My husband has put in a request for a sweater. He doesn’t do this a lot, even though he does love clothes and fashion. He knows that most commercially available sweaters are far more affordable to buy than to have me make. The cardigan he has requested is pictured below. It’s a cashmere cardigan, which means that it is pretty pricey from the store (but still probably less expensive than I could make it for if I were to use cashmere yarn). But it is nice to have something special and handmade and I can adjust it so it fits him the way he wants. And I get the fun (fun?) of figuring out a new pattern. It doesn’t look overly complicated, other than sorting out the collar/opening, but it just occurred to me this morning that the last cardigan I made for myself is a pretty similar construction, so I might begin with that as a starting point.
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If you don’t have a wife/partner who will devote hours of their life to knitting a cardigan for you with out a pattern, you can buy one of these here. Or if you don’t want to try to figure out your own pattern to make your beloved a beautiful handmade cardigan, check out some of these patterns for some great options.
You could try the Easy Men’s Hooded Jacket from Vintage Pattern Faves. I think the first sweater I ever knit had a hood, but it was a 3-month old size, for my firstborn. I can’t remember if I kept it (shame if I didn’t). It was yellow with cute red ladybug buttons. It took way less time than a long hooded cardigan like this one would take, but I really love the relaxed style of this cardigan.
I shall not exclude the crocheters from this collection of men’s cardigans and sweaters. Check out the Mountain Ridge Men’s Cardigan Crochet Pattern from MJs Off The Hook Designs if you are a crocheter wanting to try making a cardigan for your loved one or yourself.
This Willem Cardigan Crochet Pattern from Home of the Hook also has a hood! Hooded cardigans for every kind of fibre artist! I would put some pockets on this bad boy (because everyone needs more pockets!), but this one is also pretty cool as is.
The Gear Cardigan Knitting Pattern from Vi Talina Craft is a pattern I considered basing my husband’s cardigan off of. It has a really different collar though, and I think that’s the tricky part. I do love the texture on this cardigan. How do we feel about no buttons on this guy? And also, dammit, where are the pockets?!
The Men’s Easy Knit Cardigan Knitting Pattern from Hobo Hooks gets a pass on no pockets because it’s not a big chunky cardigan. It looks like it would be a relatively quick knit and has a timeless style that I think any guy would appreciate.
Ok, maybe I should just show my husband this bad boy and call it a day. The Men’s Striped Cardigan with Pockets Knitting Pattern from Best Knitting PDF has it all: stripes? Check! Integrated pockets? Check! Oversized shawl collar? Check! Stylish, waist-cinching tie? Check!
Ok, back to crochet. I’m not sure how I feel about this Men’s Crochet Double Fronted Cardigan from Seyhall Crochet Design… it’s not totally my jam, but I do appreciate the wide shawl collar and I love the textural elements. If you’re a crocheter looking for a double-breasted (or double-fronted? What’s up with that?) cardigan sweater pattern for your beau, this is just the thing!
Here’s a gender-neutral cardigan for you. If you need some motivation to make a cardigan for your man, perhaps you can motivate yourself by imagining yourself borrowing it? The Field Day Jacket Knit Cardigan Sweater Pattern from Ozetta is the perfect sweater to borrow for a cozy night in or a stylish walk to the coffee shop.
This Vintage Men’s Cabled Cardigan Knitting Pattern from Hobo Hooks has subtle cables down the sleeves and button band and your man will look just as dapper as this dude wearing this cardigan with integrated pockets that are so nice this guy doesn’t even want to put his hands in them!
Ok, I know we’ve veered away from the cardigan here, but I was perusing looking at all the men’s sweater options in order to find something I might be able to modify. The Men’s Ribbed Sweater Knitting Pattern from Knit a Pattern is a beautiful ribbed knit sweater pattern that is another timeless classic if you are looking for one.
If you’re looking to get started with something simpler, the Men’s Easy Beginner Sweater Pullover Knitting Pattern from Vintage Pattern Faves is another stylish and timeless knit sweater pattern for you to check out. It is made with chunky yarn, so it works up quickly and you’ll be borrowing this sweater from your man in no time!
Ok, now here we are with the ladies. Sorry. I think the Meara Fisherman Cable Sweater Crochet Pattern from Hopeful Honey Designs is a gender-neutral cable sweater pattern that anyone could wear. It’s another classic. And did you see??? It’s CROCHET. Crocheted cables. So awesome… and cozy!
When I saw this Men’s Striped Raglan Pullover Sweater Knitting Pattern from Hobo Hooks, it reminded me of the colours of the cardigan that my husband wants. And honestly, I’m not finding exactly what I’m looking for so far, which is a little disappointing. I hope I can find a nice yarn in the colours he wants! Colour blocking is still pretty in right now, so this throwback vintage pattern is right on trend. So pick it up and get making today!
I hope you found a men’s cardigan or sweater pattern here to make for the man in your life (or yourself!). Grab a pattern and some yarn and get making today. Or pin it for later!
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