I don’t know about you, but I have a serious soft spot for cardigans that feel like a wearable hug. Cozy enough for chilly mornings, stylish enough for errands, and roomy enough that you actually reach for them. This ocean blue coastal granny hoodie checks every box with classic squares, a built-in hood, and almost no fussy seaming. The navy-medium-blue-cream palette gives pure coastal vibes that work all year.
About This Crochet Pattern
This relaxed-fit, hip-length hooded cardigan builds entirely from classic granny squares. Body, sleeves, and hood all come from the same motif in a coordinating colorway. It opens at the front with no closure, adds front patch pockets right into the lower body, and finishes with a clean single crochet border around the front edges and hood.
The construction stays modular. You crochet individual squares to gauge, join them flat with a slip-stitch or join-as-you-go method, then seam the panels. The hood starts as a simple rectangle of squares attached at the neckline. If you have ever made a granny square blanket, you already get the concept.
Skill level sits at intermediate. You need solid granny square gauge, join-as-you-go comfort, basic seaming, and the ability to pick up stitches for a border. No fancy shaping stitches show up. Accuracy with motif size and assembly decides whether the finished dimensions land right.
Expect 40 to 60 hours for an average intermediate crocheter, not counting blocking time.
Finished Measurements
Each granny square measures 4 inches by 4 inches after blocking.
- Size Small: Bust 36 in, length 28 in, sleeve 22 in
- Size Medium: Bust 40 in, length 28 in, sleeve 22 in
- Size Large: Bust 44 in, length 28 in, sleeve 22 in
- Size XL: Bust 48 in, length 28 in, sleeve 22 in
The pattern writes for Medium. Size adjustments appear in parentheses (S, M, L, XL) where numbers change.
Materials Needed
Yarn
Grab worsted weight (CYCA #4) in three colors:
- Color A (Navy): about 600 (600, 700, 750) yards
- Color B (Medium blue): about 400 (400, 450, 500) yards
- Color C (Cream): about 250 (250, 300, 350) yards
Yarn suggestions:
- Lion Brand Wool-Ease — machine washable, great stitch definition
- Paintbox Yarns Simply DK used doubled — soft and drapey
- Cascade 220 Superwash — superior definition and slight halo
Any smooth worsted that hits gauge works. Skip highly textured yarns; they hide the granny pattern.
Hook
US size J-10 / 6.0 mm.
Notions
Yarn needle, scissors, four stitch markers, rust-proof pins for blocking.
Gauge
One blocked granny square must equal 4 inches square. Too big and the hoodie balloons. Too small and it turns tight. Make one full square, soak it, pin it flat, measure after drying, and adjust your hook until the number lands perfect.
Special Stitches and Techniques
Granny Cluster
Three double crochets worked into the same chain space, one after another. Classic and reliable.
Join As You Go (JAYG) Flat Join
On the final round of a new square, drop the working yarn, insert your hook into the matching space of the finished neighbor from front to back, pull the yarn through, and continue. The join sits almost invisible on the right side.
Single Crochet Border
Work one single crochet into each double crochet and each chain-1 space along straight edges. Drop two single crochets into every corner chain-2 space. Clean and sturdy.
How to Crochet the Full Granny Square
Color sequence stays consistent: Round 1 Color A, Round 2 Color B, Round 3 Color C, Round 4 Color A. That gives you a navy center, medium-blue ring, cream ring, and navy outer edge.
Foundation: Color A, chain 4, join into a ring.
Round 1: Chain 3, 2 dc in ring, chain 2, (3 dc, chain 2) three times, join. Fasten off.
Round 2: Join Color B in any corner. Work (3 dc, chain 2, 3 dc) in each corner with chain 1 between. Fasten off.
Round 3: Join Color C. Corners stay (3 dc, chain 2, 3 dc), add a 3-dc cluster in each side chain-1 space.
Round 4: Join Color A. Same corner treatment, plus two 3-dc clusters along each side. Fasten off.
You end with 16 clusters and the classic granny look.
Assembly Layout for the Granny Square Cardigan
Panels form grids. Join squares left to right, bottom to top.
For Medium:
- Back: 5 wide × 7 tall (35 squares)
- Each front: 3 wide × 7 tall (21 squares each)
- Each sleeve: 5 wide × 6 tall (30 squares each)
- Hood: 4 wide × 3 tall (12 squares)
- Two pocket squares
Total for Medium: 151 squares. Use JAYG on every shared edge during Round 4. When a square touches two neighbors, join both edges at once.
Garment Construction
Block every panel first. Check dimensions.
Shoulder seams: Align each front panel over the back top edge (covering two squares) and slip-stitch seam. The center back square stays open for the neckline.
Side seams: Seam from the bottom up, leaving the top two squares open for armholes.
Sleeves: Fold each sleeve panel, center it on the armhole, seam the top edge, then close the underarm seam from cuff up.
Hood: Fold the hood rectangle, seam the top edge, turn right side out, then ease the open edge onto the neckline and seam. Extra width gives natural fullness.
Pockets: Center each standalone square on the lower front panels and whipstitch the bottom and sides, leaving the top open.
Border: Single crochet up the right front, around the hood, and down the left front with Color A.
Tips for Success with This Crochet Tutorial
Block every single square before you join. Consistent 4-inch squares make the panels line up like magic. Use stitch markers on every corner you plan to join. The first few JAYG joins feel awkward; by square twenty you will fly. Lay out panels often so you catch mistakes early. And never skip the gauge square—this is a garment, not a blanket. Fit matters.
You Might Also Like
- Mint Green Bear Hoodie Baby Cardigan Free Crochet Pattern
- Earthy Neutral Mesh Cropped Hoodie Free Crochet Pattern
- Winter Deer Snowflake Crochet Sweater Free Pattern
- Terracotta Sunset Poncho Free Crochet Pattern
- Sunshine Yellow Boho Pineapple Top Free Crochet Pattern
FAQ’s
How many squares do I actually need?
Size Small needs 115, Medium 151, Large 158, XL 187. Count twice before you start the final rounds.
Can I change the colors?
Absolutely. Keep the four-round sequence and any smooth worsted that hits gauge. Coastal blues and cream just feel right for this one.
Is the hood hard to attach?
Not really. The extra width eases in nicely. Pin well and distribute the fullness evenly so it sits without puckers.
Do the pockets stay put?
Yes if you whipstitch the bottom and sides securely. Leave the top open so you can actually use them.
What if my squares vary slightly in size?
Block aggressively and re-measure. Small variations compound fast across 150 squares. Consistency is the whole game.
How long will this really take?
Forty to sixty hours for most intermediate crocheters. The squares themselves move fast once you hit a rhythm; assembly and the border take focused time.
Final Thoughts
This ocean blue coastal granny hoodie turns a pile of classic squares into a cozy, year-round staple you will actually wear. The modular build keeps the process satisfying instead of overwhelming, and that hood transforms a simple cardigan into something special. Grab your navy, medium blue, and cream, block those squares, and enjoy every join. You will reach for this one constantly.
