Free Knitting Pattern: Breezy Cardigan
There is something deeply satisfying about wrapping yourself in a garment you made with your own hands. The Breezy Cardigan is exactly the kind of project that makes you fall back in love with knitting — it is light, wearable, endlessly versatile, and designed to drape over your shoulders with the kind of effortless ease that makes it feel like you reached for it without even thinking. Whether you are brand new to garment knitting or a seasoned sweater maker looking for a quick, rewarding project, this free knitting pattern is going to become one of your favorites.
This post covers everything you need to get started: the full free knitting pattern for the Breezy Cardigan, a complete yarn and materials guide, gauge information, sizing details, and helpful tips for finishing your project beautifully. Bookmark this page, grab your needles, and let’s get into it.
What Makes the Breezy Cardigan Special
Not every cardigan is created equal. Some are stiff and structured, better suited for office environments than a casual Saturday morning on the porch. The Breezy Cardigan is the opposite of that. It was designed to move the way your body moves, to layer over a tank top in summer or a chunky turtleneck in autumn, and to feel so comfortable that you forget you’re wearing something handmade rather than something you ordered from a boutique.
The construction is top-down, worked in one piece to minimize seaming. The stitch pattern is simple — mostly stockinette with a clean, easy border — which means the knitting itself stays meditative and enjoyable rather than stressful. This is a pattern where you can watch a movie, sit on a porch, or join a knitting circle without losing your place every three rows.
The Breezy Cardigan is designed to have a relaxed, slightly oversized fit that flatters a wide range of body types. The open front gives it a casual, draped feel, and the three-quarter length sleeves mean it transitions easily between seasons. You will find yourself reaching for it constantly.
Yarn and Materials
Choosing the right yarn makes an enormous difference in how a finished garment looks, feels, and wears over time. For the Breezy Cardigan, you want something with drape rather than stiffness — a yarn that will flow and hang rather than hold a rigid shape.
Recommended Yarn: A DK or light worsted weight yarn with a smooth plied construction. Cotton-linen blends, bamboo-cotton blends, and cotton-acrylic blends all work beautifully for this pattern. If you prefer wool, look for a superwash merino in a lighter weight — it will give the cardigan beautiful stitch definition and a softness that feels luxurious against the skin.
Yardage: The yardage required will vary by size, but as a general guide:
For sizes XS through M, plan for approximately 800 to 1,000 yards of yarn. For sizes L through XL, budget around 1,000 to 1,200 yards. For sizes 2X through 3X, you will likely need 1,200 to 1,500 yards. Always buy one extra skein of yarn if you can — running out before the final border is one of the most frustrating experiences in garment knitting, and having a backup skein gives you peace of mind.
Needles: US Size 5 (3.75mm) circular needles, 32 inches or longer. You will also want a set of double-pointed needles or a shorter circular for sleeve knitting if you prefer not to use the magic loop method.
Notions: You will need stitch markers (at least six), a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, removable stitch markers or scrap yarn for holding stitches, and a tape measure.
Gauge
Gauge swatch? Yes, absolutely. We know, we know — swatching feels like a delay when you are excited to cast on. But for a garment, especially one designed to fit your body, an accurate gauge swatch is the difference between a cardigan you love and a cardigan that sits in a drawer.
Gauge for this pattern: 22 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, blocked.
Wash and block your swatch the same way you plan to care for the finished cardigan. Many yarns, especially those with cotton content, will relax and grow slightly after washing. Checking gauge on a blocked swatch ensures your finished measurements will match the pattern.
If your gauge is tighter than indicated (you have more stitches per inch than the pattern calls for), go up a needle size. If your gauge is looser (fewer stitches per inch), go down a needle size.
Sizing
The Breezy Cardigan is written in nine sizes to accommodate a wide range of bodies. The sizes are based on finished bust measurement, with the cardigan designed to be worn with 2 to 4 inches of positive ease — meaning the finished garment is larger than your actual bust measurement, giving it that relaxed, comfortable drape.
Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X)
Finished Bust Measurements: 36 (38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66) inches
To choose your size, measure your actual bust circumference and add 2 to 4 inches depending on how relaxed you want the fit. If you prefer a closer, more tailored look, choose 2 inches of ease. If you want a truly oversized drape, go with 4 or more inches.
Finished Length (shoulder to hem): 26 (26.5, 27, 27.5, 28, 28.5, 29, 29.5, 30) inches
Sleeve Length (from underarm): 12 (12, 12.5, 12.5, 13, 13, 13, 13.5, 13.5) inches
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
Before diving into the instructions, here is a quick reference list of abbreviations:
CO — Cast on. BO — Bind off. K — Knit. P — Purl. PM — Place marker. SM — Slip marker. K2tog — Knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease). SSK — Slip, slip, knit (a left-leaning decrease). M1R — Make one right (a right-leaning increase). M1L — Make one left (a left-leaning increase). RS — Right side. WS — Wrong side. BOR — Beginning of round. Rep — Repeat. St(s) — Stitch or stitches.
The Free Knitting Pattern: Breezy Cardigan
Construction Notes
The Breezy Cardigan is worked top-down, beginning at the neckline and increasing outward to shape the yoke. Once the yoke is complete, sleeve stitches are separated onto holders and the body is worked flat in one piece to the hem. Sleeves are then picked up from the held stitches and worked in the round to the cuff. This construction eliminates nearly all seaming and makes it easy to try the cardigan on as you go to check fit.
Step One: Neckline and Yoke Cast On
Using the long-tail cast on method, CO 72 (76, 80, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100, 104) sts.
Setup Row (WS): K4 for front band, PM, P8 (8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 11, 12) for right front, PM, K2 for raglan seam, PM, P12 (14, 14, 16, 16, 18, 18, 20, 20) for right sleeve, PM, K2 for raglan seam, PM, P24 (24, 26, 28, 30, 30, 32, 34, 36) for back, PM, K2 for raglan seam, PM, P12 (14, 14, 16, 16, 18, 18, 20, 20) for left sleeve, PM, K2 for raglan seam, PM, P8 (8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 11, 12) for left front, PM, K4 for front band.
The 4 knit stitches at each end create your garter stitch front bands, which frame the open front of the cardigan beautifully without curling.
Step Two: Raglan Increases
You will now work raglan increases on every right-side row, adding 8 stitches per increase row (one increase on each side of each of the four raglan seam markers).
Increase Row (RS): K4, SM, K to 1 st before raglan marker, M1R, K1, SM, K2, SM, K1, M1L, K to 1 st before next raglan marker, M1R, K1, SM, K2, SM, K1, M1L — repeat between asterisks two more times, K to last 4 sts, K4.
WS Rows: K4, SM, P to last 4 sts (slipping all other markers as you go), SM, K4.
Repeat these two rows until you have completed 22 (24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38) increase rows total. At this point your stitch counts will be as follows:
Each front: 30 (32, 35, 37, 40, 42, 45, 47, 50) sts. Each sleeve: 56 (62, 66, 72, 76, 82, 86, 92, 96) sts. Back: 68 (72, 78, 84, 90, 94, 100, 106, 112) sts. Total: 254 (278, 302, 326, 350, 374, 398, 422, 446) sts.
Step Three: Separating the Sleeves
On the next RS row, you will place sleeve stitches on hold and cast on underarm stitches to join the body.
Separation Row (RS): K4, SM, K across right front sts to first raglan marker, remove marker, slip next 56 (62, 66, 72, 76, 82, 86, 92, 96) sleeve sts to scrap yarn or stitch holder, remove markers, CO 6 (6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10, 12) sts using backward loop cast on for underarm, K across back sts, remove markers, slip next 56 (62, 66, 72, 76, 82, 86, 92, 96) sleeve sts to holder, remove markers, CO 6 (6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10, 12) sts for second underarm, K across left front to last 4 sts, K4.
Your body stitch count is now: 154 (166, 182, 198, 214, 226, 242, 258, 278) sts.
Step Four: Body
Continue working flat, maintaining the 4-stitch garter border at each front edge on every row.
RS rows: K4, K to last 4 sts, K4.
WS rows: K4, P to last 4 sts, K4.
Work even in this manner until body measures 15 (15, 15.5, 15.5, 16, 16, 16.5, 16.5, 17) inches from underarm, or until the cardigan reaches your desired length minus 1.5 inches for the hem border.
Hem Border: Work 10 rows of garter stitch across all stitches (knit every row, both RS and WS). BO all stitches loosely on the next RS row using a stretchy bind off such as the German twisted bind off.
Step Five: Sleeves
Transfer held sleeve stitches from one sleeve back to your needles. Using your working yarn, pick up and knit 3 (3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) sts from the left side of the underarm, knit across sleeve stitches, then pick up and knit 3 (3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) sts from the right side of the underarm. Join to work in the round, placing a marker at the beginning of the round (center of underarm). Total sleeve stitches: 62 (68, 74, 80, 84, 92, 96, 102, 108) sts.
Knit every round for 8 rounds even.
Decrease Round: K1, K2tog, K to last 3 sts, SSK, K1. (2 stitches decreased)
Repeat this decrease round every 8th round 6 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10) more times until 48 (54, 58, 64, 66, 74, 76, 82, 86) sts remain.
Continue knitting even until sleeve measures 11 (11, 11.5, 11.5, 12, 12, 12, 12.5, 12.5) inches from underarm, or to desired length minus 1 inch.
Cuff: Work 1×1 ribbing (K1, P1) for 1 inch. BO all sts in pattern using a stretchy bind off.
Repeat for second sleeve.
Finishing the Breezy Cardigan
Once all your knitting is complete, take the time to finish your cardigan properly — this is what elevates a handmade garment from looking homemade to looking truly polished.
Weave in ends using a tapestry needle, working the tails back and forth through the fabric in different directions to secure them without creating a visible bump on the right side of the work.
Wet block your cardigan. Fill a basin or clean sink with cool water and a small amount of gentle wool wash or baby shampoo. Submerge the cardigan completely and let it soak for at least 20 minutes. Gently squeeze out the water — do not wring or twist — then roll the cardigan in a clean towel to remove excess moisture. Lay it flat on a blocking mat or dry towels, pin it to the finished measurements listed in the pattern, and allow it to dry completely. Blocking transforms hand knitting. It evens out stitches, opens up the fabric, and gives the finished garment beautiful drape and professional appearance.
Helpful Tips for Success
If this is your first top-down raglan, the setup row can feel a bit overwhelming because of the many markers. Take it slowly, place each marker carefully, and count your stitches before moving on. A stitch count at the end of the setup row prevents confusion later.
For the cleanest possible front bands, try to keep the same tension on the garter border stitches throughout the project. If your borders tend to look loose or uneven, simply go down one needle size for those edge stitches.
If you want to add buttons to the Breezy Cardigan, you can easily create buttonholes by working a yarn-over followed by a K2tog within the front band on evenly spaced right-side rows. Three to four buttons placed along the right front band give the cardigan a polished, more structured feel while still maintaining its relaxed character.
This pattern works beautifully in hand-dyed yarns, where the simple stockinette background lets the color really sing. It is also a wonderful candidate for stripe variations — alternating two colors every two rows in the body creates a cheerful, summery look with very little additional complexity.
Caring for Your Finished Cardigan
Hand knit garments last for many years with proper care. Always check your yarn label for specific fiber care instructions. Most cotton, linen, and bamboo yarns can tolerate gentle machine washing on a delicate cycle, while wool yarns generally benefit from hand washing to preserve the fibers and prevent felting.
Lay your cardigan flat to dry rather than hanging it — gravity pulls on wet fabric, which can cause a cardigan to grow and stretch out of shape when hung. Storing your cardigan folded rather than hung will also help it maintain its shape over time.
