Free Pattern – Sapling Sweater Vest

Add a stylish finishing touch to your little one’s outfit with the Sapling Sweater Vest. The lightweight fabric is perfect for warmer weather, and the gentle ribbing stretches to grow and move with active babies. The beginner friendly pattern works up quickly and includes 4 sizes from 6 – 24 months.

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The perfect baby gift!

I designed the Sapling Sweater Vest as a gift for a friend who just had a baby. (He’s absolutely adorable!) The unisex design and simple, relaxed fit work well for a baby gift. Lighter weight yarn makes it ideal for spring weather, and it would be great for autumn too.

Fractal spinning

I’m a member of a local spinning guild called Illinois Prairie Spinners. At one of our meetings late last year, we learned about fractal spinning. The teacher had samples of fiber for us to use, and I chose a woodsy, pastel roving.

By definition, fractals can be divided over and over again and just become infinitely smaller versions of the original. For fractal spinning, you divide the fiber into sections in a particular way so that the colors change at different rates in the different plies. If done right, you will have solid sections where the colors match up between the plies, and “barber pole” sections where the colors do not.

The key is, for it to work properly, your measuring and your spinning both have to be perfectly even. Mine is not, so I didn’t get a true fractal. But I did get a very lovely, very soft, fingering weight, merino yarn!

Blocking your swatch

You can of course use any fingering weight yarn for this project, it does not have to be something you spun yourself. I would suggest trying it with your favorite, fingering weight sock yarn.

Whatever fiber you choose, it may behave differently after washing than mine did. Even different wool fibers can have different characteristics. That’s why it’s so important to wash and block your swatch before measuring it. This way, if the fiber is going to shrink or grow, you can adjust your gauge accordingly.

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Sapling Sweater Vest

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Materials

• 250 [280, 315, 350] yds, fingering weight yarn (see Sizes)
• Size G / 4 mm crochet hook or size needed to match gauge
• Tapestry Needle

Project Level

Basic: Mostly dc stitches, worked in back loop only. Some decreases and increases. Worked sideways and seamed.

Sizes

Instructions are given for 6 months, with changes for 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months in [ ]

Gauge

Working in back loops only, 22 dc x 12 rows = 4 inches.

Abbreviations used

(Pattern is written in US terms)
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
dc2tog = double crochet 2 stitches together
blo = back loop(s) only
st(s) = stitch(es)
sl st = slip stitch
sk = skip
RS = right side
WS = wrong side

Recommended Resources

• Learn to Crochet Series
• Chainless Starting Double Crochet (csdc) on Moogly

Instructions

Both back and front are worked sideways, starting at an underarm. Ch 3 at the beginning of a row counts as a dc throughout.

Back

Armhole

Ch 32 [34, 36, 38]

Sizes 6 mo and 12 mo only:
Row 1 (WS): Dc in 4th ch from hook and each ch across. (30 [32] dc)

Row 2: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across to last st, 2 dc in blo of last st. (31 [33] dc)

Sizes 18 mo and 24 mo only:
Row 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook and each ch across. ([34, 36] dc)

Row 2: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of same st and each st across. ([35, 37] dc)

Row 3: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across to last st, 2 dc in blo of last st. [36, 38] dc)

Shoulder

Row 3 [3, 4, 4]: Ch 28 [29, 29, 30], turn, dc in 4th ch from hook and each remaining ch, dc in blo of each st across. (57 [60, 63, 66] dc)

Rows 4-7 [4-7, 5-8, 5-8]: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across. (57 [60, 63, 66] dc)

Neckline

Row 8 [8, 9, 9] (RS): Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across to last 6 sts, dc2tog in blo of next 2 sts, leave remaining 4 sts unworked. (52 [55, 58, 61] dc)

Rows 9-24 [9-26, 10-27, 10-29]: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across. (52 [55, 58, 61] dc)

Shoulder

Row 25 [27, 28, 30]: Ch 7, turn, dc in 4th ch from hook and each remaining ch, dc in blo of each st across (57 [60, 63, 66] dc)

Rows 26-29 [28-31, 29-32, 30-34]: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across. (57 [60, 63, 66] dc)

Armhole

Sizes 6 mo and 12 mo only:

Row 30 [32] (RS): Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next 29 [31] sts, dc2tog in blo of next 2 sts, leave remaining sts unworked. (31 [33] dc)

Row 31 [33]: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn, sk first st, dc in blo of each remaining st across. (30 [32] dc)

Fasten off, leaving an 18 inch tail to use for sewing side seam.

Sizes 18 mo and 24 mo only:

Row 33 [35] (RS): Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next 34 [36] sts, dc2tog in blo of next 2 sts, leave remaining sts unworked. (36, 38 dc)

Row 34 [36]: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn, sk first st, dc in blo of each remaining st across. (35 [37] dc)

Row 35 [37]: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across to last 2 sts, dc2tog in blo of last 2 sts. (34 [36] dc)

Fasten off, leaving an 18 inch tail to use for sewing side seam.

Front

Arm & Shoulder

Rows 1-7 [7, 8, 8]: Repeat rows 1-7 [7, 8, 8] of Back. (57 [60, 63, 66] dc)

Neckline

Row 8 [8, 9,9] (RS): Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across to last 6 [7, 7, 8] sts, dc2tog in blo of next 2 sts, leave remaining 4 sts unworked. (52 [54, 57, 59 ] dc)

Row 9 [9, 10, 11]: Ch 2 (does not count as a dc), turn, sk first st, dc in blo of each remaining st across. (51 [53, 56, 58] dc)

Row 10 [10, 11, 11]: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across to last 2 sts, dc2tog in blo of last 2 sts. (50 [52, 55, 57] dc)

Row 11 [11, 12, 12]: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across. (50 [52, 55, 57] dc)

Rows 12-13 [12-13, 13-16, 13-16]: Repeat last 2 rows once [once, twice, twice] more. (49 [51, 53, 55] dc)

Rows 14-20 [14-22, 17-21, 17-23]: Ch 3, dc in blo of next st and each st across. (49 [51, 53, 55] dc)

Row 21 [23, 22, 24]: Ch 3, turn, dc in same st and in each st across. (50 [52, 55, 56] dc)

Rows 22-23 [24-25, 23-26, 25-28]: Repeat last 2 rows once [once, twice, twice] more. (51 [53, 56, 58] dc)

Row 24 [26, 27, 29]: Ch 3, turn, dc in blo of next st and each st across to last st, 2 dc in blo of last st. (52 [54, 57, 59] dc)

Shoulder & Armhole

Row 25 [27, 28, 30]: Ch 7 [8, 8, 9], turn, dc in 4th ch from hook and each remaining ch, dc in blo of each st across (57 [60, 63, 66] dc)

Rows 26-31 [28-33, 29-35, 30-37]: Repeat rows 26-31 [28-33, 29-35, 30-37] of Back. (34 [36] dc)

Fasten off, leaving an 18 inch tail to use for sewing side seam.

Assembly

With right sides together, sew back to front at side seams and shoulders.

Armhole Edging

Rnd 1: With RS facing, join yarn with a sl st in side seam at underarm, ch 1, work 4 [4, 5, 5] sc evenly spaced across sides of underarm rows, sk next st, sc in each st around to last st, sk last st,
work 4 [4, 5, 5] sc across sides of remaining underarm rows, join with sl st to first st. (60 [62, 66, 68] sc)

Repeat for other armhole.

Collar

Rnd 1: With RS facing, join yarn with a sl st in shoulder seam at neckline, ch 3, work 67 [73, 77, 83] dc evenly spaced around neckline, join with sl st to first st. (68 [74, 78, 84] dc)

Rnd 2: Do not turn. Ch 3, dc in next st and each st around, join with sl st to first st, fasten off. (68 [74, 78, 84] dc)

24 mo size only: Repeat Rnd 2 once more.

Weave in all ends, wash and block.

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I hope you enjoy making this pattern. A downloadable pdf of this pattern is also available on Ravelry, for a small fee. The fee for the pdf format is to offset the advertising revenue lost when you print or download the pattern rather than viewing it online.

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