Combine a v-shape shell stitch with a simple pineapple stitch to create the perfect summer vest. With no sewing involved, this vest is worked from shoulder down and finished with 3 buttons.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: Finished Bust Size 36 (39, 46, 49)” to fit bust 34½ (37½, 44½, 47½)”

1½” positive ease recommended.

Shown in size 36”

Gauge: 8 shells = 7.5″ [38 cm] in Shells pattern after wet blocking.

Materials

Yarn:

 Patons Grace (100% Mercerized cotton; 136 yards [125 meters]/50 grams): 62044 Clay, 7 (8, 9, 10) balls

Hook: US size F (3.75 mm)

Notions: JHB International three ⅝” (6.25 mm) buttons; sewing needle; matching thread

Special Stitches

Shells pattern

Multiple of 4 sts + 2 + 3 turning chains

Set-up Row: Work 2 dc in 6th ch from hook, *ch 3, 2 dc in same ch, sk next 3 ch-sp, 2 dc in next ch; rep from * to last 3 ch of row, dc in last ch, ch 3, turn.

Row 1: *Work (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) (Shell made) in next ch-3 sp; rep from * to last ch-3 sp, ending with dc in 3rd ch, ch 3, turn.

Rep Row 1 for patt.

Pineapple pattern

Set-up Row: Sc in 3rd ch, ch 3, *[(dc, ch 1) 4 times, dc] in next Shell, ch 3, sc in next Shell; rep from * to end, ch 3, turn.

Row 1: Work 2 dc in same sc, ch 1, *sc in next ch-1 sp, (ch 3, sc in next ch-1 sp) 3 times, ch 1, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) (Shell made) in next sc, ch 1; rep from * to last sc, 2 dc in last sc, ch 3, turn.

Row 2: Work 2 dc in same sp, *ch 2, sc in next ch-3 sp, (ch 2, sc in next ch-3 sp) twice, ch 2, Shell in next Shell; rep from *, ending last rep with 2 dc in last dc, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: Work 2 dc in same sp, *(ch 3, sc in next ch-3 sp) twice, ch 3, Shell in next Shell; rep from *, ending last rep with 2 dc in last dc, ch 1, turn.

Row 4: Sc in same sp, ch 3, *[(dc, ch1) 4 times, dc] in ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in next Shell; rep from * to end, ch 3, turn.

Rep Rows 1-4 for patt.

Pattern Notes

This vest is worked from shoulder down with a V-neckline.

Pattern

Back

Ch 73 (73, 81, 81).

Rows 1-17: Work in Shells pattern (working from shoulder to underarm). Fasten off – 17 (17, 19, 19) Shells.

Right Front

Row 1: Turn work upside down, work as Row 1 of Shells pattern in the next 5 (5, 6, 6) Shells.

Rows 2-13: Cont working in Shells pattern.

V-Neck Shaping

Rows 14 and 16: Ch 6, 2 dc in same ch-sp, cont working as Row 1.

Rows 15 and 17: Work as Row 1 of Shells pattern to ch-6, Shell in ch-6 sp, ch 3, dc in 3rd ch – 7 (7, 8, 8) Shells at end of Row 17.

At the end of Row 17, fasten off.

Left Front

Row 1: Sk 7 (7, 7, 7) Shells for Back Neck. Attach yarn to next Shell, work as Row 1 of Shells pattern in next 5 (5, 6, 6) Shells.

Rows 2-13: Cont working in Shells pattern.

V-Neck Shaping

Rows 14, 16: Work as Row 1 of Shells pattern, 2 dc in last ch-sp, ch 3, dc in last sp.

Rows 15, 17: Ch 3, Shell in ch-3 sp, work as Row 1 of Shells pattern – 7 (7, 8, 8) Shells at end of Row 17.

Joining Fronts and Back

Row 18: Ch 6, 2 dc in same sp, (Shell in next Shell) 7 (7, 8, 8) times, dc in 3rd ch, ch 11 (14, 20, 23) (Right underarm), dc in 3rd ch, 17 (17, 19, 19) Shells on Back, dc in last dc, ch 11 (14, 20, 23) (Left underarm), dc in next dc, (Shell in next Shell) 7 (7, 8, 8) times, 2 dc in last sp, ch 3, dc in 3rd ch, turn.

Row 19: Ch 3, (Shell in next Shell) 8 (8, 9, 9) times, (sk next 2 chs, Shell in next ch) (3, 4, 6, 7) times, sk next 2 chs, (Shell in next Shell) 17 (17, 19, 19) times, (sk next 2 chs, Shell in next ch) 3 (4, 6, 7) times, sk next 2 chs, (Shell in next Shell) 8 (8, 9, 9) times, dc in 3rd ch, turn – 39 (41, 49, 51) Shells. Updated 10/19/2020

Rows 20-41: Work in Pineapple pattern.

Fasten off.

Finishing

Button Band

Row 1: With RS facing, attach yarn to the front edge of Right Front, ch 1, sc in the side of next sc, 2 dc in the side of each dc or ch 3, on the Back of the neck, sc in every st across, sc in the side of next sc, 2 dc in the side of each dc or ch 3 to the bottom of the Left Front, ch 1, turn.

Rows 2-3: Sc in every sc across row, ch 1, turn.

Row 4 (Buttonhole): Work as Row 2 to the Right Front at the edge of the neckline, (ch 2, sk next 2 sc, sc in each of next 3 sc) 3 times (3 buttonholes made), sc in every sc to the end, ch 1, turn.

Row 5: Sc in every sc to buttonholes, (2 sc in each ch-2 sp) in each buttonhole, sc in every sc to the bottom of the Left Front.

Row 6: Reverse sc in every sc.

Fasten off.

Armhole

Rnd 1: Attach yarn to the back side corner of underarm, ch 1, (2 sc in next ch-3 sp or the side of dc, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp or dc) to the other side of underarm, sc in every st to the side, sl st into the first ch.

Rnds 2-3: Ch 1, sc in every sc around.

Rnd 4: Reverse sc in every sc.

Fasten off.

Weave in all ends.

Block vest to size.

Sew buttons opposite buttonholes.