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Learn how to crochet this easy crochet coat with invisible pockets. The simple boxy silhouette combined with tapered sleeves creates a timeless crochet cardigan!

model wearing alpaca crochet cardigan with pockets and black leggings

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Is it a coat? Or a cardigan? The Stonewash Coatigan is chic, minimalist and wonderfully versatile! This modern crochet cardigan features tapered sleeves and seamless pockets for a coat-like look (hence the name Coat-igan ? ).

The long length makes this cardigan super easy to pair over jeans, dresses and leggings and the clean, streamlined look means that this coatigan will effortlessly fit into anyone’s wardrobe!

Simple Stitches

For the Stonewash Coatigan, the humble half double crochet is the star of the show! In this pattern half double crochets make up 99% of the entire cardigan. Simple stitches are often overlooked, but I find that there’s something so meditative about easy stitches. The body is repetitive so this is the perfect to crochet while watching Netflix!

model's hands in pockets of crochet coat with pockets made out of blue alpaca yarn

Construction

Despite its long length the Stonewash Coatigan only requires shoulder and armhole seaming, which greatly reduces the time you spend sewing!

We’ll start with the hem of the body panel which is crocheted entirely in one piece. We’ll crochet rows of half double crochet until it’s time to crochet the pockets. The pockets are crocheted directly onto the cardigan, and then the body panel is divided into 3 sections – 2 front panels and a back panel.

The armhole shaping is the key to the minimalist look of the coat. The gaps allow the sleeves to perfectly slot into body. The sleeves are crocheted from the armholes to cuff, this way you can double check that your sleeve will fit into the armhole slot.

The coat sleeves are worked in the round with half double crochets 2 together every few rounds to create the tapered shape.

Since we’ve eliminated sewing down the sides of the body and the sleeves of the cardigan, this means you can save on time that is better spent crocheting ?

close up on alpaca crochet cardigan with

How to Crochet Invisible Pockets

If you’ve never crocheted hidden pockets before, this technique might seem a bit daunting but it’s a lot easier than it looks – especially if you use stitch markers to help you out! When crocheting the body, we’ll have 2 sections where we’ll crochet back loop half double crochets. This is the key to creating a seamless pocket! We’ll crochet the bottom of the pocket directly into the left over front loops.

The pocket will be connected to the body a few rows later. We’ll crochet directly onto the top of the pocket and skip the same number of stitches on the body panel. This forms that hand opening for the pocket and then the sides of the pocket are whipped stitched in place. Just make sure to not insert your needle into the front of the cardigan. This will keep your pockets looking ‘invisible’.

If you’re still unsure about invisible crochet pockets, make sure to check out the full step-by-step video tutorial for a detailed demonstration.

Print and Crochet!

If you prefer paper patterns or love to crochet on the couch, you can always find a low-cost ad-free PDF version of all my free patterns. This nicely-formatted pdf contains 13 pages, with photos and a link to the video tutorial. You’ll also find the PDF to be a really valuable upgrade, as you can highlight you stitch counts, make notes and view it from your phone, tablet of laptop.

crochet cardigan pdf download printed onto paper

Design Inspiration

I’ve been dreaming of a structured crochet cardigan/coat for ages! Compare to knitting, I think crocheting lends itself well to more structured pieces and I wanted this design to look more like a coat than a slouchy casual cardigan (although I love those too! – check out the Briar Pocket Cardigan here!). I knew that the body of this cardigan would be quite long, so I decided to use a different construction method to reduce the seaming because sewing pieces together always takes me forever!

Since the overall look of this cardigan is clean and minimalist, I really wanted the pockets to be invisible/hidden within the body of the design rather than sewn on top. Initially I tried to make the pocket opening to be on an angle but that made the pattern ridiculously complicated and didn’t look nearly as neat. So, I scrapped that idea and went with horizontal pockets instead and I love the way they look!

Making these pockets is really a lot easier than it looks and they’re big enough to fit a smartphone. I really think that female clothes need to have more pockets because it makes life so much easier. ? However, you can leave of the pockets entirely if you want a smooth look and this crochet cardigan will be even easier to make!

Yarn

Let’s talk about the yarn! For this project, I used Drops Air in the colour fog. It’s a beautiful soft mix of pale blue, grey and white to give an overall look of a dusky blue. All the colours are a soft mix of 2-3 shades which give a gorgeous dappled or stonewashed effect to a garment.

Drops Air is a ‘blown’ yarn which means that unlike traditional spun yarns, fibre is blown into the centre of a mesh tube to create yarn. You can use less fibre per 100m, so this technique creates an incredibly light, yet strong fibre.

Blown yarns lend themselves well to more structured designs as it allows you to create long garments without them becoming too heavy and pulling down the design. On the other hand, blown yarns have very stiff drape and don’t tend to stretch out or ‘relax’ as much after blocking.

I love the way this yarn looks for the Coatigan as I think it enhances the minimalist, streamlined look however feel free to experiment with other yarns if you wish! This design would also look lovely for casual everyday wear in a merino or acrylic!

If you want the structured look but can’t find Drops Air, Wool and the Gang’s Feeling Good Yarn is a great substitute or Lion Brand’s LB Collection Chainette, is a chained yarn not a ‘blown’ yarn but it has similar properties of great yardage per 50g due to its chained, lightweight construction!

side view of blue crochet coat with pockets with video tutorial

Check out more free crochet patterns!

Crochet Coat Cardigan with Hidden Pockets - Free Pattern + Video

1. Briar Pocket Cardigan / 2. Top Down Quick & Chunky Sweater / 3. Julia Peplum Sweater

Stonewash Coatigan – Part 1

In part 1, we’re going to focus on creating the body and seamless pockets of the cardigan. The body is created from the bottom down and entirely in half double crochets. If you’d like to change the length of your coatigan there are alteration instructions along the way. The bottom of the pockets will be crocheted directly onto the body and then we’ll join the top of the pockets by crocheting across the body and pockets.

You can find Part 2 here!

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pin image of handmade crochet coat cardigan pattern with pockets
back view of crochet coat with hidden pockets

MINI EXPLANATION:

A long crochet cardigan with hidden pockets, tapered sleeves and a coat-like structure. This pattern uses half double crochets and half double crochet 2 stitches together to create a simple and minimalist crochet coat.

crochet coat cardigan pdf pattern displayed on ipad tablet

*Sample is a size small shown on a 5’3” model with a 32” bust.

*The sizing guide follows size XS(S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL). E.g. “Ch 139(151, 163, 175, 186, 199, 211) means Ch 139 for XS, Ch 151 for Small, Ch 163 for Medium, Ch 175 for Large, Ch 186 for XL, Ch 199 for 2XL and Ch 211 for 3XL. If only one number is mentioned, it applies to all sizes.

*”HDC 10″ means HDC into the next 10 stitches.

*”2HDC” means place 2 HDC into the same stitch.

*The turning chain ch 1 does NOT count as a stitch.

*Total stitches are indicated between < >.

*This pattern uses US crochet terms.

*The body of the coatigan is worked as one piece and crocheted in horizontal rows from the bottom up. Towards the top of the cardigan, we will fasten off and reattach the yarn to create armholes. 

Materials

Yarn – Drops Air – 10ply/Aran/Worsted/Medium(4), 150m/50g, 65% Alpaca + 28% Polyamide + 7% Wool, Fog (10)
9(10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) skeins

5mm (US H) Crochet Hook

Darning Needle

4 – 8 stitch markers

Scissors

Measurements cm:

Back width: 47(52, 57, 62, 67, 72, 77)

To fit Bust: 76(86, 96, 107, 117, 127, 137)

Measurements inches:

Back width: 18.5(20.5, 22.5, 24.5, 26.5, 28.5, 30.5)

To fit Bust: 30(34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54)

Full measurement guide available in the purchasable printable pdf!

Stitches & Abbreviations

Ch = Chain

Sl st = Slip Stitch

HDC = Half Double Crochet

HDC2tog = Half Double Crochet 2 stitches together

FL = Front Loop

BL = Back Loop

St(s) = Stitch(es)

Rep = Repeat

Sk = Skip

RS = Right Side

WS = Wrong Side

SM = Stitch Marker

GAUGE: 10cm/4” square = 15 stitches wide x 13 rows tall in half double crochet

Stonewash Coatigan Video Tutorial

Would you love to crochet a coat with invisible pockets but don’t know where to start? The video tutorial takes you through the entire pattern demonstrating how to crochet hidden pockets and the body panels in entirely one piece!

You can find the Part 2 video of the Stonewash Coatigan here!





Stonewash Pocket Coatigan Pattern

BODY (PART 1)

*In this pattern you can alter the length at two points – before the pocket and after the pocket by adding or removing rows. Keep in mind that if you add/remove rows before the pocket this will make your coatigan longer/shorter but the pocket placement will not change (the opening will fall around hip height). If you want to change the placement of your pocket you can add/remove rows after crocheting the pocket which will make your pocket fall lower/higher and make your coatigan longer/shorter.

FOUNDATION CHAIN: Ch 139(151, 163, 175, 186, 199, 211).

ROW 1: HDC in 2nd ch from the hook, HDC in each ch until end, turn.
<138(150, 162, 174, 186, 198, 210)>

ROW 2: Ch 1, HDC in each st until end, turn.
<138(150, 162, 174, 186, 198, 210)>

Repeat ROW 2 until ROW 20.
*You can add or remove rows to reach your desired length.
*If you don’t want to add pockets repeat ROW 2 until ROW 80(80, 82, 82, 84, 84, 86).

The pocket is hidden from the front of the cardigan by working stitches into the front loops. Afterwards, the pocket will be crocheted into back loops on the wrong side of cardigan.

ROW 21 (Bottom of Pocket Row): Ch 1, HDC 8(10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17), place SM into BL of the next st, FL HDC into same st, FL HDC 16, place SM into BL of the next st, FL HDC into same st, HDC 86(94, 104, 112, 122, 130, 140), place SM into BL of the next st, FL HDC into same st, FL HDC 16, place SM into BL of the next st, FL HDC into same st, HDC in each st until end, turn.
<138(150, 162, 174, 186, 198, 210)>

SMs form two sets, each in the first and last st of a pocket. Your SMs should be in the following sts –

Size: 1st pair                                       2nd pair
XS: 9th + 26th st                                113th + 130th st
S: 11th + 28th st                                123rd + 140th st
M: 12th + 29th st                               134th + 151st st
L: 14th + 31st st                                 144th + 161st st
XL: 15th + 32nd st                             155th + 172nd st                                
2XL: 17th + 34th st                            165th + 182nd st
3XL: 18th + 35th st                            176th + 193rd st

ROW 22: Ch 1, HDC in each st until end, turn.

Repeat ROW 22 until ROW 40. Do not fasten off.

POCKETS

With the wrong side facing you, remove the crochet hook.

For right handed crocheters – insert crochet hook into the front loop (previously the back loop when inserting the SM) of the right-hand stitch with a SM of one of the SM pairs.

For left handed crocheters – insert crochet hook into the front loop (previously the back loop when inserting the SM) of the left-hand stitch with a SM of one of the SM pairs.

close up of crochet hook inserted into front loops to create hidden pocket

Secure yarn (leave a 35cm/14” tail of yarn) and pull up a loop.

POCKET ROW 1: FL HDC into the first st with SM, FL HDC 16, FL HDC into last st with SM, turn.
<18>

POCKET ROW 2: Ch 1, HDC in each st until end, turn.
<18>

Repeat POCKET ROW 2 until POCKET ROW 20.  

*Note: The height of pocket should reach the top of ROW 40 of the ‘BODY’ portion.

Fasten off and leave a 35cm/14” tail of yarn.

Insert hook into the right/left hand st with a SM of the 2nd SM pair.

Repeat POCKET instructions for 2nd pocket.

wrong side of crochet cardigan with hidden pockets

BODY (PART 2)

We’ll now crochet along the body of the cardigan, pick up the pocket stitches and skip body sts to create the invisible pocket opening.

With the RS facing you, insert crochet hook into last st of BODY ROW 40 (where we left off before the pockets).

ROW 41 (JOINING ROW): Ch 1, HDC 8(10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17), crocheting into the 1st pocket – HDC 18, sk 18 sts along the body, crocheting into the body – HDC 86(94, 104, 112, 122, 130, 140), crocheting into the 2nd pocket – HDC 18, sk 18 sts along the body, crocheting into the body – HDC in each st until end, turn.
<138(150, 162, 174, 186, 198, 210)>

Joining crochet pockets to body of cardigan

ROW 42: Ch 1, HDC in each st until end, turn.
<138(150, 162, 174, 186, 198, 210)>

Repeat ROW 42 until ROW 80(80, 82, 82, 84, 84, 86).  

*You can add/remove rows to make your coatigan longer/shorter. Please keep in mind that this will alter the placement of the pockets (make the pockets fall lower/higher) on your body.

Do not fasten off. Proceed directly to the ‘ARMHOLE SHAPING’ instructions.

ARMHOLE SHAPING

Place SMs in the –
XS: 27th, 38th, 101st, 112th st
S: 30th, 41st, 110th, 121st st
M: 33rd, 44th, 119th, 130th st
L: 36th, 47th, 128th, 139th st
XL: 39th, 50th, 137th, 148th st
2XL: 42nd, 53rd, 146th, 157th st
3XL: 45th, 56th, 155th, 166th st

FIRST FRONT PANEL

ROW 1: Ch 1, HDC in each st until 1st SM, place HDC in st with SM, turn.
<27(30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45)>

ROW 2: Ch 1, HDC in each st until end, turn.

Repeat ROW 2 until ROW 18(20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30).  
<27(30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45)>

< Total Body Rows: 98(100, 104, 106, 110, 112, 116)>

*Height from FRONT PANEL ROW 1 to FRONT PANEL ROW 18(20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30) should measure 14(15.5, 17, 18.5, 20, 21.5, 23)cm/5.5(6, 6.5, 7.25, 7.75, 8.5, 9)”. Please double check measurements as the sleeve will need to slot into the gap.

Fasten off.

BACK PANEL

Insert crochet hook into 2nd st with a SM. Secure yarn and pull up a loop.

ROW 1: Ch 1, HDC in st with SM, HDC each st until 3rd SM, place HDC in st with SM, turn.
<64(70, 76, 82, 88, 94, 100)>

ROW 2: Ch 1, HDC in each st until end, turn.

Repeat ROW 2 until ROW 18(20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30).  
<64(70, 76, 82, 88, 94, 100)>

<Total Body Rows: 98(100, 104, 106, 110, 112, 116)>

*The height of the BACK PANEL should be the same as the FIRST FRONT PANEL.

Fasten off.

SECOND FRONT PANEL

Insert hook into last st with a SM. Secure yarn and pull up a loop.

ROW 1: Ch 1, HDC in st with SM, HDC each st until end, turn.
<64(70, 76, 82, 88, 94, 100)>

ROW 2: Ch 1, HDC in each st until end, turn.
<64(70, 76, 82, 88, 94, 100)>

Repeat ROW 2 until ROW 18(20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30).  
<27(30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45)>

<Total Body Rows: 98(100, 104, 106, 110, 112, 116)>

body of crochet cardigan with hidden pockets

*The height of the SECOND BACK PANEL should be the same as the FIRST FRONT PANEL and the BACK PANEL.

Fasten off.

To learn how to crochet the sleeves and sew everything together, follow Part 2 here ?

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