Stash Buster Cardigan Vest

✓Join us at Maker Festivals Pennsylvania, the ultimate crafting extravaganza in Lancaster from July 31-August 3, 2024, and we will once again be bringing our fiber artists with us! Our festival lineup will have thousands of fiber artists, and jewelry makers!

Author

by Chloe Nightingale

Introduction

I keep hearing two complaints: people don’t know what to do with that one skein of novelty yarn they purchased on impulse, and people don’t know what to do with the skeins/partial skeins of yarn leftover after completing a big project. This simple vest is an idea I came up with to bust through part of my stash and end up with something cute and fun, not hideous and scary.

I made this vest using front-loop-only single crochet to give the vest a little more texture. Feel free to sc through both loops if you find the front-loop-only texture distasteful. The pattern for the front panels of the vest is only one example of the many ways you can utilize your stash for the front of the vest, and you are encouraged to try different stitches. The front of the vest is a little wider than the back in order to accommodate bust size. If you are particularly busty, I suggest widening the front panels by adding a few more rows.

Materials List

Back/hood/fringe: 460 (600, 740) yards of non-variegated worsted weight yarn (I used TLC Essentials in Dark Sage because that’s what I had in my stash)
Front: 175 (225, 275) yards of stash yarn in coordinating colors
4.5mm (size G/7) hook or size needed to obtain gauge

Finished Size

S: 34″ bust x 20″ length (exclusive of hood and fringe)
M: 36.5″ bust x 24″ length (exclusive of hood and fringe)
L: 39″ bust x 28″ length (exclusive of hood and fringe)

Gauge

9 sts x 8 rows = 2.5″ in sc

Notes

For this pattern, sc = single crochet in front loop only.

The double loop stitch, DLS (adapted from the book, New Design in Crochet by Clinton D. Mackenzie, Van Nostrand, Reinhold Company, 1972): The DLS is worked with the wrong side of the project facing you. When doing DLS for multiple rows, alternate between rows of DLS and sc, unless you would like the double-loop fringe to be two-sided. Refer to Figures A1-A3 for each step respectively.

(Directions for right-handed crocheters):
Step 1: Grasp the yarn with your left hand and wrap it clockwise twice around your left index finger so there are two loops around your finger. Insert the hook into the stitch so there are two loops on the hook and rotate the hook so it goes under the yarn (not shown: wrapping the hook under the yarn in the opposite direction will yield a more secured loop stitch).

Fig. A1
Fig. A1

Step 2: Slip the hook under the loops around your left index finger. Catch all 3 strands with the hook and bring all three strands through the stitch (the first loop on your hook) so there are 4 loops on your hook.

Fig. A2
Fig. A2

Step 3: Yo and pull the yarn through all the loops on the hook.

Fig. A3
Fig. A3

The Pattern

Back and Sides

With main yarn, ch 70 (79, 88).

*Ch 1 (counts as first sc), turn, starting at second stitch from hook, sc 69 (78, 87).*

Repeat from * to * until work measures 14″ (17″, 20″), fasten off.

Starting at 18th (20th, 22nd) stitch from end, join yarn and chain 1. Sc 36 (39, 44), *ch 1, turn, starting at second stitch from hook, sc 35 (38, 43).* Repeat from * to * until work measures 20″ (24″, 28″), fasten off.

Front

Turn work 90 degrees.

Right Panel

From bottom right corner:

With first piece of scrap yarn, sc along edge of work, picking up one stitch at the end of every row (see Fig. B), ch until row measures 20″ (24″, 28″). *With new scrap yarn, ch 1, turn. Sc in each stitch of previous row of scrap yarn.* Repeat from * to * until scrap panel is 3″ (4″, 5″) wide. Fasten off.

Fig. B
Fig. B

Starting at 7th (9th, 11th) stitch from top right corner: *With new scrap yarn, ch 1, turn, starting at second stitch from hook, sc in each stitch of previous row of scrap yarn.* Repeat from * to * until scrap panel is 6″ (8″, 10″) wide. Fasten off.

Repeat for left panel.

Hood (optional)

With main yarn, ch 90 (105, 120).

With first piece of scrap yarn, ch 1, turn. Starting at second stitch from hook, sc 89 (104, 119). *With new scrap yarn, ch 1, turn. Sc 89.* Repeat from * to * 3 more times. With main yarn, **ch 1, turn. Sc 89 (104, 119).** Repeat from ** to ** until work measures 6.5″ (7.5″, 8.5″).

Decrease as follows:

Ch 1, turn. Starting at second stitch from hook, sc 87 (102, 117). Ch 1, turn.
Starting at second stitch from hook, sc 85 (100, 115). Ch 1, turn.
Starting at second stitch from hook, sc2tog, sc to end of row. Ch 1, turn.
Starting at second stitch from hook, sc2tog twice, sc to end of row. Ch 1, turn.
Starting at second stitch from hook, sc2tog 3 times, sc to end of row. Ch 1, turn.
Starting at second stitch from hook, sc2tog 3 times, sc to end of row.

Fasten off. As shown in Figure C, fold hood in half and sew or sl st (w.s.) up the back.

Hood
Fig. C

Finishing

As indicated in Figure D:

Fold vest and sew or sl st (w.s.) shoulders to form arm holes.

Sew or sl st (w.s.) hood to back of vest.

DLS (w.s.) around hood, collar, arm holes, bottom, and edge of front panels. Work one row of sc along edge of front panels. (If you would rather omit the double-loop fringe, you may finish the vest using sc in lieu of DLS.)

Weave in any loose ends.

Fig. D
Fig. D

Ties

Attach yarn around sc post at edge of front panel — you may attach this tie either at the top of the vest or in the middle. Weave in tail. Ch 50 or until length desired; fasten off. Repeat for other side of vest and corners of hood.