Vintage Crochet Cardigan Pattern with Heart Stitch

Bring a vintage feel to your wardrobe with a heart-stitch crochet cardigan, sloping V-neck, gathered cuffs, and a playful Peter Pan collar.

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Vintage details become the focus of this crochet cardigan through its repeating heart-stitch texture and softly shaped V-neck. The main fabric is worked with acrylic yarn, allowing the finished crochet garment to develop the flowy drape that makes this style especially distinctive.

From the back panel to the two fronts and sleeves, the same stitch rhythm keeps the crocheting approachable while the neckline introduces a more shaped section. Once the main pieces are joined, contrasting yarn turns the collar and cuffs into decorative features, with scalloped edging adding another vintage-inspired detail.

Credit Yaan_Vlogs

Materials & Tools

Main Yarn: Acrylic yarn for the cardigan body and sleeves. The tutorial notes that acrylic stretches and gives the garment a flowy drape.
Accent Yarn: A slightly thinner yarn, such as the leftover Drops yarn used in the tutorial in a maroon/contrast shade, for the collar and cuff edging.
Main Hook: 4.5 mm crochet hook.
Accent Hook: 4.0 mm crochet hook for the thinner yarn used around the collar and cuffs.
Stitch Markers
Darning/Tapestry Needle
Scissors
Measuring Tape
Buttons

Finished Size & Customization

The demonstrated cardigan is approximately Medium–Large (M-L).

The tutorial measurements are:

Back Panel: 18 inches long and 36 inches in total circumference.
Front Panels: 8.5 inches wide each.
Sleeves: 18.5–19 inches long before the cuffs.
V-Neck: Approximately 7 inches deep.

A smaller XS-S version can be made by adjusting the starting chains.

Because the acrylic yarn stretches significantly—approximately 1–1.5 inches after the first row—make the foundation chain about 1 inch shorter than the required unstretched measurement.

The back-panel length can be changed according to your preferred finished length. The V-neck depth can be adjusted by beginning the neckline decreases earlier or later, while the collar can be made broader by adding more rows.

Gauge & Foundation Chain

For the demonstrated Size M-L, the back begins with 66 chains. Since the yarn stretches, measure the foundation chain before continuing and keep it approximately 1 inch shorter than the desired unstretched back width.

For the front panels, begin with 35 chains, giving approximately 8.5 inches of width.

Abbreviations

CH = chain
DC = double crochet
SC = single crochet
SK = skip
ST(S) = stitch(es)
V-Stitch = 1 DC, CH 1, 1 DC in the same space

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Heart Stitch

To make one Heart Stitch, yarn over, insert the hook into the stitch, and pull up a loop. Yarn over, insert the hook into the same stitch, and pull up another loop, giving you 5 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all the loops.

For this cardigan, the Heart Stitch Sequence is: 1 Heart Stitch, CH 1, 1 Heart Stitch in the same space.

Crochet the Back Panel

The back panel establishes the repeating heart texture used throughout the main fabric.

Step 1: With the 4.5 mm hook, CH 66 for Size M-L, keeping the foundation chain approximately 1 inch shorter than your actual required back width because of the acrylic yarn’s stretch.

Row 1: SK the first 2 chains, which count as 1 DC, then DC in the 3rd chain from the hook and DC in the next 3 chains, giving 5 DCs. CH 1, SK 1 chain, make a Heart Stitch Sequence in the next chain [Heart Stitch, CH 1, Heart Stitch in the same loop], CH 1, SK 1 chain, then DC in the next 5 chains. Repeat [CH 1, SK 1, Heart Stitch Sequence, CH 1, SK 1, 5 DC] across the row. When 2 chains remain, CH 1, SK 1 chain, and place 1 DC in the final chain.

Row 2: CH 3, turn. Place a Heart Stitch Sequence directly into the CH-1 space between the two halves of the Heart Stitch from the previous row. CH 1, SK the chain spaces, then place 1 DC in each of the next 5 DCs. Repeat [CH 1, Heart Stitch Sequence in the previous Heart space, CH 1, 5 DC] across the row.

Rows 3+: Repeat Row 2 until the back panel reaches the desired length. In the tutorial, the back reaches approximately 18 inches after 37 rows.

Fasten off after completing the back panel, leaving a long yarn tail for seaming.

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Teaching Guide: Let the Heart Motif Develop

The first row may not immediately look like the finished heart texture, so resist the temptation to judge the motif too early. The tutorial specifically notes that the heart becomes well defined in Row 2.

When working the second row, look for the CH-1 space between the two halves of each Heart Stitch from the previous row. That is where the next Heart Stitch Sequence belongs. Keeping these spaces aligned is what allows the motifs to continue vertically through the fabric.

The stitch marker can also help you maintain the first stitch and prevent the panel edges from gradually changing. Most importantly, keep the acrylic yarn’s stretch in mind when checking the foundation-chain measurement.

Crochet the Front Panels

Make 2 front panels using the same heart-stitch sequence as the back.

Step 1: CH 35 for each front panel, producing approximately 8.5 inches of width.

Rows 1-24: Follow the exact same stitch sequence used for the Back Panel and work back and forth for 24 rows.

Row 25 – Begin the V-Neck Decrease: Work the normal stitch pattern until reaching the final stitches on the side where the neckline will be shaped. For the decrease, yarn over, insert the hook into the chain space and pull up a loop, then insert the hook directly into the final stitch and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 3 loops, then yarn over and pull through the remaining loops to create the modified DC decrease.

Row 26+: Turn, CH 3, and continue the normal stitch pattern across. Keep the armhole side completely straight and make the decreases only along the V-neck edge. On every pass at the neckline, skip the space chain and work the DC decrease directly into the final stitch so the neckline continues slanting diagonally upward. Continue until you reach 37 rows, matching the back-panel row count.

Repeat the same process for the second front panel, creating the mirrored front section.

V-Neck Checkpoint

Before joining the garment, place the two front panels beside the back panel and check that their straight outer edges and neckline edges are positioned correctly. The front panels should leave the intended opening between them, while the decrease edge creates the diagonal line toward the approximately 7-inch-deep V-neck.

If the neckline needs to be shallower or deeper for your preferred fit, the tutorial allows this adjustment by changing when the decreases begin. Keep the armhole side straight while making that adjustment.

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Crochet the Sleeves

Make 2 sleeves using the same repeating stitch pattern of 5 DCs and the Heart Stitch Sequence.

Step 1: Using the 4.5 mm hook, crochet the repeating pattern until the sleeve reaches approximately 18.5–19 inches in length, leaving the remaining length needed for the gathered cuff.

Assemble the Main Garment

Step 1 – Shoulders: Lay the back panel flat and position the two front panels on top. Seam the shoulders together using your preferred joining method, such as slip stitching or a darning needle.

Step 2 – Sleeves: Lay the garment flat again. Find the center of each sleeve and align it with the corresponding shoulder seam. Attach the sleeves to the armholes.

Step 3 – Body and Underarms: Fold the cardigan in half and seam down the underside of the sleeves and along the sides of the body panels to close the garment.

Add the Peter Pan Collar

Switch to the 4.0 mm hook and the thinner accent yarn.

Step 1: Attach the accent yarn to the front panel exactly two rows before the V-neck decreases began.

Base Row: SC evenly up the V-neck, across the back neckline, and down the opposite front panel to the matching point.

Row 1: CH 2, which counts as 1 DC. Make a V-Stitch [1 DC, CH 1, 1 DC] in the same loop. SK 1 stitch, then make a V-Stitch in the next. Continue skipping 1 stitch and placing a V-Stitch across the neckline, making sure the row ends on a V-Stitch.

Row 2 – Increase: CH 3, which counts as 1 DC + 1 CH. Make a DC into the immediate first chain to create an increasing V-Stitch at the edge. Make a V-Stitch into the center of every V-Stitch from the previous row. At the final V-Stitch, add an extra DC into the very last chain to increase the opposite edge.

Rows 3-5: CH 3, turn. Create a V-Stitch in the immediate first chain to increase the edge, then make a V-Stitch in every V-Stitch across. Add an extra DC at the end. Repeat until you have 5 rows total, or continue for additional rows if you prefer a broader collar.

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Create the Gathered Cuffs

Repeat these steps for both sleeves.

Step 1 – Decrease Row: Attach the maroon or accent yarn at the end of the sleeve. Crochet one row of decreases evenly around the sleeve to create the gathered, balloon-like shape.

Step 2: Following the collar pattern, work 3 rows of V-Stitches around the cuff.

Step 3: Finish the cuff edge with a decorative scallop stitch, such as 5 DC in one stitch, SK 1, slip stitch in the next.