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# Lacy Summer Vest — Beginner Crochet Pattern
### "Sea Breeze" Open-Front V-Stitch Vest with Simple Short Sleeves

A light, airy, T-shaped summer vest worked flat in easy rectangles. The lacy V-stitch creates breathable openwork perfect for warm weather, while the boxy dropped-shoulder shape makes it beginner-friendly with **no complicated armhole or shoulder shaping**. Simple rectangular short sleeves are added for a little extra coverage.

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## SKILL LEVEL
**Beginner** — if you can chain, double crochet, and seam a straight line, you can make this vest.

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## MATERIALS

- **Yarn:** Sport-weight (#2 Fine) 100% cotton — smooth mercerized cotton recommended for drape and stitch definition.
- **Approximate yardage required:**
  | Size | Yardage | Meters |
  |------|---------|--------|
  | XS | 750 yd | 686 m |
  | S | 850 yd | 777 m |
  | M | 950 yd | 869 m |
  | L | 1,075 yd | 983 m |
  | XL | 1,200 yd | 1,097 m |
  | 2XL | 1,325 yd | 1,212 m |

- **Hook:** US G/6 — **4.0 mm** (main fabric)
- **Smaller hook (optional):** US F/5 — 3.75 mm for border, if your edges flare
- **Notions:** Tapestry/yarn needle, stitch markers (4–6), scissors, optional rust-proof pins for blocking

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## GAUGE

In V-stitch pattern, after light blocking:
**16 stitches × 10 rows = 4 inches (10 cm)** = 4 sts per inch.

*1 V-stitch (dc, ch1, dc worked into one st) measures approximately ¾ inch wide.*

> **Beginner tip:** Always make a 5" × 5" gauge swatch and block it. If your fabric is too tight, go up a hook size; too loose, go down.

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## ABBREVIATIONS (US Terms)

| Abbrev | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| ch | chain |
| sc | single crochet |
| hdc | half double crochet |
| dc | double crochet |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| sp | space |
| V-st | V-stitch = (dc, ch1, dc) in same stitch or space |
| rep | repeat |
| RS / WS | right side / wrong side |
| beg | beginning |

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## STITCH PATTERN — V-STITCH MESH (multiple of 3 + 1)

**Set-up row:** Ch a multiple of 3, + 1.
**Row 1 (RS):** Dc in 4th ch from hook (counts as turning ch + dc), *skip 2 ch, V-st (dc, ch1, dc) in next ch; rep from * across to last 2 ch, skip 1 ch, dc in last ch. Turn.
**Row 2:** Ch 3 (counts as dc), *V-st in ch1-sp of next V-st; rep from * across, dc in top of turning ch. Turn.
**Rep Row 2** for pattern.

> Each V-st sits neatly in the ch1-space of the V-st below — easy to "read" your work.

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## SIZING & FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Designed with **~8" of positive ease** for a relaxed, breezy fit.

| Size | To fit bust | **Finished bust** | Body length | Sleeve width (flat) | Sleeve length |
|------|-------------|-------------------|-------------|---------------------|---------------|
| XS | 30–32" | **38"** | 22" | 7" | 6" |
| S | 33–35" | **42"** | 22" | 7" | 6" |
| M | 36–38" | **46"** | 23" | 8" | 6" |
| L | 39–42" | **50"** | 23" | 8" | 6.5" |
| XL | 43–46" | **54"** | 24" | 9" | 6.5" |
| 2XL | 47–50" | **58"** | 24" | 9" | 6.5" |

*This is an open-front vest, so finished bust = total fabric width laid flat (back + two fronts) when worn closed/overlapping.*

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## STITCH COUNTS PER SIZE

Because the vest is **open-front**, the BACK = half the finished bust, and EACH FRONT = a quarter of the finished bust.

**BACK width** = ½ finished bust. Foundation chain = (width × 4 sts) rounded to nearest multiple of 3, +1:

| Size | Back width | Back foundation ch | V-sts across |
|------|-----------|--------------------|--------------|
| XS | 19" | 76 → **76 ch** (mult 3+1) | 24 |
| S | 21" | 84 → **85 ch** | 27 |
| M | 23" | 92 → **91 ch** | 29 |
| L | 25" | 100 → **100 ch** | 32 |
| XL | 27" | 108 → **109 ch** | 35 |
| 2XL | 29" | 116 → **115 ch** | 37 |

*Math check (M): 91 ch → (91 − 1) ÷ 3 = 30 groups; pattern yields 29 V-sts + 2 edge dc. 91 sts ÷ 4 sts/inch = 22.75" ≈ 23". ✓*

**EACH FRONT width** = ¼ finished bust:

| Size | Front width | Front foundation ch | V-sts across |
|------|-------------|---------------------|--------------|
| XS | 9.5" | 40 → **40 ch** | 12 |
| S | 10.5" | 43 → **43 ch** | 13 |
| M | 11.5" | 46 → **46 ch** | 14 |
| L | 12.5" | 49 → **49 ch** | 15 |
| XL | 13.5" | 55 → **55 ch** | 17 |
| 2XL | 14.5" | 58 → **58 ch** | 18 |

*Two fronts = roughly the same total width as the back, giving a small center-front overlap. ✓*

**Rows for body length** (10 rows = 4" → 2.5 rows/inch):

| Size | Length | Rows |
|------|--------|------|
| XS–S | 22" | 55 rows |
| M–L | 23" | 58 rows |
| XL–2XL | 24" | 60 rows |

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## PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

### BACK (make 1)

1. Using G/6 (4.0 mm), ch the **Back foundation chain** for your size (see table).
2. Work **Row 1** of V-Stitch Mesh.
3. Work **Row 2** repeatedly until piece measures full **body length** (rows from table). End after a WS row.
4. Fasten off. Lightly mark the center stitch of the top edge for the neck.

*Back finished: width = ½ bust × length. Lay flat and measure to confirm.*

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### LEFT FRONT (make 1)

1. Ch the **Front foundation chain** for your size.
2. Work **Row 1** of V-Stitch Mesh.
3. Work **Row 2** until the piece matches the **Back length minus 2"** (about 5 fewer rows). This 2" gap forms the front neckline drop.

**Simple neckline (beginner-friendly straight slope):**
4. On the next 4 RS rows, at the **neck edge only**, skip the last V-st before the final dc (work dc into the next available ch1-sp instead), removing 1 V-st per RS row to gently angle the neck.
5. Continue straight on remaining stitches until the Front matches the Back length. Fasten off.

### RIGHT FRONT (make 1)
Work exactly as Left Front, but **mirror the neckline shaping** so the decreases happen at the opposite (neck) edge.

> **Beginner option:** Skip steps 4–5 entirely and leave fronts as plain rectangles for a straight open vest — it still looks great!

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## SLEEVES (make 2) — Simple Rectangles

These are **wide, straight short sleeves** — no tapering, no shaping. They attach at a right angle to the body (dropped shoulder), true to the T-shape.

**Sleeve foundation chain** = (sleeve width × 4) rounded to multiple of 3 + 1:

| Size | Sleeve width | Foundation ch | V-sts |
|------|-------------|---------------|-------|
| XS–S | 7" | 28 → **28 ch** | 8 |
| M–L | 8" | 32 → **31 ch** | 9 |
| XL–2XL | 9" | 36 → **37 ch** | 11 |

1. Ch the sleeve foundation chain.
2. Work **Row 1** of V-Stitch Mesh.
3. Work **Row 2** until sleeve measures **sleeve length** (XS–M: 15 rows ≈ 6"; L–2XL: 16 rows ≈ 6.5").
4. Fasten off.

*Math check (M): 31 ch → width = 31 ÷ 4 = 7.75" ≈ 8". ✓*

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## ASSEMBLY

Block all pieces gently before seaming to open up the lace.

1. **Shoulder seams:** Lay the Back flat (RS up). Place each Front on top (RS down). Seam the top edges from the armhole edge inward, leaving the **center neck open** (about 8–9" gap for the neck on all sizes). Use mattress stitch or sl st seam.
2. **Attach sleeves:** Find the center top of each sleeve and match it to the shoulder seam. Pin the sleeve's top edge to the body so it hangs at a right angle (dropped shoulder). Seam in place.
3. **Side & underarm seams:** Fold the vest at the shoulders. Seam each side from the hem up to the underarm, then continue along the underside of the sleeve in one continuous line. Leave generous armhole depth (do not seam too high).
4. Weave in all ends.

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## BORDER / EDGING

Worked around the entire front opening, neckline, and hem in one pass. Use the F/5 (3.75 mm) hook if your edges ripple.

**Round 1 (sc foundation):** Join yarn at a bottom side seam. Sc evenly around the entire outer edge — fronts, neckline, and back of neck — working approximately **3 sc per 4 row-ends** and **1 sc per st** along the bottom and neck edges. Place 3 sc in each outer corner. Join with sl st to first sc.

**Round 2 (shell edging):** Ch 1, *skip 1 sc, work 5-dc shell in next sc, skip 1 sc, sc in next sc; rep from * around, adjusting at corners to keep work flat. Join with sl st. Fasten off.

**Sleeve cuffs:** Join yarn at underarm seam. Work 1 round of sc around the cuff edge, then 1 round of shell as above. Fasten off.

> **Beginner alternative:** For a clean, simple finish, work 2 rounds of plain sc all the way around instead of shells.

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## FINISHING & BLOCKING

1. Weave in all remaining ends.
2. Wet-block: soak the finished vest, gently squeeze (don't wring), lay flat, and pin to the finished measurements in the table.
3. Allow to dry completely. Blocking is what makes the lace "bloom."

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## QUICK FINISHED-MEASUREMENT RECAP (Size M example)

- Back: 23" wide × 23" long ✓ (91 sts ÷ 4 = 22.75", 58 rows ÷ 2.5 = 23.2")
- Each Front: ~11.5" wide ✓
- Two fronts (23") ≈ Back (23") → balanced front/back with overlap ✓
- Sleeve: 8" wide × 6" long ✓
- **Finished bust (closed): ~46"** ✓

Enjoy your breezy summer vest! 🌿