Materials & tools you'll need

5mm crochet hook (4.5mm–5.5mm workable, adjusting starting chain as needed) · Briggs & Little Sportweight wool, or another loosely twisted one-ply yarn, in four colorways · Yarn needle · Scissors · Blocking mats and pins · Wool wash

About the colorway: this version uses yarn dyed with plum branches and orange pekoe tea (reddish-brown), Concord grapes with an iron after-bath (blue-gray), rose petals and leaves with orange pekoe tea (yellow-orange), and onion skins with an iron after-bath (khaki green with white flecks). You don't need to dye your own yarn to make this pattern — any one-ply sportweight yarn in colors of your choice will work just as well.

Step 1 — Choose your yarn and hook

Pick a loosely twisted one-ply sportweight yarn — naturally dyed or otherwise — and a 5mm crochet hook. If you're using a different hook size, that's fine, but you may need to add or remove a couple of stitches at the beginning of your chain to keep the finished size on track.

Step 2 — Chain and work the ribbed hem

Make a slipknot and chain 81. This produces a panel about 22 inches (56cm) across, which becomes 44 inches around once front and back panels are joined — a nice baggy fit. To resize, add or subtract stitches from the chain in pairs, keeping an even number of adjustments. Double crochet into the fourth chain from the hook and across the row, chain two, and turn — this is your first row. For the next four rows, work the rib stitch: alternate one front post double crochet with one back post double crochet all the way across. For a front post double crochet, wrap the yarn around the hook, insert the hook behind the previous row's stitch column, and complete the double crochet as usual. For a back post double crochet, wrap the yarn around the hook, insert the hook behind the entire project and pull it through to the front, then complete the double crochet as usual. On the following row, work each stitch as the opposite of what sits below it — front post where you did back post, and back post where you did front post — to keep the ribbed columns running in the same direction throughout.

Step 3 — Work the striped body in color blocks

Once the ribbed hem is complete, switch to your next color and begin the body of the sweater in plain double crochet, working into the gap between stitch columns rather than into the top of each stitch for an easier, more even fabric. Work six rows in one color, then switch to your next color for another six rows, continuing to cycle through your chosen colorway in blocks of six rows each. Repeat this color-block pattern until the panel reaches your desired length — the original uses roughly seven color blocks total. Add or remove a full block of six rows at any point to make the finished piece shorter or longer.

Step 4 — Make a second identical panel

Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to create a second panel that matches the first — one will become the front of the sweater and one the back. Since both panels are identical, it doesn't matter which one you use for which side.

Step 5 — Block both panels

Pin both panels out on blocking mats to even out the stitches and set the finished dimensions, then soak them in a wool wash. Allow the panels to dry fully before moving on to assembly — this can take the better part of a day depending on humidity and temperature, so plan for it in advance.

Step 6 — Seam the shoulders and sides

Lay the two blocked panels together and, using the same hook, single crochet the shoulder seams first — about 21 to 23 stitches per shoulder, starting from the outer edge. This is fully customizable: use more stitches for a wider, more off-the-shoulder neckline, or fewer for a tighter fit. Once both shoulders are joined, single crochet up the side seams starting from the bottom hem, stopping once you reach the last few color blocks near the top of the panel — leaving this section open forms the armhole opening. Repeat on the other side.

Step 7 — Finish the neckline and armholes

To give the raw edges a clean, finished look, work a round or two of single crochet around the neckline and around each armhole opening. Weave in any remaining ends, give the seams one more check, and your baggy, striped, off-the-shoulder sweater is ready to wear.

Frequently asked questions

What crochet hook size should I use for this sweater?
A 5mm hook is used throughout this pattern, including for seaming. A slightly larger 5.5mm or smaller 4.5mm hook will also work — just add or remove a couple of starting chain stitches to compensate for the difference in gauge.

Can I use a different yarn for this pattern?
Yes. A loosely twisted, one-ply sportweight wool like Briggs & Little is used here because it takes natural dye beautifully, but any one-ply yarn of similar weight will work for the pattern, whether or not you dye it yourself.

How do I adjust the size and fit of the sweater?
Add or remove starting chain stitches in pairs to change the overall width. To adjust the neckline, use more or fewer single crochet stitches when seaming the shoulders — more stitches gives a wider, more off-the-shoulder neckline, while fewer gives a tighter fit. Add or remove full color blocks to change the length.

How is the sweater seamed together?
Both the shoulder seams and the side seams are joined with single crochet rather than a sewn seam. The side seams are left open for the last few color blocks near the top of each panel, which forms the armhole opening.

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