Ribbed Turtleneck Crochet Pullover Free Pattern: Modern Two-Tone Sweater

Ribbed Turtleneck Crochet Pullover: A Modern Two-Tone Sweater You Can Actually Make

Introduction

If you have ever looked at a cozy, store-bought turtleneck and thought, "I wish I could make that," this is the pattern for you. This modern two-tone pullover pairs a dusty rose body with a tall, folded grey turtleneck, and it is built from simple rectangles of half-double-crochet ribbing that you seam together at the end. It is perfect for a confident beginner who has mastered the basic stitches and is ready for a real, wearable garment, because there is no complicated shaping, no working in the round, and no fiddly stitch patterns to memorize. The finished sweater looks clean and polished, with a soft horizontal rib texture that stretches gently around your body and a collar that stands up about four inches when folded. Best of all, it feels like your favorite sweatshirt but looks like something you bought from a boutique.

Materials Needed

• Yarn (body and sleeves): Worsted weight (category 4) yarn, approximately 950 (1050, 1200) yards of dusty rose. The sample uses a smooth acrylic/wool blend.
• Yarn (collar): Worsted weight (category 4) yarn, approximately 300 (330, 360) yards of medium grey.
• Crochet hook: Size H/8 (5.0 mm), or whatever size you need to match the gauge below.
• Stitch markers: At least 6, to mark shoulder edges, underarms, and the start of collar rounds.
• Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped needle with a large eye for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Sharp craft scissors for cutting yarn.
• Measuring tape: For checking gauge and measuring your panels as you go.

Finished measurements — Sizes: S (M, L)

• Bust: 35 (38, 42) inches
• Length to underarm: 15 (15.5, 16) inches
• Sleeve length to underarm: 17 (17.5, 18) inches
• Collar height (folded double): 8 inches total, 4 inches worn

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch — chain. Make a loop of yarn on your hook, then pull the yarn through the loop. Each loop you pull through is one chain.
• st / sts — stitch / stitches. One completed loop of yarn on your work.
• hdc — half double crochet. Yarn over (wrap yarn around hook), insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (you now have 3 loops on your hook), yarn over, pull through all 3 loops at once. One hdc made.
• hdc-blo — half double crochet in the back loop only. Work the hdc exactly as above, but insert your hook only under the back loop of the stitch (the loop farthest from you) instead of under both loops. This creates the ribbed texture.
• RS — right side. The front, outward-facing side of your work.
• WS — wrong side. The back, inward-facing side of your work.
• turn — flip your work over so you can crochet back across the row you just finished.
• sl st — slip stitch. Insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull the yarn through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. Used here to join rounds.
• increase (inc) — work 2 stitches into the same stitch, which adds one stitch to your row.
• fasten off — cut the yarn a few inches from your work, then pull the tail through the last loop to lock it.
• rejoin yarn — make a slip knot on your hook, then attach it to the next stitch you need to work into.
• whipstitch — a simple seaming stitch: bring the needle through both layers from front to back, then over the top and through again, repeating along the edge.
• mattress stitch — a seaming stitch that goes under the horizontal bars between stitches on each edge, creating an invisible join.

Gauge

16 hdc x 14 rows = 4 inches in half-double-crochet ribbing (worked in back loops only, flat).

Why gauge matters: Gauge is how many stitches and rows fit into 4 inches of your fabric. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern's, your sweater will come out too large; if they are smaller, it will be too tight. Always check before you start a garment.

How to make a gauge swatch: Chain 22. Work Row 1: hdc in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain across (21 sts). Then repeat Row 2 (ch 2, hdc-blo in each st across) until your swatch is about 5 inches tall. Lay it flat, measure 4 inches across the middle, and count your stitches and rows. If you have more than 16 stitches in 4 inches, switch to a larger hook. If you have fewer, switch to a smaller hook. Wash and dry your swatch the way you plan to treat the finished sweater, because some yarns relax after washing.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Count your stitches at the end of every row. The ribbing hides mistakes well, so a dropped stitch can go unnoticed for several rows. A quick count keeps you on track.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Tension is the number one reason beginners end up with a stiff, narrow sweater. Keep your loops relaxed and let the hook do the work.
• Use stitch markers to track your edges. Place a marker in the first and last stitch of each panel so you always know where your increases and seams belong.
• Remember the ch 2 does not count as a stitch. Always work your first hdc into the very first stitch of the row, or your panels will slowly shrink.
• Work your increases into the first and last stitch of the row on sleeve rows, so the shaping stays neat and hidden in the seam.
• Keep your color changes at the seams. The body and sleeves are all dusty rose and the collar is all grey, so you never have to change color mid-row.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notes: Body and sleeves are worked flat in half-double-crochet ribbing (hdc worked in the back loop only), then seamed. The ribbing runs vertically: your rows run side to side, creating a stretchy horizontal rib. The ch 2 at the beginning of each row does not count as a stitch — work the first hdc into the first stitch.

Back Panel (dusty rose)

Ch 61 (66, 73).

Row 1: Hdc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (60 [65, 72] sts)

Row 2: Ch 2, hdc-blo in each st across. Turn. (60 [65, 72] sts)

Rows 3–53 (3–55, 3–57): Repeat Row 2 until the piece measures 15 (15.5, 16) inches from the beginning, ending after a wrong-side row. (60 [65, 72] sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming.

Front Panel (dusty rose)

Work exactly as for the Back Panel until the piece measures 12 (12.5, 13) inches, ending after a wrong-side row. (60 [65, 72] sts)

Shape neckline — Next row (RS): Ch 2, hdc-blo in the next 22 (24, 27) sts. Turn, leaving the remaining stitches unworked. (22 [24, 27] sts)

Next row: Ch 2, hdc-blo across. Turn. (22 [24, 27] sts)

Repeat the last row until the front measures the same as the back to the shoulder. Fasten off.

Neck center: Rejoin yarn to the 16 (17, 18) center stitches and work them evenly for 3 rows. Fasten off. (16 [17, 18] sts)

Opposite shoulder: Rejoin yarn to the remaining 22 (24, 27) stitches and work to match the first shoulder. Fasten off. (22 [24, 27] sts)

Sleeves (make 2, dusty rose)

Ch 41 (43, 45).

Row 1: Hdc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (40 [42, 44] sts)

Row 2: Ch 2, hdc-blo in each st across. Turn. (40 [42, 44] sts)

Increase rows: Repeat Row 2, increasing 1 st at each end every 6th row 6 (7, 8) times, working the increases into the first and last stitch of the row. (52 [56, 60] sts)

Continue even (no more increases) until the sleeve measures 17 (17.5, 18) inches from the beginning. Fasten off. (52 [56, 60] sts)

Collar (grey)

With grey yarn, join to the neckline edge at the back neck.

Round 1: Ch 2, work hdc evenly around the entire neckline, approximately 60 (64, 68) sts. Join with a sl st to the first hdc. (60 [64, 68] sts)

Round 2: Ch 2, hdc-blo in each st around. Join with a sl st to the first hdc. (60 [64, 68] sts)

Repeat Round 2 until the collar measures 8 inches from the join. This creates a tall tube that folds over double. (60 [64, 68] sts)

Fasten off. Fold the collar to the outside so the fold sits at the top of the neckline.

Assembly and Finishing

1. Seam the shoulders. With right sides facing each other, line up the front and back shoulder edges. Thread your tapestry needle with the long tail and use whipstitch or mattress stitch to join them, working through both layers along the entire shoulder edge. Fasten off.

2. Seam the sides. Fold the body in half with right sides together. Starting at the underarm and working down to the hem, seam each side edge with mattress stitch, keeping your stitches even so the ribbing lines up. Fasten off.

3. Set in the sleeves. Fold each sleeve in half lengthwise with right sides together and seam the underarm edge. Then, with the sweater right side out, match the center of each sleeve to the shoulder seam, pin in place, and sew the sleeve into the armhole all the way around. Repeat for the second sleeve.

4. Weave in all ends. Thread each yarn tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it back and forth through the wrong side of the fabric for about 2 inches, then trim close to the fabric.

5. Block. Lay the sweater flat on a towel and mist it lightly with water, or steam it gently with an iron held an inch above the fabric. Pat it to the finished measurements, being careful not to stretch the ribbing. Steam the collar fold so it holds its shape, then let everything dry completely before wearing.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors. Try a cream body with a camel collar, or a navy body with a mustard collar. Any worsted weight yarn in the same gauge will work, so this is an easy way to make the sweater your own.
• Adjust the length. To make the body longer or shorter, simply work more or fewer repeat rows on the back and front panels before the underarm. Each extra 4 inches adds about 14 rows at this gauge.
• Try a different yarn. A cotton-blend worsted yarn gives a crisper, more structured sweater, while a wool-blend gives a softer, warmer one. Always swatch first, because fiber changes how the ribbing stretches.
• Make the collar taller or shorter. Add or remove rounds on the collar to suit your taste. Just remember the collar is worn folded double, so an 8-inch tube gives you a 4-inch worn height.