Rust & Sage Granny Square Cardigan: Free Pattern

Same sunflower granny square, a whole new mood. This version of my free sunflower cardigan swaps the bright yellows for warm rust, soft sage green and cream — a calm, earthy palette that goes with denim, brown and everything in a fall wardrobe.

It is the same easy construction: one square made 54 times, joined into five flat panels and finished with cream ribbing. The full pattern is free below, with a photo for each stage. If you'd rather work from paper, the printable, ad-free PDF is in my Etsy shop.

The Rust & Sage Colorway

The trick is to make two kinds of square and alternate them like a checkerboard:

• Square A: cream center, rust petals, sage border.
• Square B: cream center, sage petals, rust border.

Make about half of each. All the joining and the ribbing are worked in cream, which frames every square and ties the two colors together. Prefer the classic look? The yellow sunflower version uses exactly the same steps.

Materials

• Aran / worsted weight (4) cotton yarn in cream, rust and sage green
• 5 mm (US H-8) crochet hook (UK sizes in my hook sizes chart)
• Yarn needle, scissors, stitch markers and a tape measure
• 3–5 buttons (optional)

Skill level: easy · Size: S–M · Squares: 54

The Two Special Stitches

Puff stitch — yarn over, insert the hook, yarn over and pull up a loop; do this 3 times in the same stitch (7 loops on the hook). Yarn over, pull through all the loops and ch 1 to lock it.

4-dc bobble — work 4 double crochets into one space but stop each one before its last step, so 5 loops sit on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 5.

Round 1: The Cream Center

Make a magic ring. Ch 3 — this counts as the first dc — then work 15 dc into the ring. Pull the tail tight and sl st into the top of the ch-3. Fasten off. You now have 16 stitches.

Rounds 2–3: The Petals

Round 2 (petal color): Join in any stitch. Ch 2 (not counted as a stitch), then a puff stitch in every stitch around. Sl st into the first puff and fasten off — 16 puffs.

Round 3 (petal color): Join in a gap between two puffs. Ch 2 (not counted), then a 4-dc bobble in every gap around. Sl st into the first bobble and fasten off — 16 bobbles.

Use rust for the petals of Square A and sage for Square B.

Round 4: Turning the Circle Into a Square

Join the border color (sage for Square A, rust for Square B) in a gap between two bobbles — this is your first corner.

1. Ch 4 (counts as a tr) and work 2 tr into the same gap.
2. In the next three gaps work 3 dc, then 3 hdc, then 3 dc. In the gap after that, make a corner: 3 tr, ch 3, 3 tr.
3. Repeat step 2 two more times.
4. Work 3 dc, 3 hdc and 3 dc in the last three gaps.
5. Finish the first corner with 3 tr and ch 3, then sl st into the top of the starting ch-4. Fasten off and weave in your ends.

Make, Block and Lay Out 54 Squares

Make 54 squares, about half of each kind, then wet-block them so they all dry the same size. Lay them out on the floor in a checkerboard of the two colorways and sort them into five panels:

• Back: 5 squares across, 4 down (20)
• Two fronts: 2 across, 4 down (8 each)
• Two sleeves: 3 across, 3 down (9 each)

Joining and Putting It Together

With cream, hold two squares together and sl st through the outer loops only. A neat raised ridge forms around each square. Join each panel this way, then assemble the cardigan with the wrong side facing out:

1. Join the top edges of the fronts to the back at the shoulders.
2. Starting at each shoulder seam, join the top edge of a sleeve across the armhole.
3. Fold each sleeve and join it from the cuff to the underarm.
4. Join the side seams from the underarm down to the hem.
5. Turn it right side out and try it on before the ribbing.

Cream Ribbing and Front Band

Make four strips in cream: the hem, two cuffs and one long front band that also goes around the neckline.

1. Ch the ribbing width you want, plus 1.
2. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across.
3. Ch 1, turn, and sc in the back loop only of every stitch.
4. Repeat step 3 until the strip fits its edge when stretched just a little. Fasten off.
5. Keep the front band narrower than the hem and cuffs.
6. Sew each strip on from the inside with sl st through both loops, so the seam lies flat.

Finishing

Add buttons if you like — the gaps between the stitches of the band work as buttonholes — or leave it open as in the photos. Weave in every end and give the finished cardigan one last gentle block.

Want the Printable Pattern?

The ad-free Sunflower Granny Square Cardigan PDF has every step with large photos, ready to print and keep beside you.

👉 Get the PDF pattern on Etsy

You are welcome to sell what you make from this pattern — please credit Crochet Henouda.