Here is another pattern that has been in the works for well over a year: A Bead and Lace Circular Vest. I was going to do the pattern in more sizes, but my stitch count wasn’t working out, and so I decided to just go with the 3 sizes; extra small, medium and large. If you need to modify the size, you can always use a bigger hook.
I started wearing this vest just over a year ago when I finished the first copy for myself. I was amazed at the compliments I got… and so I hope that you will enjoy it too. It’s great for keeping your back warm in the cold weather.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Materials:
Yarn: Loops & Threads Soft & Shiny – 2, (3, 4) 6oz/170g balls or any medium weight (cat. 4) yarn that meets the gauge.
Crochet Hook: 4.25mm
Gauge: 2″ over 8 sts
Finished Sizes:
Small: Measures 12″ across the top by the shoulders (not counting the sleeves), and 10″ across the back. When laying flat it measures approximately 22″ from top to bottom including the collar.
Medium: Measures 14″ across the top by the shoulders (not counting the sleeves), and 12″ across the back. When laying flat it measures approximately 26.5″ from top to bottom including the collar.
Large: Measures 16″ across the top by the shoulders (not counting the sleeves), and 14″ across the back. When laying flat it measures approximately 31″ from top to bottom including the collar.
Abbreviations:
RS = Right Side
WS = Wrong Side
Bead St = Bead Stitch
Ch/Chs = Chain/Chains
FO = Fasten Off
Hdc = Half Double Crochet
Hk = Hook
Lps = Loops
Rep = Repeat
Sc = Single Crochet
Sc2tog = Single Crochet 2 Stitches Together
Sk = Skip
Sl St = Slip Stitch
Sp/Sps = Space/Spaces
St/Sts = Stitch/Stitches
YO = Yarn Over
Special Stitch Instructions:
Bead St: Insert hk into indicated st, yo and pull through, (yo and pull through one lp on hk) twice, yo and pull through both lps on hk. When you work into the next stitch make sure the bobble is facing Right Side.
Notes:
- The vest part is crocheted in one piece. The back section is crocheted in rows from the top down. Once long enough, begin working in rounds. The first round creates the armholes. After the vest is completed, fasten off and crochet around the armholes to create short sleeves.
- Increases are made evenly in every 4th round along the sides and top. The bottom section at the back is worked in even stitches throughout.
- The first stitch refers to the first stitch in the row, or the same stitch as where the join was made.
Pattern Instructions:
Starting at top back: Ch 48, (56, 64,) (or any multiple of 8 long enough to reach between shoulders to where you want the sleeve to start.)
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hk, *bead st in next ch, sc in next ch; rep from * to end of chs. (47, (55, 63) sts) Turn.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc2tog over the first 2 sts, sc in next st and each st across to last 2 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts. (45 (53, 61) sts) Turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, hdc in first st, *ch 1, sk next st, hdc in next st; rep from * across. Turn. (22, (26, 30) ch-1 sps)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc2tog over first st and first ch, sc in each st and in each ch across to last ch and st, sc2tog over last ch and st; Turn. (43 (51, 59) sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in first st, *work bead st in next st, sc in next st; rep from * across. Turn. (43, (51, 59) sts)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc in next st and in each st across to last 2 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts. Turn. (41, (49, 57) sts)
Row 7: Ch 1, hdc in first st, *ch 1, sk next st, hdc in next st; rep from * across. Turn. (20, (24, 28) ch-1 sps)
Row 8: Ch 1, sc in first st and in each st and in each ch across. (41, (49, 57) sts) Turn.
Row 9: Ch 1, sc in first st, *work bead st in next st, sc in next st; rep from * across. Turn.
Row 10: Ch 1, sc in first st and in each st across. Turn.
Rows 11-34 (42, 50): Rep rows 7-10 6, (8, 10) times. Do NOT turn at last row.
Begin Working in Rounds
Rnd 1: (WS facing) Ch 36, (44, 52), being careful not to twist chs, begin working into free loops of beginning chs made at top, sc in next (47, (55, 63) sts); ch 36, (44, 52). Mark last ch made; being careful not to twist chs, join with sl st to first sc made in row 34 (42, 50). TURN.
Notes:
- For rnd 2, work into the chains or stitches, whichever is relevant.
- The first hdc in rnd 2 is worked into the marked ch of rnd 1.
- In rnd 2 you will crochet all the way around working into all 4 sides: start by crocheting into the chains, then working into the sts along the top section, into the next set of chains and back around to last row made, which was skipped in round 1. Join the round to the first hdc made in rnd 2.
- Do Not Turn at rnd 2 or any rounds thereafter.
Rnd 2(RS facing): Ch 1, hdc in first st/ch, *ch 1, sk next st/ch, hdc in next st/ch; rep from * around; ch 1, join with sl st to first hdc. (80, (96, 112) ch-1 sps)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in first st and into each st and ch around; join with sl st to first sc. (160, (192, 224) sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, work bead st in first st, sc in next st, *bead st in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around; join with sl st to first bead st. (160, (192, 224) sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, [sc in next 10 sts, 2 sc in next st] 11, (13, 15) times, sc in last 38, (48, 58) sts; join with sl st to first sc. (172, (206, 240) sts)
Rnd 6: Same as Rnd 2. (86 (103, 120) ch-1 sps)
Rnd 7: Same as rnd 3. (172 (206, 240) sts)
Rnd 8: Same as Rnd 4. (172 (206, 240) sts)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in first st, 2 sc in next st, (sc in next 11 sts, 2 sc in next st) 11, (13, 15) times, sc in last 38, (48, 58) sts; join with sl st to first sc. (184, (220, 256) sts)
Rnd 10: Same as Rnd 2. (92, (110, 128) ch-1 sps)
Rnd 11: Same as rnd 3. (184 (220, 256) sts)
Rnd 12: Same as Rnd 4. (184 (220, 256) sts)
Rnd 13: Ch 1, sc in first st, 2 sc in next st, (sc in next 12 sts, 2 sc in next st) 11, (13, 15) times, sc in last 39, (49, 59) sts; join with sl st to first sc. (196, (234, 272) sts)
Rnd 14: Same as Rnd 2. (98, (117, 136) ch-1 sps)
Rnd 15: Same as rnd 3. (196 (234, 272) sts)
Rnd 16: Same as Rnd 4. (196 (234, 272) sts)
Rnd 17: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, (sc in next 13 sts, 2 sc in next st) 11, (13, 15) times, sc in last 39, (49, 59) sts; join with sl st to first sc. (208, (248, 288) sts)
Rnd 18: Same as Rnd 2. (104, (124, 144) ch-1 sps)
Rnd 19: Same as rnd 3. (208, (248, 288) sts)
Rnd 20: Same as Rnd 4. (208, (248, 288) sts)
Rnd 21: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, (sc in next 14 sts, 2 sc in next st) 11, (13, 15) times, sc in last 40, (50, 60) sts; join with sl st to first sc. (220, (262, 304) sts)
Rnd 22: Same as Rnd 2. (110, (131, 152) ch-1 sps)
Rnd 23: Same as rnd 3. (220, (262, 304) sts)
Rnd 24: Same as Rnd 4. (220, (262, 304) sts)
Rnd 25: Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, 2 sc in next st, (sc in next 15 sts, 2 sc in next st) 11, (13, 15) times, sc in last 40, (50, 60) sts; join with sl st to first sc. (232, (276, 320) sts)
Rnd 26: Same as Rnd 2. (116, (138, 160) ch-1 sps)
Rnd 27: Same as rnd 3. (232, (276, 320) sts)
Rnd 28: Same as Rnd 4. (232, (276, 320) sts) For small continue with Last Rnd for All Sizes. For all other sizes continue below:
For Med – L/XL Only
Rnd 29: Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, 2 sc in next st, (sc in next 16 sts, 2 sc in next st) (13, 15) times, sc in last (51, 61) sts; join with sl st to first sc. (290, 336) sts)
Rnd 30: Same as Rnd 2. (145, 168 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 31: Same as rnd 3. (290, 336 sts)
Rnd 32: Same as Rnd 4. (290, 336 sts) For Medium continue with Last Rnd for All Sizes. For large, continue below:
For L/XL Only
Rnd 33: Ch 1, sc in first 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, (sc in next 17 sts, 2 sc in next st) 15 times, sc in last (61) sts; join with sl st to first sc. (352) sts)
Rnd 34: Same as Rnd 2. (176 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 35: Same as rnd 3. (352 sts)
Rnd 36: Same as Rnd 4. (352 sts)
Last Rnd (For ALL Sizes): Ch 1, sc in first st and in each st around; join with sl st to first sc. FO.
Sleeves:
Rnd 1: With RS facing, join yarn anywhere along the armhole. Ideally you want the seam to fall underneath the arm. Ch 1, work 68, (84, 100) sc evenly around the armhole. Basically work into each stitch/ch and into each end of the row. When you get to the area where the rows meet the rounds, there you will need to skip 2 sts/row-ends in order to avoid bulkiness. (See image below)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, work bead st in first st, sc in next st, *bead st in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around; join with sl st to first sc. (68, (84, 100) sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in first st and in each st and in each ch around; join with sl st to first sc. (68, (84, 100) sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, hdc in first st, *ch 1, sk next st, hdc in next st; rep from * around to last st; ch 1, sk last st; join with sl st to first hdc. (34 (42, 50) ch- sps)
Rnd 5: Same as rnd 3. (68, (84, 100) sts)
Rnd 6: Same as rnd 2. (68, (84, 100) sts)
Rnd 7: Same as rnd 3. (68, (84, 100) sts) FO.
Thank you so much to my awesome testers for taking your precious time to test this for me:
Debi Blaw
Gigi Lee Creations by Gigi
Mary Frazier – American Crochet
Mistie Bush – American Crochet
Samra Adams – SamrasCrochetShoppe
Happy Crocheting!
Rhelena
Is it possible to make the sleeves a little long. Like not quiet to the elbow. So it can be worn with a church dress. They dont make many kids dresses with sleeves so im having to make her some sweaters. Thanks :)
Becky, To be honest, I’m not sure how it would look if you simply did more rounds on the sleeves but you could certainly try it. You might have to decrease as you work down the sleeve, but it would probably work out. Let me know if you try it. Thanks :)
I noticed ,while working on this, that using the size (4.25) G hook, it makes it kind of tight/stiff….Is this right? Is it suppose to be like that using the 4.25 size hook?
Yes, it does make it on the tight side, but you could always use a thinner yarn or a larger hook.
Is there a stitch I could use instead of the bead stitch..
You could do the single crochet and triple crochet to give you a similar texture on the fabric. :)