27 Free Cardigan Knitting Patterns For Summer
THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS THAT SUPPORT HANDY LITTLE ME CONTENT AND FREE PATTERNS.In this post, you will see 27 free cardigan knitting patterns for summer.
Cardigans are an all-season wardrobe stable.
Bulky and warm cardigans are ideal for the winter, but lighter, airier cardigans made with other materials are perfect for spring and summer.
Scroll down to see beautiful summer cardigan patterns.
27 Free Cardigan Knitting Patterns
It’s the perfect time of year to pick up the needles and make hand-knit cardigans!
Get the best summer cardigan knitting patterns here.
Cotton Comfort Easy Knit Cardigan Pattern
Knit the cotton comfort cardigan with this free knitting pattern.
A cozy cardigan perfect for the summer breeze.
All you need is 1,303 - 2,604 yds and 8 mm knitting needles.
To accommodate the large number of stitches, you can use a pair of circular knitting needles with a 40 cm cable.
Color Block Cardigan by Lion Brand Yarn
Knit this easy cardigan with this free knitting pattern.
It’s available in sizes S/M, L-1X,2X-3X, and 4X-5X.
Plus, you can grab the free PDF on the Lion Brand website.
Lost in Summer Cardigan by DROPS Design
Knit a cardigan with a unique design with this free knitting pattern.
Also, it’s available in sizes S - M - L - XL - XXL - XXXL.
A quick knit to make for the summer.
The Aspen Cardigan by Lee Lee Knits
Knit the perfect summertime cardigan with a beautiful cable design in the back.
Make one for you or as a gift.
You can view the free knitting pattern on the Lee Lee Knits website.
Bronze Summer by DROPS Design
Knit a light cardigan that’s ideal for summer with this free knitting pattern.
Also, it’s available in sizes S - M - L - XL - XXL - XXXL.
Plus, there are video tutorials to help you along.
Coral Cardigan by Yay For Yarn
Knit an airy, long, short-sleeved cardigan that’s perfect for the beach with this free knitting pattern.
Plus, there is a video tutorial to help you along.
Make one for you or as a gift.
Shore Line Cardigan by DROPS Design
Knit a unique cardigan with short sleeves and a wave design with this free knitting pattern.
The pattern is available in sizes S - M - L - XL - XXL - XXXL.
This pattern will allow you to create a timeless design.
Sixtine Cardigan by Phildar
Knit a cardigan with a beautiful design with this free knitting pattern.
The pattern is ideal for intermediate knitters; all you need is sport weight yarn and
You can grab the free PDF pattern on the LoveCrafts website.
Summer Sweater Knitting Pattern by Mama In A Stitch
Knit the perfect summer cardigan with this free knitting pattern.
A beautiful and airy design that’s ideal for the summer breeze.
All you need is 4-8 skeins of yarn.
Sofie Cardigan by DROPS Design
Knit a short cardigan jacket to pair with all of your summer outfits with this free pattern.
The pattern is available in sizes S - M - L - XL - XXL - XXXL.
Plus, there are video tutorials to help you along.
Kim Cardigan In Adriafil Dream by Adriafil
Make a beautiful cardigan with this free knitting pattern.
All you need is 13 and 15 us size knitting needles and worsted weight yarn.
Grab the free PDF on Love Crafts.
Wildflower Cardigan by Premier Yarns
Make a beautiful cardigan with this free pattern.
This is an easy pattern great for all makers.
Grab the free PDF on the Premier Yarns website.
Free Patons Breezy Summer Knit Cardigan Pattern by Yarnspirations
Make a breezy cardigan with this free pattern.
This is an intermediate pattern great for all makers.
Grab the free PDF on the Yarnspirations website.
Diamond Lace Ruana Knitting Pattern by Originally Lovely
In this blog post, you will see a breezy and lacey cardigan.
This is an easy pattern that is great for all makers.
Make one for you or as a gift.
McInness Cardigan (Knit) by Lion Brand Yarns
Make an easy cardigan with this free pattern.
One of these comfy jackets will be perfect for all year long.
Grab the free PDF on the Lion Brand Yarns website.
Cárdigan Altea by Locura Tejeril
Knit a unique cardigan with this free pattern.
Perfect to make for spring and summer.
Grab the free PDF on Raverly.
Summer Cardigan With Cables by BC Garn
Make the ultimate summer cardigan with this free pattern.
This is an intermediate pattern, great for experienced makers.
Grab the free PDF on Love Crafts.
Free Red Heart Emily Sweater Pattern by Yarnspirations
Make a beautiful summer cardigan with this free pattern.
Knit one for you or as a gift.
Grab the free PDF on the Yarnspirations website.
Lace And Cable Cardigan by Patons
Make a lovely cardigan with is free pattern.
Perfect to wear in the summer.
Grab the free PDF on Love Crafts.
Blake In Fibra Natura Kingston Tweed by Rachel Brockman
Make a colorful cardigan with this free pattern.
Perfect to wear from spring to summer.
Grab the free PDF on Love Crafts.
Lace Cardigan by Stylecraft Yarns
Knit a unique cardigan with this free pattern.
Perfect to make for spring and summer.
Grab the free PDF on Raverly.
Ivy Cardigan by The Blue Mouse
Make a beautiful summer cardigan with this free pattern.
This cardigan has a beautiful lace design on the back panel.
Grab the free PDF on Love Crafts.
Easy Knit Cardigan With Furls Crochet by Brindle Babe
In this blog post, you will see an easy knit cardigan pattern.
Perfect to make for spring and summer.
Knit one for you or as a gift.
Coconut Cardigan Free Pattern by We Are Knitters
Make a summer cardigan with this free pattern.
Perfect to make for spring and summer.
You can grab the free PDF by signing up for the we are knitters newsletter.
Beach Love by DROPS Design
Knit a beautiful cardigan for the beach with this free pattern.
Make one for you or as a gift.
Plus, there are video tutorials to help you along.
Short Sleeve Cardigan by Bergere De France
Make an adorable short-sleeved cardigan.
Perfect to wear from spring to summer.
Grab the free PDF on Love Crafts.
Summer Waves Cardigan by Cascade Yarns
Knit a summer cardigan with this free pattern
Perfect to wear from spring to fall.
Grab the free PDF on Love Crafts.
Knit A Light Summer Cardigan
Summer comes with hot days and sometimes cool summer nights and a light cardigan can be the ideal garment.
It can be paired with all your outfits: dresses, skirts, jean shorts, and sweaters.
Knit Your Own Cardigan
And if you are a knitter and love making your own clothes, a summer cardigan is a great project.
Crafting your own garments instead of simply buying them online or in stores is fun and gives you a sense of accomplishment, but also lets your creativity run wild.
There are so many free cardigan knitting patterns to choose from!
Create A Unique Cardigan
You can knit a unique cardigan made with your favorite yarn, taking into mind your personal style and your body type.
There are so many free knitting patterns or paid ones available online that you can follow to make your cardigan.
You can modify the details to fit your style.
For example, you can choose a simple cardigan or a more complicated design (that depends on your skill level, too).
Then make some decisions about the design; You will decide if you want sleeves, long sleeves, short sleeves, a belt or no belt, buttons or no buttons.
Choosing The Perfect Yarn
Winter cardigans are made with bulky yarn or DK weight yarn to keep you warm and toasty.
So, when choosing the ideal yarn weight for your summer cardigan, you will need lightweight yarn.
Like cotton, Aran weight yarn, worsted weight yarn, or, if you are brave enough, lace.
To make sure you have the right yarn, it’s always a good idea to make a gauge swatch and adjust.
Grab your yarn weights Ebook here.
- Learn everything about the different yarn weights here – Yarn Weight Guide (+ Conversion Chart)
- Learn everything about yarn fibers here – Yarn Types Explained: A Guide To Different Fibers
- Learn how to read a yarn label here – How To Read A Yarn Label (Step By Step)
Choosing The Perfect Stitches
Another thing you need to consider when knitting your summer cardigan is the stitch pattern you will choose.
Some knitting stitches create a tighter fabric that’s perfect for winter but not so much for summer, so you need to gravitate more toward knitting stitches for all skill levels that create an airy fabric that allows air to flow.
Related Post: 12 Simple Knitting Stitches For Beginners
How Do You Measure For A Summer Cardigan?
To measure for a summer cardigan, follow these steps:
- Bust Circumference: Wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your bust, ensuring it’s parallel to the ground and not too tight. This measurement will determine the size of the cardigan’s bust area.
- Underarm: Measure from your underarm down to where you want the bottom edge of the cardigan to sit. This measurement helps determine the length of the cardigan from the underarm down.
- Cuff Circumference: Measure around the widest part of your wrist or where you want the cuffs to sit. This measurement will help ensure that the cuffs are neither too tight nor too loose.
- Sleeve Length: Measure from the top of your shoulder down to your wrist, with your arm slightly bent. This measurement helps determine the desired length of the sleeves.
- Shoulder Width: Measure from the outer edge of one shoulder to the outer edge of the other shoulder across your back. This measurement helps ensure that the cardigan fits comfortably across your shoulders.
- Back Width: Measure across your back from one underarm to the other. This measurement helps determine the width of the cardigan across the back.
- Body Length: Measure from the base of your neck down to where you want the bottom edge of the cardigan to sit. Therefore, this measurement helps determine the overall length of the cardigan.
By taking these measurements, you’ll have a good idea of your body proportions and can select or adjust the pattern for your summer cardigan accordingly.
Finally, if you’re following a knitting pattern, you can compare your measurements to the pattern’s size chart to choose the appropriate size or make adjustments as needed for a customized fit.
Knitting Lessons
If you are a new knitter and need help with the knitting basics, check out these posts here and be your own knitting instructor – Knitting Lessons (With Video Tutorials).
There, you will find step-by-step tutorials for all the different knitting techniques a newbie needs to know.
Including how to cast on, how to bind off, how to knit the basic knit stitches, how to knit the knit stitch, how to knit the purl stitch, the stockinette stitch, the seed stitch, the rib stitch, the garter stitch, the mattress stitch, short rows, how to yarn over(yo), how to measure gauge, how to fix knitting mistakes, how to make knitting increases and decreases, and a list of knitting abbreviations (UK + US terms), and more.
For an easy level knitting pattern, check out this pattern category for more recommendations.
There, you will find a range of knitting patterns – Beginner Knitters.
For a complete guide on learning how to knit, check out this post: How to Knit – A Complete Beginner’s Guide
And if you need more video tutorials to help you practice your basic knitting skills, check out my YouTube channel here – Handy Little Me – YouTube.
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