Project of the Week: Coral Ranunculus 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!

Stitching mandalas is insanely addictive, as I discovered during a whole year spent honing my crochet skills almost entirely by stitching stylish doilies in all colors of the rainbow. Since then, mandalas have always had a special place in my heart, whether used as wall hangings, jewelry, pillow covers, or whatever else I could think of. The back of a vest, maybe? When I spotted Gwen Buttke McGannon’s Coral Ranunculus Vest in the pages of Interweave Crochet Summer 2019, my itch to stitch mandalas returned with a vengeance!

This vest crochet pattern takes the form of an ever-expanding circle that begins with a lovely, open, flower-like mandala pattern at the center back. That’s the totally zen part of this project, perfect for summer stitching on the patio. “Just one more round,” your utterly relaxed mind will urge as you soak up some much-needed Vitamin D.

After stitching your flower mandala, the circle expands into folds of broomstick lace that form the collar, fronts, and dramatic long back. If you’ve never worked broomstick lace before, you’re going to love using an oversized knitting needle, dowel, or literal broomstick to create all that space between stitches! I love the incredible drape created by the broomstick lace fabric, especially where it pools around the collar.

Gwen used Omega Yarn La Abuela #6 (distributed by Creative Yarn Source) for her sample, a 100% mercerized cotton thread that comes in tons of fun colors. You could even try changing colors as you stitch for a kaleidoscopic mandala effect!

What color or colors will you choose? Let me know in the comments! And if you make the Coral Ranunculus Vest, be sure to tag @interweavecraft on Instagram so we can see your work.

Yours in Stitches,
Andrea