Bloom: free crochet pattern for a sleeveless vest for Spring

Bloom is an oversized sleeveless vest with a deep V neck perfect for layering. Wear it over a turtleneck and pants, shirt or t-shirt and jeans, little black dress… The possibilities are endless! Sized XS to 5X.

I designed this pattern with Hobbii’s Portobello yarn as part of a recent designer challenge. I absolutely love Portobello and cannot recommend it enough. Combined with a 6 mm hook, it works up into this gorgeous vest with a flower border super quickly.



BLOOM sleeveless vest

Bloom sleeveless crochet vest

MATERIALS

Portobello, Hobbii – Worsted weight

60% Cotton, 28% Acrylic, 12% Wool

1.75 oz/50 g (131 yd/120 m)

5 (5, 6, 6, 6) (8, 8, 9, 9) balls  

Here: Cappuccino (10)  

Hook

J-10 6 mm crochet hook (or size needed to obtain gauge)

Notions

Yarn needle, stitch markers (2 to identify beginning of rows), clips (useful at assembly), pins and blocking tools.

GAUGE

Flower border: 1 ½ stitch repeats = 4 in (10 cm), blocked; border has a width of 3 ½ in/9 cm after blocking.

Body: 12 sts and 7 rows = 4 in (10 cm), blocked

To check your gauge

Ch 20

Row 1 (WS). Dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. 18 dc  

Row 2. Ch 3 (count as dc), dc in each st across. Turn.

Rows 2-15. Repeat Row 2. At the end of the last row, fasten off.

Block swatch and check against Body gauge.

AVAILABLE SIZES

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

To fit bust circumference:

28-30 (32-34, 36-38, 40-42, 44-46) (48-50, 52-54, 56-58, 60-62) in [71-76 (81-86, 91.5-96.5, 101.5-106.5, 111.5-117) (122-127, 132-137, 142-147, 152-158) cm] with approximately 12 in (30.5 cm) positive ease.

This means that the final dimensions will be approximately 12 in (30.5 cm) larger than the bust measurement.



ABBREVIATIONS

ch           chain

dc           double crochet

dc2tog  2 dc together (decrease)

fsc          foundation sc

RS          right side

sc           single crochet

sl st        slip stitch

st(s)       stitch(es)

WS         wrong side         

SPECIAL STITCHES

Bobble 2 (B2). 2 dc in indicated space, remove loop from hook, insert hook in first dc (front to back), put loop back on hook, pull loop through dc.  

Bobble 3 (B3). 3 dc in indicated space, remove loop from hook, insert hook in first dc (front to back), put loop back on hook, pull loop through dc. 

Last petunia. (B3, ch 2) in indicated space.

First petunia. (Ch 3, B2, ch 2, B3) in same space as join.   

Petunia. (B3, ch 2, B3, ch 2, B3) in indicated space.

For a less textured border, replace B2 and B3 with dc2tog and dc3tog where indicated, while maintaining the same tension.

NOTES

The vest is worked from the bottom up. The flower border is crocheted first, in rounds, followed by the body up to the bust, also in rounds. The back is then crocheted in rows, followed by the left and right fronts, in rows. Finally, the shoulders are assembled, before finishing the neckline and armholes.



INSTRUCTIONS

FLOWER BORDER

Fsc 168 (184, 200, 216, 232) (248, 264, 280, 296), sl st in 1st fsc to join. Do not turn.   

Set-up round (RS). Ch 1, sc in 1st fsc, [ch 3, skip 3 fsc, petunia in next fsc, ch 3, skip 3 fsc, sc in next fsc] around, sl st in 1st fsc to join. Turn. 21 (23, 25, 27, 29) (31, 33, 35, 37) repeats

Round 1. Ch 6 (count as dc, ch 3), sc in center of petunia, ch 3, dc in next sc, [ch 3, sc in center of next petunia, ch 3, dc in next sc] around, sl st in 3rd starting ch to join. Turn.     

Round 2. First petunia in same space as join, [ch 3, sc in next sc, ch 3, petunia in next dc] around, last petunia in same st as first petunia, sl st in B2 to join. Turn.    

Round 3. Ch 1, sc in center of 1st petunia, [ch 3, dc in next sc, ch 3, sc in center of next petunia] around, sl st in 1st sc to join. Turn.

Round 4. Ch 1, sc in 1st sc, [ch 3, petunia in next dc, ch 3, sc in next dc] around, sl st to 1st sc to join. Turn.   

Repeat Round 1 once more. Do not fasten off.

BODY

Round 1 (WS). Ch 3 (count as a dc throughout), [3 dc in next ch-3 space, dc in next st] around, sl st in 3rd starting ch to join. Turn. 168 (184, 200, 216, 232) (248, 264, 280, 296) sts

Rounds 2-19 (19, 20, 20, 20) (21, 21, 22, 22). Ch 3, dc in each st around, sl st in 3rd starting ch to join. Turn.

At the end of the last row, do not fasten off.



BACK

Row 20 (20, 21, 21, 21) (22, 22, 23, 23). Ch 3, dc in next 84 (92, 100, 108, 116) (124, 132, 140, 148) sts. Turn. Leave remaining sts unworked for the Front.

Rows 21-38 (21-38, 22-40, 22-40, 22-40) (23-42, 23-42, 24-44, 24-44). Ch 3, dc in each st across. Turn. 

At the end of the last row, fasten off.

LEFT FRONT

Join in unworked st after 1st row of back, to continue in the direction of your work. 

Row 1. Ch 3, dc in next 42 (46, 50, 54, 58) (62, 66, 70, 74) sts. Turn. Leave remaining sts unworked for Right Front.

Row 2. Ch 3, dc in each st across. Turn.  

Row 3. Make a decrease row, as follows:

               The decrease is always worked at the center of the Body to create the deep V neckline. 

To decrease at the beginning of the row: Do not ch 1, (sc, ch 1) in 2nd st, dc in each st across. Turn.

               To decrease at the end of the row: Ch 3, dc in each st across until 2 sts remain, dc2tog. Turn.

Rows 4-19 (19, 20, 20, 20) (21, 21, 22, 22). Repeat Rows 2-3, ending on a Row 2 or 3, as the case may be. 34 (38, 42, 46, 50) (53, 57, 61, 65) sts after last row.

RIGHT FRONT

As per Left Front.



SHOULDERS

With RS facing, sew through both thicknesses of 34 (38, 42, 46, 50) (53, 57, 61, 65) shoulder sts.   

FINISHING

With RS facing, join yarn to bottom of neckline.

Round 1. Loosely sl st 54 (54, 96, 96, 96) (60, 60, 62, 62) around neckline, or approximately 2 sl st in each row end and 1 sl st in each st between Shoulders. Do not turn.

Round 2. Ch 1, sc in each sl st across, sl st to 1st sc to join. Fasten off.   

With RS facing, join yarn to bottom of armhole.   

Round 1. Loosely sl st 76 (76, 80, 80, 80) (83, 83, 88, 88) around armhole, or approximately 2 sl st in each row end. Do not turn.

Round 2. Ch 1, sc in each sl st across, sl st to 1st sc to join. Fasten off.   

Repeat around second armhole.

Weave in all ends.

Block to size (detailed chart in pattern PDF).

xo Julie

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