Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Easy Vest Knitting Patterns

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This time of year I tend to get a little obsessed with the idea of knitting vests. While I’m still deep into wearing sweaters, I’m starting to think about layers for warmer weather (or wearing a vest under my sweater for a little extra warmth on the super cold days, not going to lie).

Vests are a great gateway to knitting sweaters because they use some of the same skills but you don’t have to knit sleeves. Which, let’s be honest, are pretty boring. If you’ve never knit a sweater before, try one of these easy vest knitting patterns to get you started.

The Abrazo Slipover from Caidree on Etsy is a great basic super bulky vest that you can probably stitch up in a weekend. It comes in nine sizes and has 5-10 cm of positive ease built in.

Kara Eng’s Funfetti Vest is another super bulky option that has rounds of purl ridges that can be worked in a contrasting color or you can do it all in the same color if you don’t have scraps to use. It’s available in nine sizes. You can get the pattern on Ravelry.

Vest No. 3, Spring Edition from My Favourite Things Knitwear uses a combination of lace and DK weight yarns to make a super bulky gauge. It’s worked from the top down with a little shaping for the neckline and arm openings. It’s available in five sizes and the pattern is in English, Danish and Norwegian. You can get it on Ravelry.

If you’re looking for a lighter weight vest, the Vest 01 from Daisy And Peace is worsted weight vest worked flat in pieces from the bottom up. It comes in six sizes and you can download the pattern from Ravelry.

How about an open vest? These are so cute over a button-down shirt and can be belted or worn open. The long Autumn Vest by Merri Fromm is worked mostly in ribbing, and it is available in four sizes. You can download the pattern from Blue Sky Fibers.

Here’s another one that uses ribbing as a design feature and has deep armholes for ease of wearing. The part below the armholes is worked in the round. It uses worsted weight yarn and comes in five sizes. You can get it from Warm House on Etsy in English and Dutch.

Casual Knits Studio on Etsy has a great classic vest pattern worked in chunky yarn with deep armholes so it’s easy to layer it over just about anything. It’s worked from the bottom up in two pieces and then the ribbing is worked after it is sewn together. The pattern comes in three sizes and is available in English, French and German.

Get Simple Style with this Easy Vest Knitting Pattern

Long Lace Vest Knitting Pattern

Knit a Pretty Textured Vest

A Fuzzy Vest to Get Ready for Fall

7 Vest Knitting Patterns

Easy Button-Front Vest Knitting Pattern

 

Have you read?

Free Knitted Crown Pattern for Kids and Adults: A Sweet Handmade Dress-Up Idea

There’s something wonderfully charming about a knitted crown. It’s playful, useful for the dress-up basket, and just the sort of small project that gives a leftover ball of yarn a proper purpose. Much better than letting it roll around the cupboard for another three years.

This free knitted crown pattern for kids and adults combines a simple garter-stitch band with shaped triangular points. The mustard-gold colour gives it that storybook crown look, although pink, purple or woodland green would be equally lovely.

A Manageable Next Step for Beginner Knitters

The construction is the appealing part of this design. Everything is knitted flat, so you won’t need double-pointed needles or experience joining stitches in the round.

You knit the band first, then work each crown point separately over a group of 12 stitches. Paired decreases gradually narrow each triangle, giving you a small, repeatable section to concentrate on.

I’d describe this as a confident beginner knitting project. You’ll need to know how to knit, work two types of decreases, hold unused stitches and sew a simple seam. There are several yarn tails to weave in, so a little patience with finishing will help.

Three Sizes With Room to Personalise

The pattern includes three sizes, with seven, eight or nine crown points. Choose by the wearer’s head measurement rather than age, and check your gauge carefully. Yarn stretch will make a noticeable difference to the fit.

For birthdays, an embroidered initial would be a sweet finishing touch. Contrasting yarn diamonds could suggest little jewels without adding hard embellishments.

What to Know Before Casting On

This is a soft knitted crown, so expect gentle points rather than a rigid costume accessory. A springy wool or wool-blend yarn should give the shaping more support than a very drapey yarn.

The stitch calculations have been checked, but the design has not yet been sample-knitted. The accompanying image is an illustrative mockup, so the finished texture and proportions may vary with your yarn and tension.

For a small handmade birthday accessory or a cheerful addition to the dress-up box, this is an appealing idea. And if an adult needs a matching crown for supervising the royal household, the larger size has that covered too.