Crochet Hexagon Cardigan Pattern — Cozy, Simple & Beginner-Friendly

This crochet hexagon cardigan pattern is one of those projects that looks way more advanced than it actually is. Two hexagons, folded in half, seamed together — that’s genuinely most of the construction. No sleeve caps to set in, no complicated shaping math. If you’ve made a granny square before, you already have most of the skills this needs.

I’ve rewritten this crochet hexagon cardigan pattern from the ground up, with real stitch counts at every round so you’re never guessing. And since I’ve been seeing a gorgeous variation floating around lately — closing the back with African Flower Granny Squares instead of plain ones — I’ve added that as a full alternate section too, so you can pick whichever look you’re after.

Materials

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Yarn

• Worsted weight (#4) yarn — approximately 900–1,800 yards depending on size (see size guide below)
• Multiple colors if you want stripes, or one solid color for a simpler look

Hook

• 5mm–6.5mm crochet hook (a smaller hook, around 4mm, for the sleeve cuffs)

Other supplies

• Stitch markers
• Scissors
• Tapestry/yarn needle

Abbreviations (US Terms)

Check our complete abbrevations guide.

• st — stitch
• ch — chain
• sl st — slip stitch
• sc — single crochet
• dc — double crochet
• cl — cluster (3 dc worked into the same stitch or space; the first cl of each round is worked as ch 3 + 2 dc into the same space, which together count as the cluster)
• sp — space
• BLO — back loop only
• FLO — front loop only
• dec — decrease (2 sts worked together)

Hexagon Cardigan Size Guide

This crochet hexagon cardigan pattern is sized by how many rounds you work the hexagon motif — more rounds means a bigger hexagon, which means a bigger cardigan. Here’s roughly what to expect:

Try the hexagon on as you go — fold it in half and slip your arm through the sleeve opening. If it feels snug, work one or two more rounds before moving on.

Hexagon Cardigan Crochet — Step-by-Step Tutorial

You’ll make two identical hexagons for this crochet hexagon cardigan pattern — one becomes each side (sleeve + half the body).

Building the Hexagon

Rnd 1: Magic circle, ch 3 (counts as first dc throughout), dc 2, ch 1 (first cl made), *cl, ch 1; rep from * into the ring 5 more times. Sl st to top of beg ch-3 to join, pull tail to close ring. (6 cl)

Rnd 2: 3 sl st across to next ch-1 sp. Into that sp: (ch 3, dc 2, ch 2, cl, ch 1). *Into next ch-1 sp: (cl, ch 2, cl), ch 1; rep from * 4 more times. Sl st to beg ch-3 to join. (12 cl, 6 corners)

Rnd 3: 3 sl st across to next ch-2 sp. Into that sp: (ch 3, dc 2, ch 2, cl, ch 1). *Cl in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, into next ch-2 sp: (cl, ch 2, cl), ch 1; rep from * 4 more times, cl in next ch-1 sp, ch 1. Sl st to beg ch-3 to join.

Rnd 4: 3 sl st across to next ch-2 sp. Into that sp: (ch 3, dc 2, ch 2, cl, ch 1). *(Cl, ch 1) in each ch-1 sp across to next ch-2 sp, into ch-2 sp: (cl, ch 2, cl), ch 1; rep from * 4 more times, (cl, ch 1) across to end of round. Sl st to beg ch-3 to join.

Rnd 5 onward: Repeat Round 4 until you reach the round count for your size (15–16 for small, 21–22 for medium, 27–28 for large). Fasten off and weave in ends.

By this point your hexagon should have that crinkled, not-quite-flat look — that’s completely normal for this crochet hexagon cardigan pattern and it flattens out once blocked.

Front & Back Extensions

This section widens the cardigan through the front opening and center back without touching the sleeve width. It’s a simple 2-row repeat.

Row 1: With right side facing, rejoin yarn with sl st into the ch-2 sp at the edge you’re extending. Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 2 in same sp. *Ch 1, cl in next ch-1 sp; rep from * across, ending with a cl in the final ch-2 sp on the opposite side. Turn.

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). *Cl in next ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * across, dc in top of beg ch-3 from previous row. Turn.

Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 2 in first ch-1 sp. *Ch 1, cl in next ch-1 sp; rep from * across, ending with a cl in the final ch-1 sp. Turn.

Row 4+: Repeat Row 2 for every even row. Row 5+: Repeat Row 3 for every odd row.

Fasten off and weave in ends. Repeat the entire hexagon + extension process for the second hexagon half.

Seaming the Back and Shoulders

With wrong sides facing out, fold both hexagons into their L-shape, making sure the extensions line up at the front opening and center back.

Using whip stitch or mattress stitch, seam the center back extensions together through the front loops only of each stitch. Then seam across the shoulders the same way, working through the front loops only, from the outer edge to the center of the neck.

Lengthening the Bottom

Row 1: With right side facing, rejoin yarn around the outer dc of your final extension row. Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). *Cl in next gap, ch 1; rep from * across to the hexagon, cl in the corner, ch 1, continue clustering across to the extension on the opposite side, ending with a dc. Turn.

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 2 in first ch-1 sp. *Ch 1, cl in next ch-1 sp; rep from * across, ending with a cl in the final ch-1 sp. Turn.

Row 3: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). *Cl in next ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * across, dc in top of beg ch-3. Turn.

Row 4+ / Row 5+: Repeat Rows 2 and 3 as above. Work about 14 rows total, or until you reach your desired length. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Sleeves

Worked in continuous joined rounds — do not turn.

Rnd 1: With right side facing, rejoin yarn into the ch-1 sp in front of the cluster nearest the seam. Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 2 in same sp. *Ch 1, cl in next ch-2 corner sp, ch 1, skip the seam, cl in next ch-2 corner sp, ch 1, cl in next ch-1 sp; rep from * across. Sl st to beg ch-3 to join.

Rnd 2: 3 sl st across to next ch sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 2 in same sp. *Ch 1, cl in next ch-1 sp; rep from * across. Sl st to join.

Rnd 3–16: Repeat Round 2 (this gives a 17-inch sleeve — add or remove rounds to adjust length).

Switch to a smaller hook.

Rnd 17: Ch 1, sc around, placing 1 sc in the top of each dc (skip the chain spaces). Sl st to join, ch 1.

Rnd 18: *(Sc 1, sc dec); rep from * around. Sl st to join, ch 1.

Rnd 19–26: BLO sc around, continuous rounds, do not join. Sl st to join at the end, fasten off, weave in ends.

Border

Switch back to the larger hook. Worked in continuous rounds except Round 1.

Rnd 1: With right side facing, rejoin yarn into the front bottom corner. Ch 1. Work 2 sc along the edge of each dc row up the front extension until you reach the hexagon, then 1 sc in the top of each cluster dc and 1 sc in each ch-1 sp across the back of the neck and down the other front edge. At the opposite front corner, work 6 sc into the corner. Sc across the bottom of the cardigan the same way, working 4 sc into the final corner. Sl st to join, ch 1.

Rnd 2–6: BLO sc around. At each of the 2 front corners, work a sc increase into 3 consecutive stitches so the corners lay flat instead of curling. Sl st to join, fasten off, weave in ends.

How to Close the Back with African Flower Granny Squares Instead

This is the variation I’ve been seeing everywhere lately, and it’s genuinely one of my favorite twists on this crochet hexagon cardigan pattern. Instead of the Front & Back Extensions and back seam above, you build a small panel of African Flower Granny Squares and seam it between the two hexagon halves.

Step 1: Make your squares. Crochet 3–5 African Flower Granny Squares (check our African Flower Granny Square pattern for the full motif) — 4 squares is a good starting point for a medium-width back panel, but adjust based on your desired size.

Step 2: Join the squares into a panel. Lay your squares out in the arrangement you want. Working through the back loop only of the corresponding stitches on each square, join them with a slip stitch seam: insert your hook into the back loop of both corner stitches, place a slip knot on the hook and pull it through, then continue slip stitching into the back loop of each matching stitch across the edge, ending in the first chain at the top corner. Repeat until all your squares are joined into one panel.

Step 3: Attach the panel to your cardigan halves. Place your two hexagon halves flat, sleeves facing outward, with the granny square panel between them. Using the same back-loop-only slip stitch join, seam up each side of the panel to attach it to its matching cardigan half.

A quick note on sizing: since your African Flower Granny Squares may finish at a different size than the plain squares used above, you’ll want to double-check how many hexagon rounds get you close to matching the panel width before you seam everything together. If your squares run smaller or larger than expected, working one extra or one fewer hexagon round usually closes the gap.

Tips From One Crocheter to Another

Count your corners every round. This crochet hexagon cardigan pattern grows entirely from those 6 corner clusters — miss one increase and the whole shape twists.

Try the hexagon on before you seam anything. Fold it, slip your arm through, and adjust rounds before committing.

Block before assembly, not just at the end. It evens out the clusters and makes the seaming step so much easier.

Carry your yarn up between rounds if you’re doing stripes — it saves you from weaving in a dozen ends later.

Variations

Cropped length — skip the “Lengthening the Bottom” section, or work fewer rows.

Color-blocked — change colors every 2–3 rounds instead of carrying one color through.

Crochet hexagon cardigan pattern — color-blocked version in a multicolor granny stripe palette

African Flower back panel — see the full section above.

Chunky version — size up to a 6.5mm hook with bulky yarn for an extra-cozy oversized fit.

FAQs

Is this crochet hexagon cardigan pattern beginner-friendly? Yes — many crocheters make this as their first wearable garment. The trickiest part is keeping the corner counts consistent.

How much yarn do I need? Roughly 900–1,200 yards for small/medium, 1,400–1,800 yards for large/XL, depending on stitch choice and length.

Why is my cardigan twisting? Almost always a missed corner increase or uneven tension. Count stitches at the end of each round and use stitch markers on all 6 corners.

Can I make it size-inclusive? Yes — just keep adding hexagon rounds until you reach the size you need, following the size guide above.

Can I use the African Flower closure with any hexagon size? Yes, though you may need to adjust your hexagon round count slightly to match your square panel’s width — see the note in that section.

Can I sell finished garments made from this pattern? Yes. Please credit Patterns Here as the pattern source.

See Also

• African Flower Granny Square — Free Crochet Pattern
• The Monarch Butterfly Cardigan Crochet Pattern
• Sophie Hood Crochet Pattern
• Crochet Abbreviations — Complete Reference Chart