The boxy vest in herb green, with a cream hem band and thin golden bands. In this picture the bands look thicker than in the pattern. Preview picture, not a photo of crochet.
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This free crochet vest pattern makes a boxy, sleeveless vest from two identical rectangles in half double crochet. It comes in sizes S to 2X, and you get the yardage for each of the three colors.
The vest is herb green with a cream band at the hem and two thin golden bands. There is one stitch, no shaping, and only shoulder seams and side seams. The neck is open and the armholes are open. The edges stay raw: no ribbing, no border.
Pick by bust: S 32-34 · M 36-38 · L 40-42 · XL 44-46 · 2X 48-50 in
Crochet Vest at a Glance: Two Rectangles, One Stitch
- Time
- About 28 to 31 hours (S) to 38 to 41 hours (2X), estimated, not timed
- Finished size
- Finished bust 40 in (S) to 56 in (2X), boxy, with 6 in of ease. Body 23 in (S) to 24 in (2X) long, no sleeves (approximate).
- Yarn
- Worsted weight (#4) in 3 colors: about 970 yd (S) to 1400 yd (2X) in all. Colors: Tarragon (main), Antique White (hem band), Arrowwood (two thin bands).
- Hook
- US I-9 (5.5 mm)
- Gauge
- Gauge swatch is required, not optional. Suggested only, not swatched: 14 hdc and 10 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in hdc with a US I-9 (5.5 mm) hook and worsted (#4) yarn. Your rows and stitches may be fewer or more than we show: measure your swatch and adjust.
- Construction
- Two identical rectangles in hdc, sewn at the shoulders and the sides; the neck and the armholes are left open.
How this pattern was checked
Every row of every size and the swatch passes a stitch simulator: 613 of 613 rows
A second, independent reading of the rows gives the same rows
Not crocheted yet: sizes, yarn and hours are estimates. Make the swatch first.
Which Size Should You Make? Bust and Finished Measurements
S: to fit bust 32-34 in, finished bust about 40 in
- Yarn
- Worsted weight (#4), 3 colors
- Hook
- US I-9 (5.5 mm)
- Yarn needed
- About 970 yd in all with a 15 % margin: Tarragon 840 yd · Antique White 60 yd · Arrowwood 70 yd. Weight about 400 to 550 g (0.9 to 1.2 lb), estimate. About 970 yd in all. Skeins of 200 yd: Tarragon 5, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1. Skeins of 360 yd: Tarragon 3, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1.
- Finished size
- Front and back each about 20 x 23 in (51 x 59 cm). Finished bust about 40 in, which is 6 in of ease over the largest bust. Armhole depth about 8 in. Neck opening about 25 in around. Approximate.
- Counts
- Front and back (make 1 each): ch 72, 70 sts, 58 rows. Shoulder seams: 13 sts, twice. Open neck: 44 sts. Side seams: 38 row ends, twice. Armhole: 20 rows. About 28 to 31 hours in all, estimated, not timed.
M: to fit bust 36-38 in, finished bust about 44 in
- Yarn
- Worsted weight (#4), 3 colors
- Hook
- US I-9 (5.5 mm)
- Yarn needed
- About 1060 yd in all with a 15 % margin: Tarragon 920 yd · Antique White 60 yd · Arrowwood 80 yd. Weight about 450 to 600 g (1.0 to 1.3 lb), estimate. About 1060 yd in all. Skeins of 200 yd: Tarragon 5, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1. Skeins of 360 yd: Tarragon 3, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1.
- Finished size
- Front and back each about 22 x 23 in (56 x 59 cm). Finished bust about 44 in, which is 6 in of ease over the largest bust. Armhole depth about 9 in. Neck opening about 28 in around. Approximate.
- Counts
- Front and back (make 1 each): ch 79, 77 sts, 58 rows. Shoulder seams: 14 sts, twice. Open neck: 49 sts. Side seams: 36 row ends, twice. Armhole: 22 rows. About 30 to 33 hours in all, estimated, not timed.
L: to fit bust 40-42 in, finished bust about 48 in
- Yarn
- Worsted weight (#4), 3 colors
- Hook
- US I-9 (5.5 mm)
- Yarn needed
- About 1190 yd in all with a 15 % margin: Tarragon 1030 yd · Antique White 70 yd · Arrowwood 90 yd. Weight about 500 to 700 g (1.1 to 1.5 lb), estimate. About 1190 yd in all. Skeins of 200 yd: Tarragon 6, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1. Skeins of 360 yd: Tarragon 3, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1.
- Finished size
- Front and back each about 24 x 23 1/2 in (61 x 60 cm). Finished bust about 48 in, which is 6 in of ease over the largest bust. Armhole depth about 9 in. Neck opening about 29 1/2 in around. Approximate.
- Counts
- Front and back (make 1 each): ch 86, 84 sts, 59 rows. Shoulder seams: 16 sts, twice. Open neck: 52 sts. Side seams: 36 row ends, twice. Armhole: 23 rows. About 33 to 35 hours in all, estimated, not timed.
XL: to fit bust 44-46 in, finished bust about 52 in
- Yarn
- Worsted weight (#4), 3 colors
- Hook
- US I-9 (5.5 mm)
- Yarn needed
- About 1280 yd in all with a 15 % margin: Tarragon 1110 yd · Antique White 80 yd · Arrowwood 90 yd. Weight about 550 to 750 g (1.2 to 1.7 lb), estimate. About 1280 yd in all. Skeins of 200 yd: Tarragon 6, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1. Skeins of 360 yd: Tarragon 4, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1.
- Finished size
- Front and back each about 26 x 23 1/2 in (66 x 60 cm). Finished bust about 52 in, which is 6 in of ease over the largest bust. Armhole depth about 9 1/2 in. Neck opening about 31 1/2 in around. Approximate.
- Counts
- Front and back (make 1 each): ch 93, 91 sts, 59 rows. Shoulder seams: 18 sts, twice. Open neck: 55 sts. Side seams: 35 row ends, twice. Armhole: 24 rows. About 35 to 38 hours in all, estimated, not timed.
2X: to fit bust 48-50 in, finished bust about 56 in
- Yarn
- Worsted weight (#4), 3 colors
- Hook
- US I-9 (5.5 mm)
- Yarn needed
- About 1400 yd in all with a 15 % margin: Tarragon 1220 yd · Antique White 80 yd · Arrowwood 100 yd. Weight about 600 to 800 g (1.3 to 1.8 lb), estimate. About 1400 yd in all. Skeins of 200 yd: Tarragon 7, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1. Skeins of 360 yd: Tarragon 4, Antique White 1, Arrowwood 1.
- Finished size
- Front and back each about 28 x 24 in (71 x 61 cm). Finished bust about 56 in, which is 6 in of ease over the largest bust. Armhole depth about 10 in. Neck opening about 32 in around. Approximate.
- Counts
- Front and back (make 1 each): ch 100, 98 sts, 60 rows. Shoulder seams: 21 sts, twice. Open neck: 56 sts. Side seams: 35 row ends, twice. Armhole: 25 rows. About 38 to 41 hours in all, estimated, not timed.
Size table
| Measure | S | M | L | XL | 2X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To fit bust | 32-34 | 36-38 | 40-42 | 44-46 | 48-50 |
| Finished bust | 40 | 44 | 48 | 52 | 56 |
| Ease | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Body width | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 |
| Body length | 23 | 23 | 23 1/2 | 23 1/2 | 24 |
| Armhole depth | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 1/2 | 10 |
| Neck around | 25 | 28 | 29 1/2 | 31 1/2 | 32 |
| Sts x rows | 70×58 | 77×58 | 84×59 | 91×59 | 98×60 |
| Yarn, about (yd) | 970 | 1060 | 1190 | 1280 | 1400 |
| Time, est. (h) | 28-31 | 30-33 | 33-35 | 35-38 | 38-41 |
Finished measurements and stitch counts for every size, in inches. Approximate, from our suggested gauge: check them against your swatch. Scroll sideways on a phone.
Abbreviations (US)
ch = chain
hdc = half double crochet
st, sts = stitch, stitches
RS = right side (the outside of the vest)
WS = wrong side (the inside)
yo = yarn over
S (M, L, XL, 2X) = numbers for each size: the first is S, the others follow in order
How Much Yarn Does a Crochet Vest Need? Yardage by Size
Tarragon (herb green): 840 yd (S) / 920 yd (M) / 1030 yd (L) / 1110 yd (XL) / 1220 yd (2X)
Antique White (warm off-white): 60 yd (S) / 60 yd (M) / 70 yd (L) / 80 yd (XL) / 80 yd (2X)
Arrowwood (golden brown): 70 yd (S) / 80 yd (M) / 90 yd (L) / 90 yd (XL) / 100 yd (2X)
Use a worsted (#4) wool-blend or acrylic yarn and a US I-9 (5.5 mm) hook. Hdc makes a dense fabric; these are our design choices, not test results.
Add 15 % to the yards you work out from your swatch.
Yarn needle (large eye), scissors, stitch markers (at least 4), measuring tape, pins.
Gauge Swatch: Make It Before You Buy Yarn
Make a swatch first
A gauge swatch is required, not optional. Our gauge is an estimate, not a measurement. With the yarn and the US I-9 (5.5 mm) hook you will use, make the swatch below: ch 26, 24 sts, 14 rows of hdc. It is wider than 4 in on purpose, so you can measure the middle and leave the edges out. Wash or block the swatch exactly as you will block the pieces (follow the yarn label), let it dry, then measure 14 sts in the middle and 10 rows. We assumed 4 in wide and 4 in high: the 14 sts and the 10 rows should each measure 4 in. If they measure more than 4 in, your stitches are bigger than ours: change to a hook one size smaller. If they measure less, change to a hook one size larger. Then make and measure the swatch again. We do not know what size you will need. Count rows as well as stitches: your stitches decide the width and the neck, your rows decide the length. If the width and the height of your swatch do not agree (the stitches are right but the rows are not, or the reverse), adjust the width first, with the hook size: the stitches decide the shoulders, the neck and the width. The row ends cannot change, because every side seam joins one row end to one row end of the same count. So the length is the one that moves: length = the number of rows x the inches your 10 rows measure / 10 (S has 58 rows). If your swatch gives 15 sts per 4 in instead of 14, the S vest is about 37 in around the bust, not 40, and the neck opening is about 23 in around: almost no room over a 23 in head (we design for 25 in), so go up a hook size. If you get 13 sts per 4 in, the bust is about 43 in and the body about 18 in long. Add 15 % to any yardage you work out from your swatch.
Get the free printable PDF (Letter + A4)Every size and stitch count on paper, ready to print.Get the free PDF
Notes
US crochet terms: see the abbreviations above. Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2X. Numbers are written S (M, L, XL, 2X).
Row 1 of every piece is a right-side (RS) row, so odd rows are RS and even rows are WS. RS = the outside of the vest, WS = the inside. The ch 2 at the start of a row does not count as a stitch. Every 'right' and 'left' in this pattern is written for a right-handed crocheter: if you crochet left-handed, mirror the directions (our drawings are not mirrored).
Expect the vest to grow in length once worn or wet: block and hang your swatch before you measure it.
These times are calculated, not timed by a person: the crochet and the swatch at 6 hdc a minute, plus 4 to 6 hours for blocking, pinning and seaming and 2 minutes for each end to weave in. Many people crochet 4 hdc a minute: add about 12 hours in S.
Longer vest: At our estimated gauge, every 10 rows add about 4 in. Add or remove the same number of rows on the front and the back, and keep the armhole rows as they are. In size S, 10 more rows on both pieces take about 150 yd more yarn.
Swatch
Make this first. 24 sts and 14 rows, the same for every size.
FoundationCh 26.Stitch count: 26 ch
Row 1 (RS)Skip the first 2 ch from the hook (they are the turning ch and do not count as a st). Work a hdc in the back bump of the next ch and of each ch across.Stitch count: 24 hdc
Rows 2 to 14Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn. Hdc in each st across. The last hdc of every row goes in the first hdc of the row before, next to the turning ch, never in it.Stitch count: 24 hdc
Front and Back: Make Two Identical Rectangles
Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2X. Numbers are written S (M, L, XL, 2X).
FoundationCh 72 (79, 86, 93, 100).Stitch count: 72 (79, 86, 93, 100) ch
Row 1 (RS)Skip the first 2 ch from the hook (they are the turning ch and do not count as a st). Work a hdc in the back bump of the next ch and of each ch across.Stitch count: 70 (77, 84, 91, 98) hdc
Rows 2 to 58 (58, 59, 59, 60)Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn. Hdc in each st across. The last hdc of every row goes in the first hdc of the row before, next to the turning ch, never in it.Stitch count: 70 (77, 84, 91, 98) hdc
ColorsRows 1 to 3 Antique White; Rows 4 to 5 Arrowwood; Rows 6 to 56 (56, 57, 57, 58) Tarragon; Rows 57 (57, 58, 58, 59) to 58 (58, 59, 59, 60) Arrowwood. Change color with the last pull-through of the last hdc of the row before, and cut the old color: every color change leaves 2 ends.
Last row (Row 58 (58, 59, 59, 60))Fasten off, leave a 12 in tail for sewing.
Sewing the Shoulders and Sides
One st is sewn to one st, one row end to one row end, so the counts match.
Weave in endsWeave in the ends on the wrong side, along a row, going back on yourself for 3 in.
BlockBlock the two pieces flat before you sew. Pin each seam and try the vest on before you sew the second side seam. Follow the yarn label.
Mark the shoulder stsLay the front and the back flat, right sides up, last rows at the top. A last row has 70 (77, 84, 91, 98) sts. From each outer end of the last row count 13 (14, 16, 18, 21) sts and put a marker. The 13 (14, 16, 18, 21) sts at each end are sewn. The 44 (49, 52, 55, 56) sts in the middle stay open: this is the neck (13 (14, 16, 18, 21) + 44 (49, 52, 55, 56) + 13 (14, 16, 18, 21) = 70 (77, 84, 91, 98) sts).
Sew the shouldersFlip the front over onto the back, right sides together, last rows level. Sew the 13 (14, 16, 18, 21) sts at one end of the front to the 13 (14, 16, 18, 21) sts at the end of the back that lies on the same side of the garment as that end of the front (the right shoulder when worn, then the left), one st to one st, with a whipstitch through the top loops (if the 12 in tail is too short, start with a new length of yarn). Do the same at the other end (13 (14, 16, 18, 21) sts, twice in all). The neck opening is the 44 (49, 52, 55, 56) open sts of the front and the 44 (49, 52, 55, 56) open sts of the back.
Sew the side seamsLay the vest flat again, right sides together. Start at the hem (Row 1). Sew 38 (36, 36, 35, 35) row ends of the front to 38 (36, 36, 35, 35) row ends of the back, one row end to one row end, with mattress stitch or a whipstitch. Do the same on the other side (38 (36, 36, 35, 35) row ends, twice in all). The top 20 (22, 23, 24, 25) row ends of each side stay open: this is the armhole.
Check the neck and the armholesThe neck is the 44 (49, 52, 55, 56) open sts of the front and the 44 (49, 52, 55, 56) open sts of the back. Hold the vest up and try your head through the opening before you weave in the seam ends. Each armhole is 20 (22, 23, 24, 25) rows deep: the 20 (22, 23, 24, 25) row ends of the front and the 20 (22, 23, 24, 25) row ends of the back above the side seam.
FinishWeave in the seaming ends. The neck, the armholes, the hem and the sides are left as they are (the edge of the rows): no border, no fringe.
Plans and Charts
What Is Not in This Pattern: Raw Edges, No Sleeves
Weave in the seaming ends and check that the seams lie flat. The neck, the armholes, the hem and the sides stay raw: no border, no fringe. Wash as the label says. Lay flat to dry (drying time not tested). Store folded.
Crochet Vest Pattern FAQ
How do I choose my size for a boxy crochet vest?
Choose by your bust: S 32-34 in, M 36-38 in, L 40-42 in, XL 44-46 in, 2X 48-50 in. Measure at the fullest part of the bust. The vest is boxy, with 6 in of ease over the largest bust of each range. Finished bust is about 40 in (S) to 56 in (2X). Between sizes, take the smaller for a closer fit.
How much yarn do I need for a crochet vest?
About 970 yd (S), 1060 yd (M), 1190 yd (L), 1280 yd (XL) and 1400 yd (2X) of worsted (#4) yarn in all three colors, with a 15 % margin. These are estimates from the stitch count. Check the label for yards, not grams.
How long does it take to crochet a vest?
We estimate about 28 to 31 hours in size S and 38 to 41 hours in size 2X, with swatch, seaming and finishing. Nobody has timed it. The estimate uses 6 hdc a minute, so plan for more if you crochet slower.
Is this crochet vest a good first project?
We can't promise that. The vest uses one stitch (hdc), has no shaping and has two seams. But it is long: two pieces of 58 to 60 rows each, and a gauge swatch comes first. No person has crocheted this pattern yet. If you have never crocheted, try the swatch and decide after it.
Can I make this vest bigger than 2X?
No. We only calculated sizes S to 2X, so we have no counts for a bigger size and won't guess. Size 2X has a finished bust of about 56 in.
Can I make the vest longer?
Yes. At our estimated gauge, every 10 rows add about 4 in. Add or remove the same number of rows on the front and the back, and keep the armhole rows as they are. In size S, 10 more rows on both pieces take about 150 yd more yarn.
Can I add a border or sleeves?
This pattern gives no counts for a border, ribbing or sleeves, so we do not describe them. The neck, the armholes, the hem and the sides stay raw, the plain edge of the rows.
Can I sell the vests I make from this pattern?
You may sell what you crochet. Please don't copy or repost this pattern; link to it instead.
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© 2026 amgroyal.com. You may sell what you crochet. Please don't copy or repost this pattern; link to it instead.
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