Womens Vest Top Free Crochet Pattern (2024)

This Crochet Womens Vest is the perfect classy layer to your spring, summer or fall wardrobe. Pattern written for sizes small through 3X.

“Belle Button Front Vest” free crochet pattern by Kim Guzman © Mar. 2024. All rights reserved.
Technique: Regular Crochet.

Crochet Pattern At A Glance

This is a free crochet pattern and the written instructions are below. If you prefer a printable download, a PDF is also available for purchase.

My Crochet Pattern Notes

I’ve listed this pattern as an experienced skill level, 4 out of 4. It’s not that it’s difficult. Overall, it’s pretty easy. It’s the pattern itself that’s difficult to read because of the sizing. There is so much going on, jumping from size to size. With this much jumping around, it’s important to really pay attention to which size you’re making. Circle your numbers, if you can.

The vest is worked from side to side with shaping happening only on one end. There is very little seaming, only the shoulders. Buttons are shown, but they’re unnecessary if you prefer.

The entire vest is made in Herringbone Half Double Crochet except for standard half double crochet for some of the shaping. This may be a new stitch to you so you may need to practice before beginning.

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See Also

The Boxy Basket | Free Square Crochet Basket PatternCrochet Top Down Easy Fall/Winter/Spring Sweater – Handmade by Derya

Finished Sizes

The model size is intended to fit up to 34″ bust (size small) with 2″ positive ease at the highest range. The pattern is written for sizes small (up to 34″), medium (up to 38″), large (up to 42″), 1X (up to 46″), 2X (up to 50″) and 3X (up to 54″). The first number in all instructions will be for the smallest size and the rest of the sizes will be in parenthesis. When there is only one size, it is for all sizes. When an instruction says to repeat “0” times, skip to the next section for that size.

Yarn

Drops “Belle” yarn, size 3 weight, 53% cotton/33% viscose/14% linen, 131 yds/120m, 1.8 oz/50g skein, 6 (8, 9, 9, 10, 11) skeins or 780 (940, 1080, 1175, 1300, 1400) yards in color Mint Cream.

At the time of writing this pattern, Drops “Belle”, a DK weight yarn, is available in 20 solid shades.

I was able to find it at Wool Warehouse.

Other Materials

Suggested Crochet HookSize H-8 (5mm) or hook needed to meet gauge.
Yarn Needlefor weaving ends.
Buttons6 (6, 7, 7, 7, 7) size 1/2″ round buttons.
Sewing thread and sewing needleoptional, for sewing on buttons.

Gauge

Working in Herringbone Half Double Crochet, 15 sts for 12 rows measures approximately 4 x 4″.

Special Stitches

There are two variations of half double crochet used in this pattern that you will need. If you’re not familiar with them, you’ll need to practice them before you start working on the project or even before checking your gauge.

Herringbone Half Double Crochet (hhdc): Yarn over, insert hook in stitch indicated, yarn over, pull loop through AND pull that loop through the loop on hook, yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook.

Don’t try to pull the loop through and pull it through the loop on the hook in one motion. It’s really difficult to teach your muscle memory to do both at the same time. Tamara Kelly of Moogly has a Herringbone Half Double Crochet video.

Foundation Half Double Crochet (fhdc): Yarn over, insert hook in the base of previous stitch, yarn over, pull loop through, yarn over and pull through 1 lp on hook (creating a chain at the bottom of the stitch), yarn over and pull through 3 loops on hook.

When making a Foundation Half Double Crochet, you aren’t really making a chainless foundation. It’s more accurate that you are making the chain and the stitch at the same time. In order to keep your work from curving at the bottom, you need to practice really loosening up that chain at the bottom when you create the stitch. Tamara Kelly of Moogly has a Foundation Half Double Crochet video.

This foundation stitch is only used at the ends of rows, rather than as a beginning row of the project so it will be a little different than the video, but the steps are the same.

Other Abbreviations

This button front vest is written in US crochet terminology.

beg=beginning; ch=chain; fhdc=foundation half double crochet; hdc=half double crochet; hhdc=herringbone half double crochet; RS=right side; sc=single crochet; sk=skip; sl=slip; st(s)=stitch(es).

Since there are so many sizes, you may want to print out the pattern and circle only those numbers that apply to the size you are making. If there is only one number, it is the same for all sizes.

The numbers at the end of an instruction, after a colon, indicate the stitch count for that row.

The shaping rows seemed to sort of meld together, making them difficult for me and my testers to discern sometimes. I found it easier when I wrote whether it was shaping at the beginning or at the end. I added little notes on each shaping row. I’ve left these instructions in there because I thought it might make it easier for you as well. I don’t normally do this but it really seemed to help here.

New Pattern Free PDF Download Weekend

The PDF download for the Belle Button Front Vest pattern is available for free this weekend only. This promotion ends at 11:59pm CST, Monday, March 25.

Free Crochet Pattern Instructions

Skip to: Armhole ◦ Back ◦ Other Armhole ◦ Other Front ◦ Seaming ◦ Trim

Note:I made the first row (and the bit of shaping when there is a chain) in the back horizontal bar of the chain for a cleaner edge. It’s not absolutely necessary, but it looks nicer.

First Front

Row 1: Ch 41 (45, 45, 47, 47, 47), sk 2 ch (counts as first hhdc here and throughout), hhdc (see Special Stitches above) in each remaining ch across, turn: 40 (44, 44, 46, 46, 46) hdc.

FOR SIZE 3X ONLY:
Next 2 Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 46 hdc.

FOR SIZES S, M, L, 1X ONLY:
Next Row (increase at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, 3 fhdc (see Special Stitches above), turn: 43 (47, 47, 49) hdc.
Next Row (increase at beg): Ch 4, sk 2 ch, hhdc in next 2 ch, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 46 (50, 50, 52) hdc.
Rep previous 2 rows 5 (3, 3, 0) times more: 76 (68, 68, 52) hdc.

FOR SIZES M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X ONLY:
Next Row (increase at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, 2 fhdc (see Special Stitches above), turn: 70 (70, 54, 48, 48) hdc.
Next Row (increase at beg): Ch 3, sk 2 ch, hhdc in next ch, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 72 (72, 56, 50, 50) hdc.
Rep previous 2 rows 2 (3, 7, 9, 9) times more: 80 (84, 84, 86, 86) hdc.

Front Shoulder

Next 6 Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 76 (80, 84, 84, 86, 86) hdc.

Armhole

Next Row (decrease at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in next 61 (63, 67, 71, 73, 73) sts, turn, leaving remaining 14 (16, 16, 12, 12, 12) sts unworked: 62 (64, 68, 72, 74, 74) hdc.

Next Row (decrease at beg): Sk first st, sl st in next 3 sts, ch 2, sk same st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 59 (61, 65, 69, 71, 71) hdc.

Next Row (decrease at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc across to last 3 sts, turn, leaving remaining 3 sts unworked: 56 (58, 62, 66, 68, 68) hdc.

Rep previous 2 rows 1 (1, 1, 2, 2, 2) times more: 50 (52, 56, 54, 56, 56) hdc.

Next Row (decrease at beg): Sk first st, sl st in next 3 sts, ch 2, sk same st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 47 (49, 53, 51, 53, 53) hdc.

Next 7 (9, 9, 7, 9, 11) Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 47 (49, 53, 51, 53, 53) hdc.

Next Row (increase at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, 3 fhdc, turn: 50 (52, 56, 54, 56, 56) hdc.

Next Row (increase at beg): Ch 4, sk 2 ch, hhdc in next 2 ch, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 53 (55, 59, 57, 59, 59) hdc.

FOR SIZES L, 1X, 3X ONLY: Rep previous 2 rows 1 (2, 1) times more: 65 (69, 65) hdc.

FOR SIZES M, 1X, 2X, 3X ONLY:
Next Row (increase at beg): Ch 3, sk 2 ch, hhdc in next ch, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 57 (71, 61, 67) hdc.
Next Row (increase at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining across, 2 fhdc, turn: 59 (73, 63, 69) hdc.
Rep previous 2 rows 0 (0, 2, 2) times more: 59 (73, 71, 77) hdc.

Next Row (increase at beg): Ch 24 (22, 20, 12, 16, 10), sk 2 ch, hhdc in next ch, hhdc in each remaining ch, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 76 (80, 84, 84, 86, 86) hdc.

Back Shoulder

Next 6 Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 76 (80, 84, 84, 86, 86) hdc.

Back

Next Row (decrease at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc across to last 3 sts, turn, leaving remaining 3 sts unworked: 73 (77, 81, 81, 83, 83) hdc.

Next Row (decrease at beg): Sk first st, sl st in next 3 sts, ch 2, sk same st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 70 (74, 78, 78, 80, 80) hdc.

Next 18 (20, 26, 26, 30, 30) Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 70 (74, 78, 78, 80, 80) hdc.

Next Row (increase at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, 3 fhdc, turn: 73 (77, 81, 81, 83, 83) hdc.

Next Row (increase at beg): Ch 4, sk 2 ch, hhdc in next 2 ch, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 76 (80, 84, 84, 86, 86) hdc.

Other Back Shoulder

Next 6 Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 76 (80, 84, 84, 86, 86) hdc.

Other Armhole

Next Row (decrease at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in next 52 (58, 64, 72, 70, 76) sts, turn, leaving remaining 23 (21, 19, 11, 15, 9) sts unworked: 53 (59, 65, 73, 71, 77) hdc.

FOR SIZES M, 1X, 2X, 3X ONLY:
Next Row (decrease at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc across to last 2 sts, turn, leaving remaining 2 sts unworked: 57 (71, 69, 75) hdc.
Next Row (decrease at beg): Sk first st, sl st in next 2 sts, ch 2, sk same st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 55 (69, 67, 73) hdc.
Rep previous 2 rows 0 (0, 2, 2) times more: 55 (69, 59, 65) hdc.

Next Row (decrease at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc across to last 3 sts, turn, leaving remaining 3 sts unworked: 50 (52, 62, 66, 56, 62) hdc.

Next Row (decrease at beg): Sk first st, sl st in next 3 sts, ch 2, sk same st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 47 (49, 59, 63, 53, 59) hdc.

Rep previous 2 rows 0 (0, 1, 2, 0, 1) times more: 47 (49, 53, 51, 53, 53) hdc.

Next 7 (9, 9, 7, 9, 11) Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 47 (49, 53, 51, 53, 53) hdc.

Next Row (increase at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, 3 fhdc, turn: 50 (52, 56, 54, 56, 56) hdc.

Next Row (increase at beg): Ch 4, sk 2 ch, hhdc in next 2 ch, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 53 (55, 59, 57, 59, 59) hdc.

Rep previous 2 rows 1 (1, 1, 2, 2, 2) times more: 59 (61, 65, 69, 71, 71) hdc.

Next Row (increase at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, 3 fhdc, turn: 62 (64, 68, 72, 74, 74) hdc.

Next Row (increase at beg): Ch 15 (17, 17, 13, 13, 13), sk 2 ch, hhdc in next ch, hhdc in each remaining ch, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 76 (80, 84, 84, 86, 86) hdc.

Other Front Shoulder

Next 6 Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 76 (80, 84, 84, 86, 86) hdc.

Other Front

FOR SIZES M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X ONLY:
Next Row (decrease at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc across to last 2 sts, turn, leaving remaining 2 sts unworked: 78 (82, 82, 84, 84) hdc.
Next Row (decrease at beg): Sk first st, sl st in next 2 sts, ch 2, sk same st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 76 (80, 80, 82, 82) hdc
Rep previous 2 rows 2 (3, 7, 9, 9) times more: 68 (68, 52, 46, 46) hdc.

FOR SIZES S, M, L, 1X ONLY:
Next Row (decrease at end): Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc across to last 3 sts, turn, leaving remaining 3 sts unworked: 73 (65, 65, 49) hdc.
Next Row (decrease at beg): Sk first st, sl st in next 3 sts, ch 2, sk same st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 70 (62, 62, 46) hdc.
Rep previous 2 rows 5 (3, 3, 0) times more: 40 (44, 44, 46) hdc.

Next 1 (1, 1, 1, 1, 3) Rows: Ch 2, sk first st, hhdc in each remaining st across, turn: 40 (44, 44, 46) hdc. Fasten off after final row.

Seaming

Both sides are the same so you’ll just need to decide which side you want for the “right side”. With RS facing each other, with yarn needle, seam the front and back shoulders together on both sides.

Armhole Trim

Round 1: With RS facing, join yarn with sl st at bottom center of armhole, ch 1, sc evenly around, sl st to first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc, fasten off.

Rep for other armhole.

Button Band Trim

Note: You are making a straight line along a jagged edge. It’s important that you don’t add stitches here or it will ruffle. Don’t try to work into each dip, adding another stitch for each shaping increase or decrease. Remember how many stitches you have for hem to shoulder and stick to that as your guide.

Row 1: With RS facing, join yarn with sl st at the hem point of one of the fronts to begin working along the center edge, around the neck and down the other center edge (stitches aren’t worked along the hem). Ch 1, sc evenly up the center front, around the neck and along the other center front, adjusting your stitches where necessary by adding or removing stitches to conform to curves, turn.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc around, adjusting stitches as necessary for curves.

Row 3: Starting at the bottom of the V-neck, mark 6 (6, 7, 7, 7, 7) evenly spaced button loop positions on the actual Right Front Side of the vest. Ch 1, sc around, adjusting stitches as necessary for curves, except at button loop positions, work a button loop of [ch 5, sl st to first ch]. Test your buttons to make certain they fit and adjust as necessary. Fasten off.

Finishing

Tip:I try to separate the plies of the yarn in order to create the thread used for sewing on buttons whenever possible, unless the yarn is too weak when separated. At least you know that it will match your garment. If it’s not possible, you’ll need matching sewing thread.

Sew on the buttons adjacent to the button loops. Weave in all ends securely. Block as desired.

Schematic

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All the patterns at Make It Crochet are free. Since many of you have asked how to help with the costs of running a site like this, I’ve made all the patterns into print-ready PDFs and the cost is about the same as a cup of coffee. Every little bit helps.

TERMS: To my fellow crafters, you have my permission to use my patterns to make and sell your projects* anywhere you like. You cannot use my images to sell your projects, though. You must take photos of your own work. All patterns have been tested but mistakes can happen. If you find a mistake, please let me know. Everything at MakeItCrochet.com is protected by copyright to Kim Guzman. Other than the permissions previously given, no one other than Kim Guzman has permission to: reproduce, copy, publish or distribute this pattern, its parts or photos in any way or form, including, but not limited to, translations into foreign languages & video production.

*Not intended to be blanket permission for mass production.