Felix Vest

“What are you knitting?”

There is no other question that can make a crocheter’s eye twitch faster. Bonus points if this question came from a friend/family member who has heard me describe the difference between knitting and crochet in painstaking detail multiple times. So vexed I was by this that I took the liberty of designing a “knit look” baby vest that I could make specifically to confuse people further. Is that petty of me? You betcha!

This vest features a side to side construction with the bottom ribbing made at the same time as the body. The fabric is nice and stretchy making it fit equally as well on lean or pudgy babies and, depending on the brand of yarn, is usually a 1 ball project. It’s a great little vest you can whip up in a couple of days to pop over a collared shirt for picture day or special occasions. Can we say winner?

Sizes

0-3months (3-6 months, 6-9 months)

Gauge

10 stitches & 8 rows of blo hdc = 2 inches

Size

11″ wide and 8 (9, 9.5)” long. Armhole depth 3.5 (4, 4.5)”.

Yarn

275-325 yards of fingering weight yarn

Hook

Hook needed to obtain gauge

Notions

Measuring tape; tapestry needle.

Notes

1. Vest panels are made from side to side. Your first 10 slip stitches in each row will make up the bottom trim with the rest of the stitches making up the body. Then the 2 panels are sewn together and the trim around the neckline and armholes is added last.
2. When making the slip stitch trim, keep your tension as loose and relaxed as possible.
3. Keep count of your stitches. They are easy to lose! Also, pay close attention to which row you are on.

Vest Instructions

Front Panel

Ch 33 (38, 41)

Row 1: Starting in the 2^nd ch from the hook, ss in the next 10 chs. Ch1 and turn leaving the rest of the chs unworked for now. Ss in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked chs. Ch1, turn; 32 (37, 40)

Row 2: Hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn.

Row 3: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch2, turn.

Row 4: Place a new hdc in the 2^nd ch from hook. Hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn; 33 (38, 41)

Row 5: Rep Row 3.

Row 6: Rep Row 4; 34 (39, 42)

Rows 7-10: Alternate Rows 3 and 4 two more times; 36 (41, 44)

Row 11: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch 12, turn.

Row 12: Starting in the 2^nd ch from the hook, hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn; 47 (52, 55)

Row 13: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch1, turn.

Row 14: Hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn.

Rows 15-18: Rep Rows 13 and 14 two more times.

Row 19:  Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc until 5 sts rem. Leave them unworked. Ch1, turn; 42 (47, 50)

Row 20: Rep Row 14.

Row 21: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc until 1 st rem. Leave it unworked. Ch1, turn; 41 (46, 49)

Row 22: Hdc in first st. Sk1. Hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn; 40 (45, 48)

Row 23: Rep Row 21; 39 (44, 47)

Row 24: Rep Row 14.

Row 25: Rep Row 13.

Row 26: Rep Rows 14.

Row 27: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch3, turn.

Row 28:   Starting in the 2^nd ch from the hook, hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn; 41 (46, 49)

Row 29: Rep Row 27.

Row 30: Rep Row 28; 43 (48, 51)

Row 31: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch5, turn.

Row 32: Starting in the 2^nd ch from the hook, hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn; 47 (52, 55)

Rows 33-38: Rep Rows 13 and 14 in an alternating fashion.

Row 39: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc until 11 sts rem. Leave them unworked. Ch1, turn; 36 (41, 44)

Row 40: Rep Row 14.

Row 41:  Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc until 1 sts rem. Leave it unworked. Ch1, turn; 35 (40, 43)

Rows 42-47: Rep Row 14 and 41 three more times; 32 (37, 40)

Rows 48-49: Rep Rows 14 and 13. FO

Back Panel

Ch 33 (38, 41)

Row 1: Starting in the 2^nd ch from the hook, ss in the next 10 chs. Ch1 and turn leaving the rest of the chs unworked for now. Ss in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked chs. Ch1, turn; 32 (37, 40)

Row 2: Hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn.

Row 3: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch2, turn.

Row 4: Place a new hdc in the 2^nd ch from hook. Hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn; 33 (38, 41)

Row 5-10: Rep Rows 3 and 4 three more times; 36 (41, 44)

Row 11: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch 12, turn.

Row 12: Starting in the 2^nd ch from hook, hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn; 47 (52, 55)

Row 13: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch1, turn.

Row 14: Hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn.

Rows 15-18: Rep Rows 13 and 14 two more times.

Row 19: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc until 3 sts rem. Leave them unworked. Ch1, turn; 44 (49, 52)

Rows 20-30: Rep Rows 14 and 13 in an alternating fashion. (Hint: you should end on a Row 14)

Row 31:  Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc in the rest of the unworked sts. Ch4, turn.

Row 32: Starting in the 2^nd ch from the hook, hdc until 10 sts rem. Ss to the end. Ch1, turn; 47 (52, 55)

Rows 33-38: Rep Rows 13 and 14 three more times.

Row 39: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc until 11 sts rem. Leave them unworked. Ch1, turn; 36 (41, 44)

Row 40: Rep Row 14.

Row 41: Ss in the next 10 sts. Ch1 and turn. SS in each ss you just made. Ch1 and turn, ss’ing in each ss again. Hdc until 1 st rem. Leave it unworked. Ch1, turn; 35 (40, 43)

Row 42: Rep Row 14.

Rows 43-48: Rep Rows 41 and then 14 three more times for a total of 6 rows; 32 (37, 40)

Row 49: Rep Row 13. FO.

*Note: You will no longer be working in BLO. Continue rest of the vest in both loops.

Seaming

Place the two panels together. Ss them together at the sides and the shoulder tops. Then turn the vest inside out. This is now your RS.

Neck Trim

With the right side facing, attach yarn to any stitch along the back of the neck.

Rnd 1: Sc evenly around the neckline. Join with a ss. Ch3 (counts as first dc). Do not turn.

Rnd 2: Dc in each sc from the previous round. Join with a ss to the top of your ch3. FO.

Arm Trim (x2)

With the right side facing, attach yarn to the side of any stitch along the armhole. (I like my first st to be in the armpit area to hide the joins)

Rnd 1: Sc evenly around the armhole. Join with a ss. Ch1, do not turn. (Hint: Count your sts around so you can replicate them exactly on your second armhole).

Rnd 2: *Sc 3 (4, 5), sc2tog. Rep from * around. If you have an extra st at the end, sc. Join with a ss. Ch3 (counts as first dc). Do not turn.

Rnd 3: Dc around. Join with a ss. FO.

Finishing

1. Weave in any loose ends.
2. For best results, block your vest.