Free Pattern: Moss-Stitch Duvet Cocoon Crochet Cardigan with Charcoal Lounge Pants

Moss-Stitch Duvet Cocoon Crochet Cardigan with Charcoal Lounge Pants

Introduction

This is the project I wish someone had handed me the very first time I picked up a crochet hook: a giant, squishy, wrap-yourself-up cocoon cardigan made from one single flat rectangle, plus a pair of matching charcoal lounge pants. It is perfect for complete beginners because the whole cardigan is just one stitch repeated over and over — no shaping, no complicated counting, no stress. The finished cardigan looks like a soft oatmeal duvet you can wear, with a dense, woven grid texture (that's the moss stitch doing its magic) and simple patch pockets, while the pants are cozy, stretchy, and finished with tidy cuffs. Together they make a fairycore-inspired lounge set that feels like a warm hug and looks like something you bought in a boutique.

Materials Needed

• Yarn for the cardigan: Bulky (weight category 5) wool, approximately 1000–1200 yards of oatmeal.
• Yarn for the pants: Bulky (weight category 5) wool, approximately 800–900 yards of charcoal.
• Hook: 8.0 mm (US size L-11) crochet hook, or whatever size gives you the gauge below.
• Stitch markers: At least 6 (for marking armholes, center front, center back, and leg divisions).
• Tapestry needle: A large-eye blunt needle for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Sharp craft scissors for cutting yarn.
• Elastic: 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide elastic, long enough to go around your waist comfortably.
• Measuring tape and a ruler for checking gauge and lengths.

Finished cardigan measurements: 26 in (66 cm) across the back, 32 in (81 cm) from shoulder to hem, 20 in (51 cm) sleeve opening circumference. The flat rectangle before folding is 52 in wide x 32 in long (132 cm x 81 cm).

Finished pants measurements: Waist 28–34 in (71–86 cm) stretch, hip 40 in (102 cm), inseam 30 in (76 cm).

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain. Make a loop of yarn and pull another loop through it. Each "ch" is one link in a chain.
• sc – single crochet. Insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over (wrap yarn around hook), pull up a loop (you now have 2 loops on the hook), yarn over again, and pull through both loops. One sc made.
• sk – skip. Do not work into the next stitch or space; move past it to the one after.
• sp – space. The little gap under a chain from the row below. You work into the space, not the chain itself.
• ch-1 sp – a one-chain space. The gap created by a single chain in the previous row.
• st / sts – stitch / stitches. One completed unit of crochet.
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, and pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. Used to join rounds.
• rep – repeat. Do the same thing again.
• rnd – round. A row worked in a circle (joined at the end) rather than back and forth.
• tog – together.
• moss stitch / linen stitch – the pattern used throughout: alternating one single crochet and one chain, with the single crochets worked into the chain spaces of the row below. It creates a dense, woven-looking fabric.
• foundation chain – the very first row of chains you make before working the first row.
• right side (RS) – the side of the fabric meant to face outward.
• fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work and pull the tail all the way through the last loop to lock it.

Gauge

10 stitches and 10 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in moss/linen stitch after blocking.

Gauge simply means how big your stitches are. If your stitches are bigger than mine, your cardigan will come out enormous; if smaller, it won't fit. To check: crochet a small square about 6 inches (15 cm) wide in moss stitch, then lay it flat and measure 4 inches across the middle and count the stitches; do the same vertically for rows. If you have more than 10 stitches in 4 inches, switch to a larger hook. If you have fewer, switch to a smaller hook. Always measure after your swatch has been blocked (dampened and dried flat), because wool relaxes and grows slightly.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Count your chain spaces, not just your stitches. Moss stitch lives and dies by the ch-1 spaces. Every sc should sit above a sc, and every ch-1 should sit above a ch-1 space.
• Use stitch markers generously. Mark your first stitch of each row, your armhole points, and the center front/back of the pants. It saves endless recounting.
• Don't pull your yarn tight. Keep a relaxed, even tension. Tight moss stitch becomes stiff and hard to work into; loose and even is what gives that soft duvet drape.
• Work the cardigan rectangle in good light and check your width every few rows. It should stay close to 52 inches wide. If it's drifting, your stitch count has slipped.
• Try the pants on as you go. Because they're worked top-down, you can slip them on after the first few inches to check the hip fit before committing to 30 inches of leg.
• Keep your turning chain tiny. At the start of each row, ch 1 only — this does not count as a stitch. Your first sc goes into the very first sc of the previous row.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cardigan: The Main Rectangle

With oatmeal and the 8.0 mm hook, ch 132.

Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch, sc in next ch; repeat this (ch 1, sk next ch, sc in next ch) all the way to the last ch, sc in last ch. Turn. (66 sc, 65 ch-1 sps)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *ch 1, sk next ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; repeat from * across. Turn. (66 sc, 65 ch-1 sps)

Rows 3–80: Repeat Row 2. (66 sc, 65 ch-1 sps) — at 10 rows per 4 inches, 80 rows gives you the full 32 inches (81 cm) of length. End on a wrong-side row. Do not fasten off yet.

Cardigan: Side Seams

Fold the rectangle in half with right sides together so the two short ends meet. The fold at the top is your shoulder line.

Starting at the fold, measure down 10 inches (25 cm) on each side and place a stitch marker — this gap is the armhole.

Join oatmeal at the marker on one side and work sc through both layers from the marker down to the bottom edge to close the side seam. Fasten off. Repeat on the other side. (You now have a folded, side-seamed cocoon with two armholes.)

Cardigan: Armhole Edging (make 2)

Join oatmeal at one armhole. Round 1: Work 1 sc evenly around the entire armhole opening — aim for about 40 sc, spacing them so the edge lies flat and doesn't pucker. Join with sl st to first sc. (approx. 40 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc around. Join with sl st to first sc. (approx. 40 sc) Fasten off. Repeat for the second armhole.

Cardigan: Bottom and Front Edging

Join oatmeal at the bottom corner. Round 1: Work 1 sc evenly around the entire bottom edge and up and around the front opening (both front edges and the neckline), keeping the edge flat. Join with sl st to first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc around. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Cardigan: Patch Pockets (make 2)

With oatmeal, ch 22.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch, sc in next ch; repeat across. Turn. (11 sc, 10 ch-1 sps)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *ch 1, sk next ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; repeat from * across. Turn. (11 sc, 10 ch-1 sps)

Rows 3–15: Repeat Row 2 until the pocket measures 6 inches (15 cm). (11 sc, 10 ch-1 sps) Fasten off.

Sew each pocket to the front of the cardigan, approximately 4 inches (10 cm) from the bottom edge and 6 inches (15 cm) from the side seam, using your tapestry needle and a simple running stitch around three sides (leave the top open).

Pants: Waist and Body

With charcoal and the 8.0 mm hook, ch 90. Join with a sl st to the first ch to form a ring, being careful not to twist the chain.

Round 1: Ch 1, sc in the same ch, ch 1, sk next ch, sc in next ch; repeat around, join with sl st to first sc. (45 sc, 45 ch-1 sps)

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *ch 1, sk next ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; repeat from * around, join with sl st to first sc. (45 sc, 45 ch-1 sps)

Rounds 3–30: Repeat Round 2 until the piece measures 12 inches (30 cm) from the waist. (45 sc, 45 ch-1 sps)

Pants: Dividing for the Legs

Place a stitch marker at the center front and the center back.

First leg: Work in moss stitch across the first 22 sts, join with sl st to the first sc. Continue working in joined rounds on these 22 sts until the leg measures 30 inches (76 cm) from the division. Fasten off. (22 sts per round)

Second leg: Join charcoal to the remaining 23 sts and work the second leg exactly the same way until it measures 30 inches (76 cm) from the division. Fasten off. (23 sts per round)

Pants: Waistband

Join charcoal at the waist. Round 1: Work 1 sc evenly around the waist opening. Rounds 2–6: Sc in each sc around until the band measures 2 inches (5 cm). Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Fold the band to the inside and sew it down with your tapestry needle, leaving a small opening. Insert the 1-inch elastic, adjust it to fit your waist, overlap the ends, and sew the opening closed.

Pants: Leg Cuffs (make 2)

Join charcoal at one leg opening. Round 1: Work 1 sc evenly around the opening. Rounds 2–6: Sc in each sc around until the cuff measures 2 inches (5 cm). Fasten off. Repeat for the second leg.

Assembly and Finishing

Seaming: Thread your tapestry needle with a long tail of matching yarn. Working from the right side or wrong side (your choice — just be consistent), whipstitch or running-stitch the side seams closed, catching both layers of fabric with each stitch. Keep your stitches small and even so the seam lies flat. Sew the pockets on last so you can try the cardigan on and position them where your hands naturally fall.

Weaving in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and weave it in and out through the back of several stitches (about 2 inches / 5 cm), then change direction and weave back the other way to lock it. Trim close to the fabric.

Blocking: Fill a basin with cool water and a little wool wash. Submerge the cardigan and pants for about 15 minutes, then gently squeeze (never wring) out the water. Roll each piece in a towel to remove excess moisture, then lay them flat on a drying rack, patting them into the finished measurements (52 x 32 in for the cardigan rectangle before folding, 26 in across the back after seaming; 30 in inseam for the pants). Let them dry completely — this is what makes the moss stitch relax into that soft, even grid.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Color play: Work the cardigan in a soft sage or dusty rose for a different fairycore mood, or add a contrast edging in charcoal to tie the set together.
• Size adjustments: To make the cardigan wider or narrower, add or remove chains in multiples of 2 (each pair adds one sc and one ch-1 sp). To lengthen it, add rows in pairs; each 10 rows adds about 4 inches (10 cm).
• Yarn substitution: Any bulky (category 5) yarn works — acrylic will be lighter and easier to wash, alpaca will be extra drapey. Always re-check your gauge with a new yarn.
• Pocket and cuff upgrades: Add a contrasting stripe to the pocket tops, or work the pants cuffs in oatmeal to echo the cardigan for a coordinated look.