Are you wanting to try making a crochet sweater, but you’re unsure of how long it will take? Crochet sweaters are definitely a time committment. They don’t work up in a day. In this post we will analyze the question: “how long does it take to crochet a sweater?” Hopefully, you will come out with a better understanding of what you’re getting into!
The truth is, the length of time it takes to crochet a sweater depends on a LOT of variables.
Let’s explore what those variables are…and then we’ll look at a survey showing how long it takes real crocheters like you to complete a sweater!
#1: Difficulty of Pattern
The first variable is the difficulty of the pattern you choose. Difficult crochet sweater patterns may take longer to make than a sweater made from simple double crochet, for example.
If you’re a beginner, make sure to start by making a sweater that is geared toward beginners (like this Angelica Cardigan, which has been made successfully by many beginners!)
#2: Experience Level of the Crocheter
Another factor that goes into it is the experience of the person making the sweater. If you are an advanced crocheter, it may be extremely easy to follow a pattern. It becomes like second nature the more you do it, so it goes much quicker.
Whereas, a beginner might spend a half hour just trying to figure out what size to choose because they’re unfamiliar with ease. And then another 2 hours trying to get the right size gauge swatch because they are not used to meeting gauge.
how fast you can crochet
This is related but slightly different—it also depends on if you are a fast or slow crocheter. Obviously, the faster you can crochet, the faster you will finish a large project like a sweater.
This doesn’t necessarily correspond to one’s experience level though. Someone can be very advanced at crochet and still prefer to crochet at a slower pace.
Time Per day spent crocheting
Once again this is obvious, but the more time you can spend per day crocheting, the faster you will finish your sweater.
If, for example, you are a busy mom and can only spare 2 hours a week for crocheting, it will take much longer than if you can spend 1 hour per DAY on the project.
With that said, a little planning can go a long way when trying to finish a large project like a sweater! If you plan out times to sit down and crochet, it may go faster than working sporatically.
Related: 5 Key Differences Between Crochet Vs. Knit Sweaters
Size you’re making
The time committment for a sweater also largely depends on the size you choose to make. If you need to make the size 2XL, you will have more overall stitches to make than an XS, for example.
So as you can see, the amount of time it takes to crochet a sweater is dependant on MANY different factors! It is impossible to give you 1 specific time frame for finishing a sweater.
But with that said, I did want to help out by providing some ranges you can have in mind…
How Long it Takes the average person to crochet a sweater
I decided the best way to figure out the average length for crocheting a sweater was to survey lots of crocheters like you!
I did a bunch of surveys on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, surveying over 100 crocheters so we could get some average results!
Let me show you the charts, and then we’ll break down the information.
In Weeks
I started by asking how long it takes to crochet a sweater in weeks. I got an overwhelming response that it takes a month or more to finish a whole sweater.
Now remember, this depends on all the variables above so it will be different for every person. But for 60% of the crocheters in this survey, it took a month or more. 26% said they could easily finish in 2-3 weeks, while only 11% said they could finish in under 2 weeks.
In Hours
I also asked the same people how long it takes them to crochet a sweater in hours. The results suprised me a bit. The number that comes to mind personally is around 20 hours for finishing a sweater.
But, 44% of people surveyed answered it would take them 30 hours or more.
As you can see, 30% of crocheters said it would take them 20-25 hours, 19% said 15-20 hours, and only 5% said it would take them UNDER 15 hours.
In addition to these responses, I also got some comments clarifying exactly how they determined their vote.
For example, 1 person said they can finish a sweater in a week if they work on it 5-6 hours a day.
Another lady said she works full time, but she crochets during her lunch and evenings and is able to finish in 1-2 weeks.
Still others said they could finish a sweater in a few days! This timeline is quite impressive, but it is obviously not the case for most people.
Conclusion
There is a LOT that goes into crocheting sweaters. You need lots of yarn, time, and motivation to finish a large project like a sweater! You are looking at a time committment of 20-30 hours over a few weeks to a month. But don’t let this discourage you. While sweaters take a long time to finish, they are such a worthwhile project! You won’t be disappointed!
So if you’re ready to start your first sweater, here are some patterns to try:
- Angelica Cardigan (super popular!)
- Midsummer Cardigan
- Shelby Top
- Becky Cardigan
- Lunar Lace Tunic
You also might want to check out the best yarns for crocheting sweaters here.
SHARING IS CARING!
If you did enjoy this post, I would love if you shared it in the following places so many MORE people can see it!
- Pin to Pinterest – just hover over any of the photos in this post and click “save”
- Tag me in your Instagram posts
- Share photos in my Facebook Group
Happy Crocheting!
