Off the shoulder crochet sweaters can be made from separate panels, a continuous neckline and body piece, two matching panels, or one side to side body piece. These six original patterns identify their yarn, construction, and stated size range so you can compare the approach before starting.
Panel construction means real seaming at the end, so a tapestry needle is worth setting aside before you start.
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Items you’ll need:
- Crochet hooks
- Worsted weight yarn
- Tape measure
- Tapestry needles and stitch markers
- Embroidery scissors
- Blocking mat and pins
Off the shoulder sweater patterns to explore
1. Off the Shoulder Sweater
Janne Kleivset’s off the shoulder sweater is crocheted from the bottom up in 4 pieces (front, a V-shaped back and two sleeves), then whip stitched together. The sleeves are written with a tight fit and worked from the cuffs up, without negative ease. It uses Hobbii Kind Feather, a 100% acrylic #3 light yarn that comes in 25 colors, in half double crochet with a J-10 (6 mm) hook, in sizes XS through 5XL. Her yarn calculator can help you estimate how much you need.
2. Easy Off Shoulder Cropped Sweater
Viv’s off-shoulder cropped sweater is written so you can make it off-shoulder and cropped, or on-the-shoulder and longer, fitted or oversized, and the sleeves can be as wide or as long as you want. The tutorial version uses DK weight yarn (about 290 g) and a 4 mm hook, and she also made a similar size in medium weight Red Heart Super Saver, using 420 g, just over 2 skeins, which took about 7 hours. She suggests it as a first sweater.
3. Priscilla Off the Shoulder Sweater
Terri Ann Ward’s Priscilla sweater is rated intermediate and uses alternating single crochet and triple crochet cross-over rows in two matching panels, sized XS through 5XL. The sample is Lion Brand Truboo in Silver, a category 3 yarn, and she says it slides well on the hook without splitting; Premier Cotton Fair is a substitute. Gauge is 4 stitches per inch and 25 rows over 4 inches, and the pattern includes calculations to add or subtract inches from the body. The free pattern is on the page and an ad-free PDF is on Etsy.
4. Hug Me Off the Shoulder Sweater
The Knotty Lace’s Hug Me sweater is worked side to side, so you can measure as you go and adjust the size easily, and the sleeves and cuffs are worked together in one piece. It uses herringbone stitch, in a category 4 yarn (Loops & Threads Soft & Shiny) on 3.5, 4.5 and 5.5 mm hooks, sized XS through 5XL with a snug negative-ease fit. The pattern has a written version and a video tutorial that is also on her YouTube channel.
5. Pretty Off Shoulder Crop Top
Jenny and Teddy’s crop top uses Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton and a 3.5 mm (E/4) hook, with a gauge of 4 single crochets by 4 rows to a square inch, so you check your gauge. It begins from a 111-chain foundation with a back-loop single crochet body and an openwork double crochet and chain lace section, and a chain strap threads through the side loops for the off shoulder fit. The pattern is free, and an ad-free PDF is sold on Etsy.
6. Four Panel Off the Shoulder Sweater
Faith’s four-panel off-the-shoulder sweater is an oversized batwing design in a light weight yarn, chosen to give a great drape for transitional weather, made in four pieces (two body panels and two sleeves). Sizes are clustered (XS/S, M/L, XL/2XL, 3XL/4XL and 5XL), which the page says can be customized lengthwise. It uses medium weight yarn on a 4 mm hook, with hdc, sc and hdc2tog stitches.
