Lee’s Rainbow Cardigan is a beginner friendly crochet pattern worked in pieces, and then seamed together. A comfy fit, and easy half double crochet stitches bring this sweater to life! I crocheted this cheerful cardigan using the new yarn from Furls Crochet called Wander. The colours are gorgeous!
With its gorgeous silky sheen, plush body, and oh-so-soft touch, Wander feels like a splurge without breaking the bank.
Plus, Furls made it easy to stock up on all the tempting colors!
Take a peek at this other amazing crochet Kit >> TAKE ME TO THE MULBERRY LANE CARDIGAN.
There are a few great ways to get the Lee’s Rainbow Cardigan!!
- Order your Kit from Furls Crochet which includes the digital pattern + all of the yarn you need shipped right to your door! >> Furls crochet kit coming soon!
- Get the AD-FREE PDF on Ravelry >> GO TO RAVELRY
- Get the AD-FREE PDF on Etsy >> GO TO ETSY
- Get the AD-FREE PDF on Lovecrafts>> GO TO LOVECRAFTS
PIN it here and make it later:
Now that you’re all set, here’s the pattern for the Lee’s Rainbow Cardigan!
Yarn
Materials
US Size I/9 (5.5mm) crochet hook, yarn needle, scissors.
Size/Measurements
XS, Small, Medium, Large, XL, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x.
Measurements
Bust: 28-30 (32-34, 36-38, 40-42, 44-46, 48-50, 50-54, 56-58, 60-62)”
Gauge
14 hdc x 12 rows = 4”
Special Stitches
Fhdc (foundationless half double crochet) = ch 2, yo and insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, yo and pull up loop, yo and pull through 1 loop on hook (1st ch made), yo and pull through 3 loops (hdc made), *yo and insert hook into ch of previous foundation stitch, yo and pull up loop, yo and pull through 1 loop on hook (ch made), yo and pull through 3 loops (hdc made); repeat from * until desired number of fhdc have been made.
Notes
Ch 1 at start of round does not count as a stitch.
Instructions for the Lee’s Rainbow Cardigan:
Instructions
Yarn
Furls Crochet Wander Worsted (120yds/100g) 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4) balls each Sunrise (A), Amethyst (B), Midnight (C), Surf (D), Meadow (E), Canary (F), Ambrosia (G), Pomegranate (H).
Materials
US Size I/9 (5.5)mm crochet hook, yarn needle, scissors, stitch markers.
Sizes/Measurements
Extra small, small, medium/large, 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x/5x
30 (34, 38/42, 46, 50, 54, 58/62)” Bust.
Gauge
14 hdc x 12 rows = 4”
Notes
- Ch 1 does not count as a st.
Abbreviations
Fphdc (front post half double crochet) = Yo, insert hook around post of indicated stitch from front to back, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 3 loops.
Bphdc (back post half double crochet) = Yo, insert hook around post of indicated stitch from back to front, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 3 loops.
Fhdc (foundationless half double crochet) = ch 2, yo and insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, yo and pull up loop, yo and pull through 1 loop on hook (1st ch made), yo and pull through 3 loops (hdc made), *yo and insert hook into ch of previous foundation stitch, yo and pull up loop, yo and pull through 1 loop on hook (ch made), yo and pull through 3 loops (hdc made); repeat from * until desired number of fhdc have been made.
Instructions:
Plan your stripes
The way I planned the stripes of colours for my cardigan is to take the total number of rows for the back panel so 58 (58, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60) and divide it by 8 colours. It worked out to be approximately 7 rows for each colour (7×8=56). If you are using more or less colours, simply divide the row total above by the number of colours you plan to use, and find the closest number to assign your row colours.
Back
Follow colour sequence A through H, changing colours every 7 rows. You will have a few extra rows of H at the top.
Row 1: Fhdc 81 (91, 101, 111, 121, 131, 141).
Row 2: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, [bphdc, fphdc] across to last, hdc in last, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, [fphdc, bphdc] across to last, hdc in last, turn.
Row 4: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
Row 5: Ch 1, hdc in 1st, hdc2tog, hdc across, turn–80 (90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140)sts.
Rows 6-12: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Row 13: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, hdc2tog, hdc across to last 3 sts, hdc2tog, hdc in last, turn–78 (88, 98, 108, 118, 128, 138)sts.
Rows 14-20: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 21-26: Repeat Rows 13-14 three times–72 (82, 92, 102, 112, 122, 132) sts.
Rows 27-28: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 29-34: Repeat Rows 13-14 three times–66 (76, 86, 96, 106, 116, 126) sts.
Rows 35-36: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Row 37: Repeat Row 13–64 (74, 84, 94, 104, 114, 124) sts. Place a st marker in 1st and last st of this row for sleeve placement.
Rows 38-58 (58, 60, 60, 58, 58, 58, 58): Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
Sizes 2x, 3x, 4x/5x only:
Row 59: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Repeat Row 59 another 2 (3, 4) times.
All Sizes
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Front
Make 2.
Follow the same colour sequence as Back.
Row 1: Fhdc 31 (37, 41, 47, 51, 57, 61).
Row 2: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, [bphdc, fphdc] across to last, hdc in last, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, [fphdc, bphdc] across to last, hdc in last, turn.
Row 4: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Sizes XS, Med/Lg, 2x, 4x/5x only:
Row 5: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, hdc2tog, hdc in each st across, turn–30 (40, 50, 60) sts.
Sizes Small, 1x, 3x only:
Row 5: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, hdc2tog, hdc across to last 3 sts, hdc2tog, hdc in last, turn–35 (45, 55) sts.
All Sizes:
Rows 6-12: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Row 13: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, hdc to last 3 sts, hdc2tog, hdc in last, turn–29 (34, 39, 44, 49, 54, 59) sts.
Row 14: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 15-18: Repeat Rows 13-14 twice–27 (32, 37, 42, 47, 52, 57) sts.
Rows 19-20: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 21-26: Repeat Rows 13-14 three times–24 (29, 34, 39, 44, 49, 54) sts.
Rows 27-28: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 29-34: Repeat Rows 13-14 three times–21 (26, 31, 36, 41, 46, 51) sts.
Rows 35-36: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Row 37: Repeat Row 13–20 (25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50) sts. Place a marker in last st of Row 37 for sleeve placement.
Rows 38-42: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Shape Neck
Rows 1-2: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, hdc2tog, hdc across, turn–19 (24, 29, 34, 39, 44, 49) sts.
Row 4: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 5-8: Repeat Rows 3-4 twice–17 (22, 27, 32, 37, 42, 47) sts.
Rows 9-10: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 11-14: Repeat Rows 3-4 twice–15 (20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45) sts.
Rows 15-16 (16, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16): Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Sizes 2x (3x, 4x/5x) only:
Row 17: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Repeat Row 17 2 (3, 4) times.
All Sizes:
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Sleeves
Make 2.
For the sleeves, you will be doing 4 rows of A, 7 rows each of colours B-G, and 4 rows of H.
Row 1: Fhdc 55 (55, 63, 63, 67, 69, 73), turn.
Row 2: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st [bphdc, fphdc] across to last, hdc in last, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, [fphdc, bphdc] across to last, hdc in last, turn.
Row 4: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 5-8: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, 2 hdc in next, hdc across, turn.
Rows 9-11: Ch 1, hdc across, turn.
Rows 12-46: Repeat Rows 5-11 6 times.
Rows 47-50: Repeat Rows 5-8.
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Assembly
Sew shoulder seams. Insert Sleeves between stitch markers and sew sleeve seams. Sew side seams. Sew Sleeve seams.
Collar
Matching the colour sequence and starting at bottom of front.
Row 1: Ch 1, hdc in each row end of front panel, across neckline, and across opposite front panel, turn.
Rows 2-3: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, [bphdc, fphdc] across to last, hdc in last, turn.
Fasten off, weave in ends.
I hope you enjoyed this pattern, let me know if you make one of your own! I would love to see it over on instagram when you use the hashtag #cococrochetlee.
Happy Crocheting!!
Muy bonito, los colores son alegres,.muchas gracias por.compartir.
thank you!
Hi Lee, I’m having a problem with the sleeves. For size 2X, it looks like Row 1 is Fhdc 67. Is this correct?
Hey there! 67 is correct. Can you let me know what the issue you’re having is in particular? Thanks so much ❤
Hi Lee,
For the back panel you say from row 38-58 hdc in each stitch but the count goes from 64 to 58? Am I supposed to decrease in those rows? Thanks for your help!
Lindsay
Hey there! Rows 38-58 (58, 60, 60, 58, 58, 58, 58): Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
There is no decrease for these rows. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing the pattern for your beautiful cardigan. I’m having problems with your comment above concerning rows 38-58 (58, 60, 60, 58, 58, 58, 58). I’m following size large instructions, and according to my understanding, I should be at 94 stitch count. Your count is 60. Did I miss something?
Hey there! It just means to hdc across for that many rows, and at the end you will have 64 (74, 84, 94, 104, 114, 124) sts across.