This is a crochet pattern review of the Midnight Waffle Cardigan pattern by designer For the Frills. Review done by A Stitch Shy of Normal for EyeLoveKnots.
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Find the crochet pattern review below, click here to find the free pattern on their site, or purchase the PDF on Etsy!
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I love a good cardigan. I mean, who doesn’t? I can’t image anyone who doesn’t appreciate a comfy, cozy sweater to wrap up in when it gets cold. I love the versatility of a good cardigan too. Put it on with dress pants and a button-down shirt and it’s a classy work outfit! Throw it on with leggings and a t-shirt? Perfect lazy Saturday fit. They’re just a wonderful thing to have in your wardrobe, which is why I have…well, let’s not answer that question. The number of cardigans I own has to be in the double digits at least. But I can say that I’ve made quite a few of them myself!
I’ve had my eye on this cardigan from For the Frills for a little while. I loved the look of the stitch texture, although I assumed it was standard waffle stitch (more on that later) so I thought it would be pretty heavy and would take a while to stitch up. I’m (still) working through old yarn from my stash and discovered four whole skeins of this beautiful tweed yarn in a deep almost-black navy shade, and knew they needed to be made into something perfect. I took a look at my Ravelry favorites page factoring in the yardage I had, and I was excited to see this sweater pattern should work with what I had!
I think it was a match made in heaven. The tweed gives even more depth and texture to an already gorgeous stitch pattern. The deep colorway makes it look professional and smart. This pattern is written to be lightweight and feel like you’re wearing a cloud, and this Tweed line is a very light and bouncy acrylic. They were perfect for each other. I had a blast working this one up and I recommend you do the same!
It’s me, Abigail with A Stitch Shy of Normal
Visit with me on Instagram @astitchshyofnormal for all kinds of awesome crochet makes and inspiration!
What Materials Do I Need to Crochet a Cardigan?
- 1500-1600 yards of worsted weight yarn – I used 4 skeins of Big Twist Tweed in Navy (linking to the Ravelry page about the yarn because Joann’s page on it is leading to an error for me). Just as a note, I did use up all 4 skeins and was not able to add pockets so the yardage would be a little more.
- J10/6mm crochet hook – I love to use Clover Amour
- Scissors and yarn needle for finishing
- Midnight Waffle Cardigan Pattern, available as a free pattern on For the Frills blog or a paid download through Etsy here!
Material Notes:
I sort of said this earlier, but I felt that this yarn was PERFECT for this project. The stitching makes this big oversized slouchy cardigan feel like you’re wearing a cloud, and this yarn lent itself beautifully to enhancing that effect. It’s acrylic, so it’s washed up nicely the one time I’ve tried so far. The color is gorgeous, and it’s a very affordable choice of yarn. This yarn would have been somewhere in the range of $24 dollars assuming I didn’t use a coupon, which I’m sure I did.
However, as we know, Big Twist yarn is likely no more. That was proven when I tried to link the yarn above and Joann’s own site about it leads to an error page now. So what would I use next time or recommend instead?
I think something like Vanna’s Choice would give a similar feel, and also has some nice tweedy colorways. This is just my own opinion but if I was trying to replicate the feel of this cardigan I just have a gut feeling that Vanna’s Choice would work up similarly (although without a sale price it would be more expensive as these are smaller skeins). You probably knew I would say it, but Red Heart Super Saver is always a good choice in my opinion as well. Durable, gorgeous colors, works up soft and washes well. I’ve made my fair share of garments using Super Saver and it does not disappoint. Or another classic choice is Lion Brand Basic Stitch. That’s also one of my go-to choices for garments.
How Long Does it Take to Crochet a Waffle Cardigan?
I was definitely getting excited towards the end and working on this a lot over the weekends, so I finished this in roughly two weeks. This was my main project that I would work on after my toddler went to bed.
If I had to put it in terms of hours, this was maybe 20-25 hours in all. Pretty standard for a cardigan in my opinion if not slightly faster without assembly at the end.
What is the Sizing for the Midnight Waffle Cardigan?
I made the Small in this pattern, and it has written sizes from XS to 5XL.
Listed dimensions for my size are 21″ back width, 6″ armholes, 15.5″ sleeves, and 25″ length.
My cardigan measures 23″ wide laying flat, 7″ armholes, 17″ sleeves, and it’s about 28″ long. You can tell my sizing came out a little big. I was aware of this from the gauge swatch which is why I picked small over medium, when I fall into either category depending on the item. I figured I’d size down and if it still came out nice and oversized it would be a perfect fit! And it did work out to be a great size choice for me.
Gauge:
Pattern gauge is 14.5 stitches by 9.5 rows in the “Crumpled Waffle Stitch”, which is the main stitch used in this pattern.
My gauge worked out to be a little larger. My notes from my swatch say 13-14 stitches wide and 9 rows. This makes sense with my measurements being just a touch larger. The small difference in gauge adds up and I added basically a couple of inches in every direction to my finished product. I think it lends a nice touch of extra oversized snuggle to it!
All About the Midnight Waffle Cardigan Crochet Pattern:
I loved this pattern start to finish.
I was happy to learn when I started it that although it looks like the infamously yarn-eating waffle stitch from a distance, this stitch actually is much easier on the yardage and your patience working it up. I hadn’t used this stitch before to my knowledge and found it really cool! It’s essentially just alternating back and front loop stitches but in a specific way that causes a waffle-like texture. This also means it’s much lighter physically since it doesn’t use the same extra yardage that the post-stitch waffle technique does. A long cardigan like this using that stitch would be pretty heavy. This one is so light and bouncy, I love it.
My other favorite part is that the ribbing is worked directly onto the cardigan while you stitch. It’s not an added step. Each row, you’re working a small portion in only the back loop at the beginning/end of the row in order to create the standard ribbing look we love on crochet garments. But you don’t need to stitch hundreds of rows of it at the end, instead you just work it while you make the cardigan itself.
Plus, there’s very little sewing involved! Some cardigans have you make separate panels and then assemble them all together at the end. This pattern involves working the front and back sections as one large piece, then just seaming them together at the shoulders. You do work the sleeves as their own pieces, and you sew those on. So it’s not without some assembly and some sewing, but it’s less than many other patterns. I appreciate this because sewing components together is my least favorite part of garment crocheting, even though I love the results.
The pattern does include instructions for pockets, but since I was using stash yarn I didn’t want to buy anything extra if possible. And considering when I was working on this (February 2025), I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get more of this yarn. It’s the Joann store brand Big Twist, so even if they had any stock left in my local store(s) I’d be trying to find it amidst liquidation craziness and people trying to get a “deal” on yarn. I didn’t want to bother with that just for pockets. This way I could end where I was and eliminate these four skeins from my stash without adding anything more! I did end up with just a small bit of the fourth skein left, not enough to make one pocket. That’s why I’m saying I was not able to. I love how they look in the pattern and if I find a cute coordinating color in my stash I might add them on later.
I found this pattern a wonderful experience. The stitch texture is interesting but not too hard to get used to. The construction has small touches that make it easier to work up and lead to a lightweight and gorgeous piece. The instructions are straightforward and there’s helpful pictures in the paid PDF version if you can’t picture something in the written directions. And I ended up with this pretty and comfy piece for my wardrobe that I’ve already worn to work a couple of times this winter and loved! It’s so warm, even though it feels light. The crumpled waffle stitch texture can block the chill pretty well!
What’s your favorite unique stitch that you’ve discovered or even come up with yourself that I should try? I’m always open to finding new techniques and stitches!
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