Mosaic Crochet Sweater Pattern – Starburst Tee

I’m so excited to share my very first garment pattern, one that lets you wear your love of mosaic crochet: the Mosaic Starburst Tee! This short-sleeved mosaic crochet sweater is perfect for spring and summer, made with super fine linen blend yarn, a relaxed gauge, and sweet little cap sleeves for an easy, breezy feel.

Using the mosaic crochet technique you already know and love (or will grow to love), you can stitch a beautiful piece of wearable crochet art. This drapey tee features a striking starburst design that grows outward from the center, creating a look that feels both modern and timeless. It’s an approachable garment pattern, designed to feel accessible even if you’re newer to making crochet clothing.

Have fun playing with color combinations to make it uniquely yours. Whether you choose soft neutrals, bold contrasts, or bright summer shades, this tee is a lovely way to create something that fits your personal style.

The Overlay Mosaic Crochet Technique

The Mosaic Starburst Tee is worked using overlay mosaic crochet. With this technique, you can achieve intricate-looking colorwork using only one color at a time. Basically, you work in the back loop only (BLO) and sometimes drop down to pick up the front loop of stitches from lower rounds. This forms textured stitches that lay over the stitches from previous rounds and can be used to create just about any design you can imagine!

This mosaic crochet summer sweater is made up of two squares, each worked in the round from the center out. One big advantage of working in the round is, even though you’re changing colors each round, there are very few ends to weave in. That’s because instead of fastening off after each round, simply drop the non-working yarn to wrong side of the project and pick up the new color.

I’ve designed several other patterns using mosaic crochet in the round from the center out. All of the squares in the Mosaic Grannies Collection use this technique, as does the Mosaic Starburst Washcloth.

Learn the basics and find all of my mosaic crochet patterns here.

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Construction of the Starburst Mosaic Crochet Sweater

This crochet sweater pattern uses a simple, approachable construction. You’ll begin by making two identical mosaic crochet squares, which become the front and back panels of the sweater. From there, it all comes together with a few easy seams, plus extra rounds and rows for the neckband, cap sleeves, and lower hem.

If you’re comfortable with mosaic crochet but new to garments, this is a great project to build your confidence. The PDF pattern includes everything you need to crochet, assemble, and finish your Mosaic Starburst Tee with ease.

More Mosaic Crochet Patterns in the Round

If you love working overlay mosaic crochet in the round, check out these other fun patterns that are also worked from the center out!

Yarn Suggestions for the Mosaic Crochet Sweater

For the Mosaic Starburst Tee, I used Hobbii Rococo Linen. This soft and breathable blend of viscose, cotton, and linen is a super fine (#1) yarn that works beautifully for a lightweight garment.

I highly recommend sticking with a natural fiber and super fine weight yarn for this pattern. It helps the finished tee stay cool and comfortable, while giving the fabric the structure and gentle drape that makes this design shine. Thicker yarns can change the fit of your finished sweater and may make it warmer than you’d like for spring or summer wear.

If you’d like to substitute, YarnArt Linen Soft or Juniper Moon Farm Summer Solstice would both be wonderful alternatives.

purchase Heartland Yarn here

The Hook

For this pattern, I reached for my Furls Crochet H/5.0mm Streamline Metal hook. It’s one of my favorite choices for mosaic crochet projects. The shape feels great in the hand, and yarn moves so smoothly over the polished metal finish.

Furls Crochet is always releasing beautiful new colors as well, so it’s worth taking a peek at what’s new. You may just find the perfect excuse to add another hook to your collection!

Of course, every crocheter’s tension is a little different. You may find that another hook size or style suits you better, and that’s completely normal. I always recommend working up a quick swatch with your chosen yarn and hook first, so you’ll know exactly what to expect for gauge and finished size.

Purchase A Furls Hook Here

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this mosaic crochet sweater really cool enough for summer?

Yes! This mosaic crochet sweater tee is created using a lightweight linen blend yarn. It’s also crocheted using a larger hook than recommended for this yarn, which keeps the stitches loose and breathable. Coupled with its short sleeves, this is an excellent choice for warmer days!

I don’t like working with thinner yarns. Can I use a different yarn weight for this pattern?

Unfortunately, I don’t recommend you use a different weight of yarn for this pattern. Because of the overlapping nature of mosaic crochet stitches, a thicker yarn would make this sweater very thick and warm (maybe uncomfortably so). Thicker yarn will also affect the looseness of the stitches and drape of the fabric.

Linen is too expensive! Can I use a different fiber?

Yes, with a few things to keep in mind. I strongly recommend sticking with a linen blend if possible, since it gives the tee that lovely drape and cool, breathable feel that works especially well for warm-weather wear.

If linen isn’t the right fit for your budget, another natural fiber such as cotton, bamboo, or a blend with those fibers can be a reasonable substitute. Just know that changing fiber content may also change the finished fabric. Some options may feel softer, heavier, or less fluid than linen, so your tee may have a different look and drape than the original design.

Can I make this using a different mosaic crochet square design?

Yes, you can absolutely use a different center-out mosaic crochet square, such as one from the Mosaic Grannies Collection. The overall garment construction will still work out. Just be sure to use the same yarn weight and check your gauge so your finished square matches the measurements for your chosen size.

Depending on the design you choose, you may need to add extra rounds to reach the right dimensions. In many cases, that’s quite manageable. Most of my center-out square patterns become very intuitive once you settle into the rhythm of the repeats.

Where to Get the Pattern for the Mosaic Starburst Tee

If you make this pattern be sure to post pictures on social media and tag @juniperandoakes and use the hashtag #juniperandoakes. I would love to see your work!

You can purchase an ad-free, printable PDF version of this pattern for just a few dollars from my shop (you can add it to your Ravelry pattern library from there)! You can also buy the pattern from Ravelry or Etsy, or view it on Gosadi.

What You’ll Love About This Pattern

• Easy mosaic crochet sweater tee pattern with a stunning starburst design
• Beautifully designed PDF crochet pattern, printable with no ads
• Includes written instructions, a mosaic crochet chart, and a schematic for the sweater
• Helpful photo and video tutorials for overlay mosaic crochet in the round
• Wide range of sizes from XS-5X, with options to customize the length

Pattern Details

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner/intermediate

Materials

• Yarn:
  • Hobbii Rococo Linen #1 Super Fine Yarn (36% Viscose, 34% Cotton, 30% Linen, 297 yd / 272 m in 3.53 oz /100 g)
    • Color A: Ancient Rose – 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6) cakes [approximately 595 (660, 730, 760, 1035, 1205, 1390, 1590, 1800) yards]
    • Color B: Lace – 1 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) cakes [approximately 440, (485, 535, 560, 760, 890, 1025, 1170, 1325) yards]
• Substitution: YarnArt Linen Soft, Juniper Moon Farm Summer Soltice

Gauge

9 rounds = 4″ square, blocked.

Because this garment grows outward evenly on all four sides, round gauge is more critical than stitch gauge.

Sizing

Written as: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3X, 4X 5X)

* Length measured from highest shoulder point to bottom hem.

Stitches Used and Abbreviations (US Terminology)

• BLOsc – Back Loop Only Single Crochet
• camel st – camel stitch
• ch – Chain
• FLOdc – Front Loop Only Double Crochet
• hdc – Half Double Crochet
• mc – Magic Circle
• rsc – Crab Stitch (Reverse Single Crochet)
• sc – Single Crochet
• sk – Skip
• sl st – Slip Stitch
• st – Stitch
• sp – Space

The Fine Print

This pattern and its images are the property of Juniper and Oakes ©2025. The pattern is for your personal use only. Please do not copy/paste, distribute, or alter and claim as your own. You may sell products made by this pattern, but please credit @juniperandoakes.

Please post pictures on social media and tag @juniperandoakes and use the hashtag #juniperandoakes. You can also post pictures in the Juniper + Oakes Crochet Community Facebook Page.

Let me know if you run into a problem. I respond quickly and will help any way I can to clarify any confusion or challenging stitches.