how to crochet the cutest mesh cardigan/top | made-to-measure pattern and tutorial for any size!

Learn how to crochet a mesh cardi with me :) This pattern and my video tutorial on youtube explain how to follow and customise a made-to-measure design to create the perfect fit for you! You can adjust the measurements to make a full-length or cropped top with short, midi, or long sleeves.

Materials:

3, 3.5, or 4 mm hook with 250-400 grams of any DK weight acrylic/cotton yarn (depends on your size)

I used a 3.5 mm hook with around 250 grams of my favourite acrylic yarn from amazon to make a size small mesh cardigan.

Measurements of my finished cardigan:

Please only use this as a reference because different yarn/hook size, stitch tensions, and other variables can make a difference in size even if you do the same exact measurements as me!

Length of full top from shoulder to end - 18 inches

Width of back panel - 14 inches

Width of each front panel - 6.5 inches

Sleeve length - 18 inches

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Abbreviations:

ss - slip stitch / sc - single crochet / mesh stitch - the space between a set of 5 chains

Measurements:

Measurement A - the width of your shoulders from corner to corner

Measurement B - the desired length of your top

Measurement C - the desired width of the shoulder section or top of the front panel

STEP 1: crochet a gauge swatch of mesh stitches to determine the right stitch counts for the back panel

- Make a slip knot and foundation single crochet until the piece is approximately 6 inches wide.

- To make the 1st row of mesh stitches: chain 6 and turn your work, skip 2 stitches, sc into the 3rd stitch, repeat the pattern *chain 5, skip 2 stitches, sc into the 3rd stitch*

- Crochet 6+ rows of mesh stitches (or until the piece is around 6 inches long). Chain 6 and turn your work to start a new row, sc into the 1st mesh stitch, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

A bit of math for the back panel... 

1. Measurement A divided by 4 = X (example: 15/4 = 3.75)

2. Count how many mesh stitches fit in 4 inches (example: 5) then multiply that number by X (example: 5 x 3.75 = 18.75). Round the number up if it's a decimal (example: 18.75 to 19). This is the number of mesh stitches that you should have in every row of the back panel.

3. Calculate how many foundation sc you need by multiplying 3 with the number of mesh stitches in every row (example: 19 x 3 = 57).

STEP 2: crochet the back panel with the stitch counts you calculated

- Make a slip knot and foundation sc (57)

- To make the 1st row of mesh stitches: chain 6 and turn your work, skip 2 stitches, sc into the 3rd stitch, repeat the pattern *chain 5, skip 2 stitches, sc into the 3rd stitch* (19 mesh stitches in total)

- Continue crocheting rows of mesh stitches until the back panel is as long as measurement B. Chain 6 and turn your work to start a new row, sc into the 1st mesh stitch, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

- I did a total of 41 rows with 19 mesh stitches in each row

STEP 3: shoulder section

- Crochet rows of mesh stitches that are as wide as measurement C until this section is around 3.5-4 inches long (for me, that was 6 mesh stitches in each row for this section and I did a total of 9 rows)

STEP 4: top section of the front panel

This is the pattern I used for my cardigan, please adjust it according to your stitch/row counts with some more calculations...

Number of rows in the back panel divided by 2 = number of rows in the top section of the front panel (41 / 2 = 20.5 which i changed to 20 rows)

Number of mesh stitches in the back panel divided by 2 = number of mesh stitches in 1 front panel (19 / 2 = 9.5 which I rounded to 10)

This means that I have to increase my stitch count from 6 (in the shoulder section) to 10 by row 20 to make the top section.

Row 1 (7 stitches) - chain 6 and turn your work, sc into the 1st stitch, chain 5 and sc into the same stitch to make 1 increase, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

Row 2, 3, and 4 (7 stitches) - chain 6 and turn your work, sc into the 1st stitch, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

Row 5 (8 stitches) - chain 6 and turn your work, sc into the 1st stitch, chain 5 and sc into the same stitch to make 1 increase, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

Row 6, 7, and 8 (8 stitches) - chain 6 and turn your work, sc into the 1st stitch, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

Row 9 (9 stitches) - chain 6 and turn your work, sc into the 1st stitch, chain 5 and sc into the same stitch to make 1 increase, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

Row 10 to 16 (9 stitches) - chain 6 and turn your work, sc into the 1st stitch, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

Row 17 (10 stitches) - chain 6 and turn your work, sc into the 1st stitch, chain 5 and sc into the same stitch to make 1 increase, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

STEP 5: bottom section of the front panel (no more increases!)

Row 18 to 41 (10 stitches) - chain 6 and turn your work, sc into the 1st stitch, repeat the pattern *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

STEP 6: join the sides of the front and back panel together

You can sew or slip stitch along the edge to join. Leave the top space open for the armhole! My armhole is around 6.5 inches long from the top and has 17 stitches around it.

STEP 7: sleeves

- Attach the yarn with a knot in a mesh stitch at the bottom of the armhole. Repeat the pattern to make the 1st round *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

To end the round: ss into the 1st chain / To start a new round: turn your work and ss into the same mesh stitch

Repeat the pattern to make round 2 onwards *chain 5, sc into the next mesh stitch*

- Make sure that all the rounds have the same number of mesh stitches! I had 17 mesh stitches in each round. Continue crocheting rounds till the sleeve is the desired length (I did a total of 46 rounds).

STEP 8: sleeve border

Start a new row and repeat the pattern all the way around *4 sc in the mesh stitch, 1 sc in the middle stitch*, ss into the 1st sc to end this round. Chain 1 then fasten off.

STEP 9: repeat the same pattern from steps 3 to 8 on the other side to make the 2nd front panel

STEP 10: sc border around the front panels

Attach the yarn with a knot in the bottom left corner of the front panel. Chain 1 to secure.

At the bottom of the front panel - repeat *3 sc in the mesh stitch, 1 sc in the middle*

At the sides of the front panel - repeat *2 sc in the mesh stitch, 1 sc in the middle*

- You can adjust how many sc you do in the mesh stitch to your liking! More sc = more curve / less sc = tighter edge/less curve

STEP 11: bow tie/string

Make a slip knot and chain 120+ or until the piece is around 30-40 inches long. Skip the 1st chain then ss into every chain down the piece. Fasten off and cut the ends.