..I was amazed what a difference it made.
  3. I would love to be able to print out this tutorial without all the ads. Do you happen to have a paid PDF for these tips? I would love it since I keep a printed-out copy of these wonderful tips. Thank you
  4. Thank you - I'm a fairly new (covid) crocheter, and struggling to keep my projects looking beautiful- every little tip helps! Your work is stunning!!
  5. I really appreciate your teaching style: efficient, clear, I learn a great deal in a short amount of time by reading your emails - and I am an experienced crocheter. Keep up your good work. It and you are much appreciated. Regards, AME
    1. Hi Karin! That is the Painted Canyon Cardigan. Details for that can be found here: https://hearthookhome.com/painted-canyon-hooded-cardigan/
      1. Hi Charmae! The Painted Canyon Cardigan is a premium pattern that can be purchased from Etsy, Ravelry, or on the Heart Hook Home blog shop =)
  6. Thank you so much for your help with the tips. Have been crocheting for a long time, but not that good. Have never made a sweater, only easy things. With your help with these tips, I might have the "guts" to try one. thanks again, Levanna
  7. This sweater is probably the most beautiful I’ve seen....and the tips are easy to learn and make a huge difference in the finished appearance of the garment. I’ve been out of the loop for a while now.....my husband is home on the hospice program which isn’t as dire as it sounds.....he’s doing much better actually...the nurses have become like family and I’m a retired nurse myself...he has COPD...this is the tremendously long way of explaining that Ihaven’t had much time or interest in crocheting for many months...thank you for inspiring me to drag out my hook and get back. To it...stay cool in Kansas...jessika from Michigan
  8. Thank you for these tips. I have been crocheting for YEATS and have never heard of the invisible end. I appreciate your information thank you! JoBug in Iowa