Cropped Button-Up Vest with Pockets

A simple, beginner-friendly cropped vest worked flat in pieces. Features a button-up front, V-neck, clean garter edges, and a handy patch pocket on each front. Perfect for layering in worsted-weight yarn.

Materials

• Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4); approx. 550 (625, 700, 800, 900) yd / 505 (570, 640, 730, 820) m
• Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular needles for body; US 6 (4 mm) for edgings and bands (or size needed to obtain gauge)
• Notions: 5 (5, 6, 6, 6) buttons ¾" / 19 mm diameter; stitch markers; tapestry needle; locking stitch markers or safety pins for pocket placement; sewing needle and matching thread (optional, for buttons)

Gauge

20 sts and 28 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on larger needles, blocked. Take time to check gauge. Adjust needle size if necessary.

Sizes

XS (S, M, L, XL) Finished bust circumference (buttoned): 34 (38, 42, 46, 50)" / 86.5 (96.5, 106.5, 117, 127) cm Finished length (shoulder to hem): 16.5 (17, 17.5, 18, 18.5)" / 42 (43, 44.5, 45.5, 47) cm Designed to be worn with 2–4" / 5–10 cm positive ease. Sample shown in size S.

Abbreviations (US)

• BO: bind off
• CO: cast on
• k: knit
• k2tog: knit 2 together (1 st decreased)
• p: purl
• pm: place marker
• RS: right side
• ssk: slip, slip, knit (1 st decreased)
• st(s): stitch(es)
• St st: stockinette stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows)
• WS: wrong side
• wyif: with yarn in front

Pattern Notes

• Vest is worked flat in three pieces (Back, Left Front, Right Front) from the bottom up, then seamed.
• Garter stitch borders (knit every row) form the lower hems and front edges before button bands are added.
• Patch pockets are knit separately and sewn on after blocking—ideal for beginners.
• Buttonholes are worked on the Right Front band.
• When shaping, work decreases as follows: at beginning of RS row work ssk; at end of RS row work k2tog. On WS rows, purl all stitches unless otherwise stated.
• Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise wyif for a neat edge (optional but recommended).

Instructions

Back

With larger needles, CO 80 (90, 100, 110, 120) sts. Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 6 rows (approx. 1" / 2.5 cm). Change to St st. Work even until piece measures 9 (9.25, 9.5, 9.75, 10)" / 23 (23.5, 24, 25, 25.5) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Shape armholes BO 4 (5, 6, 7, 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 72 (80, 88, 96, 104) sts. Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 3 (4, 5, 6, 7) times. 66 (72, 78, 84, 90) sts. (3 (4, 5, 6, 7) decs each side → 72 – 6 = 66; 80 – 8 = 72; 88 – 10 = 78; 96 – 12 = 84; 104 – 14 = 90 ✓) Work even in St st until armhole measures 7 (7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8)" / 18 (18.5, 19, 19.5, 20.5) cm, ending after a WS row. Total length should be approx. 16 (16.5, 17, 17.5, 18)" / 40.5 (42, 43, 44.5, 45.5) cm from CO.

Shape shoulders and neck BO 6 (7, 8, 8, 9) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 54 (58, 62, 68, 72) sts. BO 6 (7, 7, 8, 9) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 42 (44, 48, 52, 54) sts. BO remaining 42 (44, 48, 52, 54) sts for back neck. (Alternatively, place center sts on holder and BO shoulders separately if preferred.)

Left Front

With larger needles, CO 40 (45, 50, 55, 60) sts. Work in garter stitch for 6 rows. Change to St st. Work even until piece measures 9 (9.25, 9.5, 9.75, 10)" / 23 (23.5, 24, 25, 25.5) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Shape armhole BO 4 (5, 6, 7, 8) sts at beg of next RS row. 36 (40, 44, 48, 52) sts. Work 1 WS row. Dec 1 st at armhole edge (beg of RS rows) every RS row 3 (4, 5, 6, 7) times. 33 (36, 39, 42, 45) sts. (36 – 3 = 33; 40 – 4 = 36; 44 – 5 = 39; 48 – 6 = 42; 52 – 7 = 45 ✓)

At the same time, when armhole measures 2 (2, 2.25, 2.25, 2.5)" / 5 (5, 5.5, 5.5, 6.5) cm, begin neck shaping on next RS row as follows: Continue armhole decreases if still needed, and dec 1 st at neck edge (end of RS rows) every RS row 9 (10, 11, 12, 13) times, then every other RS row (i.e., every 4th row) 3 times.
Final st count after all shaping: 15 (16, 17, 18, 19) sts.
(Starting after armhole BO & decs: 33 (36, 39, 42, 45) – 9 (10, 11, 12, 13) – 3 = 21 (23, 25, 27, 29) wait—adjust: total neck decs = 18 (20, 22, 24, 26) would overshoot. Correct total neck decreases: 18 (20, 22, 24, 26) is wrong.
Recalculated final: after armhole decs 33/36/39/42/45; shoulder target 15/16/17/18/19 → neck decs needed = 18/20/22/24/26.
Work neck dec every RS row 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) times, then every 4th row 3 (3, 3, 3, 3) times: 12+3=15 → too few.
Correct schedule: dec at neck edge every RS row 15 (17, 19, 21, 23) times, then every 4th row 3 times → 18 (20, 22, 24, 26) decs.
33 – 18 = 15; 36 – 20 = 16; 39 – 22 = 17; 42 – 24 = 18; 45 – 26 = 19 ✓)

Work remaining sts even until armhole measures same as Back to shoulder, ending after a WS row. BO 6 (7, 8, 8, 9) sts at beg of next RS row, work to end. Work 1 WS row. BO remaining 9 (9, 9, 10, 10) sts.

Right Front

Work as for Left Front, reversing all shaping.

• Armhole BO and decreases occur at the beginning of WS rows / end of RS rows.
• Neck decreases occur at the beginning of RS rows (ssk).
• Shoulder BO occurs at the beginning of WS rows.

Patch Pockets (make 2)

With larger needles, CO 20 sts. Work in St st for 4" / 10 cm, ending after a WS row. Work 4 rows garter stitch. BO knitwise. Make second pocket identical.

Finishing

1. Block all pieces to measurements.
2. Sew shoulder seams with mattress stitch.
3. Side seams: Sew side seams from hem to armhole BO, leaving armholes open.
4. Pockets: Position each pocket on the corresponding Front, centered horizontally between side seam and button-band edge, with lower edge of pocket approx. 1.5" / 4 cm above garter hem. Pin in place. Using mattress stitch or whipstitch, sew sides and bottom of pocket securely; leave top open.
5. Armhole edging: With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up and knit 70 (74, 78, 82, 86) sts evenly around each armhole. Work 4 rows garter stitch. BO knitwise.
6. Button band (Left Front): With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at neck edge, pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows along Left Front edge (approx. 68 (70, 74, 76, 80) sts). Work in garter stitch for 8 rows (approx. 1.25" / 3 cm). BO knitwise.
7. Buttonhole band (Right Front): With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at hem edge, pick up and knit the same number of sts as Left Front band.
   Work 3 rows garter stitch.
   Buttonhole row (RS): k3 (3, 3, 4, 4), *yo, k2tog, k12 (12, 11, 11, 12); rep from * 3 (3, 4, 4, 4) more times, yo, k2tog, knit to end. (5 (5, 6, 6, 6) buttonholes)
   Work 4 more rows garter stitch. BO knitwise.
8. Neckband: With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at Right Front neck edge, pick up and knit approx. 28 (30, 32, 34, 36) sts along Right neck, 42 (44, 48, 52, 54) sts across Back neck, and 28 (30, 32, 34, 36) sts along Left neck. Total approx. 98 (104, 112, 120, 126) sts. Work 4 rows garter stitch. BO knitwise.
9. Buttons: Sew buttons to Left Front band opposite buttonholes.
10. Weave in all ends. Lightly steam or re-block if needed.

Tips for Beginners

• Use locking markers to mark decrease points and pocket corners before sewing.
• Count stitches after every shaping section—the inline checks will keep you on track.
• If your row gauge differs slightly, measure length in inches rather than counting rows for the body.
• Practice mattress stitch on a swatch before seaming the vest.

Enjoy your new cropped vest!