Boxy Cropped Crew Cardigan

A simple drop-shoulder cropped cardigan in worsted cotton. Boxy fit, crew neck, and straightforward seaming. Written for adult size Large.

Materials

• Worsted-weight cotton yarn: 1,150 yd (1,050 m)
• US 8 / 5 mm needles (straight or circular for flat knitting)
• US 7 / 4.5 mm needles for ribbing
• 6 buttons, ¾" (19 mm)
• Stitch markers, tapestry needle, spare needle or holders

Gauge

18 sts and 24 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on US 8, blocked. Check gauge. Adjust needle size if needed.

Size

Adult Large (one size as requested)

Finished measurements (blocked, worn closed):

• Bust: 48" (122 cm)
• Back width: 24" (61 cm)
• Length from shoulder: 18" (46 cm)
• Upper arm: 16" (40.5 cm)
• Sleeve length from underarm: 17" (43 cm)
• Armhole depth: 9" (23 cm)

Ease: approximately 6–8" over a 40–42" bust.

Abbreviations (US)

CO — cast on
BO — bind off
k — knit
p — purl
st(s) — stitch(es)
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
St st — stockinette (k RS, p WS)
k2tog — knit 2 together
ssk — slip, slip, knit
m1L — make 1 left
m1R — make 1 right
pm — place marker
sl — slip
wyib / wyif — with yarn in back / front
rep — repeat

Pattern Notes

• Worked flat, bottom up, seamed. Drop shoulders: sleeves are bound off straight across the top; no sleeve-cap shaping.
• Button bands and neckband are picked up after seaming shoulders.
• Selvedge: slip first stitch of every row purlwise wyif on WS / wyib on RS if you prefer a neater seam; counts include selvedge.
• Cotton has little bounce; block pieces before seaming and do not overstretch ribbing.

Instructions

Back

With US 7, CO 108 sts.

Rib: Work 1x1 rib (k1, p1) for 8 rows (about 1¼").

Change to US 8. Work even in St st until piece measures 9" from CO, ending with WS. (About 46 St st rows after rib; 8 rib + 46 = 54 rows ≈ 9".)

Armholes (drop shoulder): BO 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 100 sts remain. (108 − 8 = 100 ✓)

Work even until armhole measures 9" (54 rows), ending with WS. Total length about 18".

Shoulders and neck: BO 32 sts, k until 36 sts remain on left needle, BO remaining 32 sts. Fasten off. Place remaining 36 back-neck sts on holder. (32 + 36 + 32 = 100 ✓)

Left Front

With US 7, CO 50 sts.

Rib: 1x1 rib for 8 rows.

Change to US 8. Work St st until piece measures 9" from CO, ending with WS.

Armhole: BO 4 sts at beg of next RS row. 46 sts. (50 − 4 = 46 ✓)

Work even until armhole measures 6" (36 rows), ending with WS. (Neck begins 3" before shoulder.)

Neck shaping (RS): Work to last 8 sts, k2tog, k6. 45 sts. WS: Purl. RS: Work to last 8 sts, k2tog, k6. Rep last 2 rows 8 more times (9 decreases total). 37 sts. (46 − 9 = 37 ✓)

Work even until armhole matches Back (9", 54 rows from armhole BO), ending with WS.

Shoulder: BO 32 sts. Remaining 5 sts are inner-neck edge; place on holder for band. (32 + 5 = 37 ✓)

Right Front

Mirror Left Front.

CO 50 sts. Rib 8 rows. St st to 9".

Armhole: BO 4 sts at beg of a WS row. 46 sts.

Work even to 6" armhole, ending with RS.

Neck (WS): P6, p2tog, purl to end. RS: Knit. Rep these 2 rows until 9 decreases completed. 37 sts.

Work to same length as Left Front. BO 32 shoulder sts; remaining 5 sts on holder.

Sleeves (make 2)

With US 7, CO 40 sts.

Rib: 1x1 rib for 8 rows.

Change to US 8. Inc row (RS): K2, m1L, k to last 2 sts, m1R, k2. 42 sts.

Work 5 rows even. Rep Inc row every 6th row 15 more times (16 inc rows total). 72 sts. (40 + 32 = 72 ✓) (16 × 6 = 96 rows from first inc ≈ 16" plus rib ≈ 17¼" from CO; work even if needed until sleeve measures 17" from CO.)

Work even until sleeve measures 17" from CO, ending with WS.

BO all 72 sts.

Finishing

Block pieces to measurements: Back 24" × 18"; each Front 11" × 18" (50 sts ÷ 4.5 ≈ 11.1"); Sleeves 16" wide at top × 17" long.

Shoulders: Seam 32-st shoulders, matching fronts to back.

Sleeves: Center sleeve BO edge on shoulder seam; sew straight across the 9" armhole (72 sts ≈ 16"; ease slightly into armhole). Sew sleeve and side seams.

Button band (Left Front, as worn)

With US 7 and RS facing, pick up 81 sts along left front edge (about 3 sts per 4 rows over 18" plus rib).

Work 1x1 rib for 8 rows (about 1¼"). BO in rib.

Buttonhole band (Right Front)

Pick up 81 sts along right front edge.

Rib 3 rows. Buttonhole row: Work 5 sts, *yo, k2tog, rib 12 sts; rep from * 4 more times, yo, k2tog, rib to end. (6 buttonholes ✓)

Rib 4 more rows. BO in rib.

Crew neckband

With US 7 and RS facing, beginning at right front band edge: pick up 5 held right-front sts, 18 sts along right neck slope, 36 back-neck sts, 18 sts along left neck slope, 5 held left-front sts, plus 5 sts across each front-band top. 92 sts. (5+18+36+18+5+5+5 = 92 ✓)

Work 1x1 rib for 8 rows. BO in rib, not too tightly.

Sew on 6 buttons opposite buttonholes. Weave in ends. Lightly steam seams (cotton).