Made and counted by Wren —

Sunflower granny square cardigan pattern with 12-petal motifs

4mm hook, weight 4 yarn: crochet a sunflower granny square cardigan with 12-petal motifs.

IntermediateLevel

10-15 hoursTime

4 mmHook

Worsted (Weight 4)Yarn

Jump to the pattern

About this pattern

A granny-square cardigan built from brown-centered, yellow 12-petal sunflower motifs joined into a neutral background, finished with 2 rounds of ribbing at the front openings and hem plus a 1-round cuff at each sleeve. It uses weight 4 yarn in three colors with a 4mm (G/6) hook. The project suits intermediate crocheters and allows adjustments to sleeve length, overall fit, and pocket placement.

This cardigan builds from individual sunflower granny squares, each motif carrying a 12-petal yellow cluster worked around a brown center before the background color fills in the square. Body ribbing adds structure in 2 rounds along the front openings and hem, while a single-round cuff finishes each sleeve. The 12-petal count is the number to check first: miscounting here throws off every seam line that follows once squares join edge to edge. Intermediate crocheters comfortable with triple crochet clusters and front-post/back-post stitches can expect a customizable fit, including optional pockets and adjustable sleeve length.

The pattern

Written out round by round

Materials

Weight 4 yarn in three colors: brown (center), yellow (petals), and your main color (background)
4 mm crochet hook (G/6)
Darning needle
Scissors

Abbreviations

dc = double crochet

Sunflower Center (Brown Yarn)

Make a slip knot.

Round 1Chain 4, slip stitch into first chain to form a ring. Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet). Make 11 more double crochets into the ring (12 total). Slip stitch into top of first double crochet to close the round. Chain 1, pull tight, cut yarn.(12)

Petal Round (Yellow Yarn)

Attach yellow yarn with a slip knot into any stitch.

Round 1Chain 4. Triple crochet cluster: yarn over twice, insert hook into same stitch, pull up loop. Yarn over, pull through 2 loops, twice. Repeat 2 more times (3 partial triple crochets total). Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. Chain 2 (1 to secure petal, 1 as spacer). Repeat petal cluster in each stitch (12 petals total). After last petal, chain 2, slip stitch into top of first cluster. Cut and tie off yarn.(12)

Granny Stitch Rounds (Main Cardigan Color)

Attach main color in any chain-2 space.

Round 1Chain 3 (counts as DC), 2 DC in same space. Chain 2, 3 DC in same space (corner made). Chain 1, 3 DC in each chain-2 space. Create a new corner every 3rd space: (3 DC, ch 2, 3 DC). Finish with a half double crochet into the initial chain-3 to close.

Round 2Chain 3, 2 DC in join space. Chain 1, corner (3 DC, ch 2, 3 DC) in each corner space. 3 DC in each side space with chain-1 spacing. Finish with chain 1, slip stitch into top of starting chain-3. Fasten off and cut yarn.

Body Ribbing

Attach yarn to bottom corner.

Round 1DC evenly along bottom edge and up front openings.

Rounds 2–4Work front post and back post DC for ribbed effect. Neckline tip: At top, work 2 DC in each stitch across 5–6 stitches to prevent bunching.

Sleeve Cuffs

Attach yarn to sleeve edge, chain 9.

Round 18 back loop slip stitches. Slip stitch into next 2 stitches on sleeve edge. Turn, skip slip stitches, 8 back loop slip stitches.Repeat around the sleeve.Sew ends of the cuff together.

Assembly

Step 1Square Count — Total: 42 squares. Back: 16 squares (4x4). Front Panels: 8 each (2x4). Sleeves: 4 each (2x2). Optional Pockets: 2.

Step 2Joining Squares — Lay squares face down. Using a darning needle and matching yarn, whip stitch or mattress stitch through top loops only. Assemble panels accordingly.

Step 3Joining Panels — Attach front panels to back at shoulders. Attach sleeves to armholes.

Step 4Seaming — Sew side seams and underarm seams with same joining technique.

Step 5Weave in all yarn ends securely.

Step 6Steam the cardigan lightly to soften and shape the acrylic yarn (optional but recommended).

Step 7Try it on and admire your work—your handmade sunflower cardigan is ready to wear or gift!

Tester's notes

Use the 4mm (G/6) hook throughout; a half-size smaller keeps the triple crochet clusters tight enough that petals hold their shape.

Mark the first stitch of each round on the Body Ribbing's rows and the Sleeve Cuffs' chain-9 base, since both rely on returning to a fixed starting point for the post-stitch pattern and the back loop slip stitches.

Keep yarn overs snug on all 3 partial triple crochet repeats per petal; a loose yarn over at this stage is the most common cause of a lopsided 12-petal count.

Change from brown to yellow, and from yellow to the main color, by dropping the old color after the last pull-through of a round so the new color starts clean at the join.

Steam-block each sunflower square lightly before joining, since the acrylic weight 4 yarn holds shape better after light heat and flattens any petals that stand up unevenly.

Work in progress

Sunflower granny square cardigan pattern with 12-petal motifs — photo 2

Sunflower granny square cardigan pattern with 12-petal motifs — photo 3

At a glance

Rounds	7
Parts	5
Level	Intermediate
Time	10-15 hours
Hook	4 mm
Yarn	Worsted (Weight 4)

Gauge check

After the first sunflower motif, count the petals around the brown center: there should be 12, each sitting flat without the cluster top folding over its chain-2 spacer.

If the motif cups or ruffles, move to a larger hook; if petals overlap tightly, drop to a smaller one, since the pattern gives no fixed inch gauge and square size is judged by this flat-lying test instead.

Stitch-count checkpoints

Sunflower Center (Brown Yarn) · Round 1: 12 sts
Petal Round (Yellow Yarn) · Round 1: 12 sts

If something looks wrong

The sunflower motif cups instead of lying flat.: Yarn overs on the partial triple crochet clusters are pulled too tight, shortening the petals relative to the chain-4 base. Loosen tension on the yarn-over-twice step and recheck that all 12 petals sit at the same height around the center.
The neckline puckers or pulls tight across the top edge.: The 2-DC increase meant for the 5-6 stitches at the top wasn't worked widely enough to ease the curve. Recount that 5-6 stitch stretch and add the extra DC exactly where it's called for.
The body ribbing rolls instead of sitting flat and ribbed.: Front post and back post double crochets were worked into the wrong stitch of the previous row, breaking the alternating rib. Check rows 2 through 4 and confirm each post stitch sits directly over its matching post from the row below.
The sleeve cuff gapes away from the sleeve opening.: The chain-9 foundation was worked looser than the 8 back loop slip stitches that follow it, leaving extra length. Rechain the 9 stitches at the same tension as the slip stitches, or skip an extra sleeve-edge stitch when slip-stitching to take up the slack.

Yarn substitutions

Cotton, weight 4 (worsted)	Produces a heavier, less stretchy fabric with crisper petal definition on the sunflower motifs. Stays with the same 4mm hook, but expect a slightly smaller finished square since cotton has less give.
Wool-blend, weight 4 (worsted)	Adds drape and lets the petals curl softly instead of standing rigid. Size up to a 4.5mm hook if the fabric feels stiff, since wool blends often need more room than acrylic.
Acrylic-cotton blend, weight 4 (worsted)	Keeps petals close to the pattern's intended structure while softening the hand of the finished cardigan. No hook change needed, and it steam-blocks the same way as 100% acrylic.

Original pattern: https://crocheteverything.com/gorgeous-crochet-granny-square-sunflower-cardigan-from-scratch-pattern/

FAQs

Questions

Can the petal count be changed from 12?

The 12-petal count sets the stitch multiple for the center ring, so dropping petals changes the ring's circumference and the square's finished size. Keep 12 petals per motif unless resizing every square and adjusting the ribbing stitch counts to match.

Do the three colors have to match the brown, yellow, and neutral suggestion?

The brown center and yellow petals can swap for any two contrasting colors without changing the stitch counts, since construction depends on color order, not shade. The main background color can also change independently, since it's worked separately from the sunflower motif.

How does the cardigan size adjust for a larger or smaller fit?

Fit changes through the number of sunflower squares used and the length of the 2-round body ribbing and 1-round sleeve cuffs, not through the motif itself. Add or remove squares before working the ribbing rounds to change the overall width and length.