Are you ready for part ONE of the Elizabeth Cardigan Crochet Along (CAL)? I am not going to lie, I am SUPER nervous but we are going to rock this together!
The Elizabeth Cardigan CAL – Part 1
As you know, in this Crochet Along we are making the Elizabeth Cardigan. This cardigan features the Mini Bean stitch (also known as the Elizabeth Stitch) which gives it a fantastic drape and a nice, slouchy (but not too slouchy!) fit.
There will be FOUR parts to this cardigan CAL. In this, part number ONE, we will create the FIRST front of the cardigan. It is important to note that your cardigan size is completely customizable to your body’s height and width. Because torsos vary so greatly, we are using a specific body measurement to make sure the points on the front of the cardigan hang where you want them to hang. How will we do this, you ask? Read on, friend!
Materials:
Yarn of your choice
*approx. 1200 yards for size small
*approx. 1500 yards for size large
*approx. 2000 for size 2XL
Yardage needed has more to do with body height than width.
Crochet hook in whichever size you are most comfortable using with your yarn size. You want a nice, squishy and drapey feel to the fabric. Make a few gauge swatches to find the hook size that feels best to you.
Stitches Used:
Mini Bean – Mb – (also known as the Elizabeth Stitch) – tutorial here.
Crab Stitch (also known as reverse single crochet) – tutorial here.
How to measure for part one:
Using a soft measuring tape, measure from the ball/top of your shoulder, straight down to your natural waist like so.
For example, I am 5’7” and my measurement is about 16.5”.
This measurement will be how many ROWS (in inches) we crochet in part ONE. (It’s also okay if you’re off by an inch or two, but if you can’t decide I would err on the long side instead of the short side.) In the gold (original, more slouchy) cardigan pictured here I went to 21.5″ instead of my “natural waist” which is 16.5″.
As you can see, the finished cardigan has an asymmetrical front line. After adding sleeves and washing, the cardigan really relaxes and becomes more slouchy. You’ll be surprised! I was so surprised I had to alter the design a bit. If you want a longer front, you’ll add more rows. If you want the top corner to hit a little higher, you’ll crochet less rows. Whatever you do, WRITE IT DOWN so you don’t forget!
Because we are working in vertical rows, your first row (foundation row) will be the HEIGHT of your cardigan. Use the chart below to help you decide how tall (long) to make your foundation row.
Do you have your measurements, your yarn, and hook? Let’s make something!
Part 1:
Get the ad-free printable version of this ENTIRE pattern here.
Row 1: Fsc (or Fhdc) to length needed for your height per this chart. Make sure your stitch count ends on a multiple of TWO. Use these numbers as a guide, it is always best to measure yourself per the video instructions at the bottom of this post here.
Row 2: Ch-1, turn, Mb in 2nd st from hook. Sk one st, Mb in next. Repeat to end of foundation row.
Rows 3 – measurement in inches: Ch-1, turn, Mb in side of each Mb to end.
DO NOT FASTEN OFF
How many rows you complete in part one is directly related to how LOW the cardigan will hang in the front. In the gold cardigan (the original, more slouchy version) I added ~5 inches to my shoulder-to-waist measurement and stopped at 22″, in the red I only went to my natural waist measurement, the 16.5″. In this Big Cakes version I stopped at 19″ and that was PERFECT!
Questions? Feel free to ask! I covered sizing in this live video if you need more guidance.
Write down how many rows you completed before moving on to part two: ________
That is it! Yes, seriously, this is part one. Save up your questions because every week I’ll be answering them in the weekly LIVE Facebook video! It starts at 7:00 pm CST every Thursday night.
Part Release Dates:
Part 2 – here
Parts 3 & 4 – here
Stay tuned, and I can’t WAIT to make this again with you!
The Elizabeth Cardigan – Crochet Along (CAL) – Free Crochet Pattern
How to Crochet The Mini Bean Stitch (Elizabeth Stitch)
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