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Crochet Racerback Summer Vest Free Pattern

If you have been looking for the perfect Free Summer Crochet Vest than use this free pattern! This Cotton Racerback Vest is a perfect combination of structured stitches and a lace like mesh vest! Lion Brand Cotton Jeans is a perfect light weight yarn to make this crocheted summer vest in that you can layer in so many different ways! Wear this racerback top over long sleeves, short sleeves, a dress or a beach cover up! Since this crocheted vest uses the waistcoat stitch it can even be worn over a sweater when the weather is chilly!

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Cotton Racerback Vest

Easy Cotton Crochet Summer Vest Pattern.

When I design I usually pick up a hook and my yarn (sometimes after I make a sketch) and I just start crocheting. However, What I have been trying to do is slow down along the way to make some short videos to explain my process and show the construction of what I am working on.

Check out this video to see how this crocheted cotton racerback vest was made and put together. The Free Written Pattern is Below but this should help as a guide if there is any confusion when crocheting your racerback vest.

What is Cotton Yarn Good For?

Cotton Yarn is good for anything and everything! Cotton yarn comes in so many weights, levels of quality and price that it is a viable option for any project.

Materials

  • Size 5mm crochet hook                                             
  • #3 DK Wt. Yarn
    10 (10.5, 12, 14) oz
    625 (645, 750, 872) yards total
  • Sample Made Using:
    Lion Brand LB Collection® Cotton Jeans® Yarn 
    3 (3, 4, 4) Skeins – Sunbleached [474-105Z]

Gauge

  • 18 sts x 20 rows in csc is 4 by 4 inches.

Stitch Descriptions and Abbreviations

  • Chain Stitch – ch
  • Stitch(es) st(s) 
  • Space(s) – sp(s)
  • Slip Stitch – sl st(s)
  • Single Crochet sc
  • Half Double Crochethdc
  • Foundation Single Crochet Fsc –Chain 2, insert hook into 2nd chain from hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 1 loop, (2 loops on hook with 1 ch created), yarn over, draw through all loops (1 loop on hook, 1 foundation single crochet with chain at the bottom). *Insert hook to the bottom of the stitch you just made, it will look like the top or “V” of a stitch, yarn over, pull up 1 loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 1 loop (2 loops on hook with 1 ch created), yarn over, draw through all loops;* repeat from * to * for desired amount of stitches.
  • Stacked Single Crochet StitchSTsc – insert your hook into the designated stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops, insert your hook into the second vertical bar on the stitch you just created, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull though all loops. 
  • Center Single Crochetcsc – To create a csc, you will work your stitch under the front and back loop between the two posts of the stitch. (Also known as the waistcoat stitch.)
  • Extended Foundation Single CrochetExFsc – Work a Fsc as described above starting from the * repeat indicated.
  • Surface Slip Stitch Surface Sl St – Pull up a loop in the designated stitch with working yarn on backside of piece, one loop on hook, *insert your hook into the next stitch or space, pull up a loop through stitch or space and through loop on hook, one loop on hook, repeat from * to end creating your sl st on the surface of your previously created stitches.

Pattern Notes

  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • XS/S (M/L, XL/2XL, 3XL/4XL) – 34 (42, 50, 58)”
  • Fits Bust Up To: 34 (42, 50, 58)”
  • Circumference (actual measurement): 28 (36, 44, 52”)
  • Length: 23 (24, 25, 26)”
  • To add Length: Add extra rows in the “Strap” section before the increases begin OR in the body after the Front and Back Panels are joined.
  • To adjust the Bust: Add more or less ExFsc in the Back Panel section. Make sure the final stitch count is an even number when combining the front and back panels. 
  • * Designates a repeat. 
  • Note on CSC: Generally this stitch is worked in the round going through the two posts on the front of the stitch. However, when working in rows, the csc will be worked through the legs on the back of the stitching and then through the posts on the front. 
  • “sc 1” means to single crochet in the next stitch.
  • “sc 2” means to single crochet in each of the next 2 stitches.
  • “2 sc” means to single crochet twice in the next stitch to create an increase.
Free Summer Crochet Vest

Free Summer Crochet Vest

Back Panel

Row 1 – Fsc 16.
Row 2 – Turn, sc 16.
Row 3 – Turn, csc 16.
Rows 4 to 19 – Turn, csc until 1 st remains, 2 csc in last st. Each row increases by 1 st finishing at 32 sts.
Rows 20 to 28 (31, 34, 40) – Turn, 2 csc in first st, csc until 1 st remains, 2 csc in last st.  
Each Row increases by 2 sts, finishing at a total of 50 (56, 62, 74) sts.
Continuing with Row 28 (31, 34, 40) – ExFsc 6 (12, 18, 22) sts.
Next Row – Turn, sc 6 (12, 18, 22), csc 50 (56, 62, 74), ExFsc 6 (12, 18, 22) sts.
Next Row – Turn, sc 6 (12, 18, 22), csc 56 (68, 80, 96) sts
Next 2 Rows – Turn, csc 62 (80, 98, 118) finish off.

Straps + Front Panels

Reattach your yarn in the Row 1 Fsc of the Back Panel.
Row 1 – Sc 16 in the Fsc-sts of the Back Panel.
Rows 2 to 5 – Turn, csc 16.

First Strap 
Rows 1 to 28 – Turn, csc 8, leaving the remaining sts unworked for the Second Strap.
Row 29 – Turn, 2 csc in first st, csc to end.
Row 30 – Turn, csc in each stitch across.
Rows 31 to 64 – Repeat Rows 29 and 30 with 1 st increased each odd Row, finishing with 26 sts. 
Row 65 – Turn, 2 csc in first st, csc to end. [27 sts]
Row 66 – Turn, csc in each stitch across until 1 st remains, 2 csc in last st. [28 sts]
Rows 67 to 69 (78, 87, 96) – Repeat Rows 65 and 66 with every row adding an increase of 1 st finishing with 31 (40, 49, 58) st. 
Next 4 Rows – Turn, csc  31 (40, 49, 58) sts, Finish off. 

Second Strap
Reattach your yarn at the end of Row 5 of the front panel so that you will be working working from the far end into the center and Repeat First Strap Instructions.
Reattach your yarn in one of the Front Panels on the straight edge.

Body

Row 1 – Csc  31 (40, 49, 58) sts, continue on to your Back Panel csc 62 (80, 98, 118) sts, continue on to your other Front Panel csc  31 (40, 49, 58) sts. You have now joined all 3 Panels, creating the Arm Openings and Body.
Rows 2 and 3 – Turn, csc across. [124 (160, 196, 234) sts]
Row 4 – Turn, STsc, hdc 3, *ch 1, sk 1, hdc 1 in next st, repeat from * until 4 sts remain, hdc 4.
Rows 5 to 27 – Turn, STsc, hdc 3, *(ch 1, sk 1, hdc 1 in next ch-1), repeat from * until 4 sts remain, hdc 4. [124 (160, 196, 232) sts]
Row 28 – Turn, STsc, hdc 4, hdc 1 in first ch-1 sp, 2 hdc in each next ch-1 sp to end, hdc 4. [124 (160, 196, 232) sts]
Row 29 – Turn, sc across. [124 (160, 196, 232) sts]
Row 30 – Turn, csc across, finish off. [124 (160, 196, 232) sts]

Finishing

  • To finish you will do some single crochet trimming and surface slip stitching.
  • On the Back Panel where you started with a Fsc you may have some gaps created by switching to csc and joining to begin the straps. Using the Surface Sl St described above in the “Stitch Descriptions and Abbreviations”, work in those spaces to fill in the gaps. This will create a beautiful detail as well as add some strength to the join.
  • Use this same technique in the ExFsc used on the back panel section, again for not just a beautiful detail but to add some more structure to your vest. 
  • Again, using the same Surface Sl St technique, do one row in the final row of csc of the body (Row 3) to create a clean separation of the single crochet and half double crochet. 
  • With your right sides facing, place one round of single crochet evenly around the arm openings of your vest. Be sure to single crochet evenly and periodically check for any puckering. 
  • Once finished, weave in all of your ends and give this vest a good steaming to loosen up the csc. This will help you to have a really good drape and make the vest fit properly, enjoy!

More Easy + Simple Crochet Wearable

Just click on the photos below to make some of my other beginner friendly crochet patterns!

 

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