Crochet Kid’s Firecracker Vest

Materials:

Worsted weight cotton yarn in 3 colors (I used I Love the Cotton in White, Dark Denim, and Burnt Sienna)
H/5.0 mm hook
yarn needle
scissors

Level:
intermediate

Pattern notes & stitches to know:

ch – chain
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
dc3tog – double crochet 3 together
dc6tog – double crochet 6 together
hdc – half double crochet

Written in US terms

ch 3 counts as dc

This vest is made with 3 pieces (1 back and 2 front) sewn together

Change colors every 2 rows starting at row 2

Gauge: 1 harlequin stitch repeat x 4 rows = 2″ x 2″

Sizes:

(2, 4, 6) (8, 10, 12) – The pattern is written in these sizes consecutively. Example, when the pattern gives the end of row count ((30, 30, 36) (36, 42, 42) dc) the 30 is for 2, 30 is 4, 36 is 6, 36 is 8, 42 is 10, 42 is 12.

This vest is a close fit with little to no positive ease.

Approx Finished Size:

Chest: 2 (20”) 4 (22”) 6 (24”) 8 (26”) 10 (28”) 12 (30”)
Length: 2 (8”) 4 (9.5”) 6 (11”) 8 (11”) 10 (12.5”) 12 (12.5”)
Armhole Width: 2 (4.5”) 4 (4.5”) 6 (5”) 8 (5”) 10 (6.5”) 12 (6.5”)
Size 12 pictured.

FIRECRACKER VEST CROCHET PATTERN

BACK

ch (41, 41, 49) (49, 57, 57) (starting ch must be a mult of 8 + 1)

Row 1: work (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in the 5th ch from the hook, skip 3 chs, sc in the next, *skip 3 chs, (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in next, skip 3 chs, sc in next* repeat from * to * across ((30, 30, 36) (36, 42, 42) dc)

Row 2: ch 3, turn, skip first sc, dc3tog over next 3 dc, *ch 7, skip ch 1, dc6tog over next 6 dc (skipping the sc in the middle)* repeat from * to * across to last 4 stitches, ch 7, dc3tog over last 3 dc, dc in turning ch ((4, 4, 5) (5, 6, 6) dc6tog, 2 dc3tog)

Row 3: ch 3, turn, 3 dc in first hole created by the dc3tog from previous row, *sc in the ch 1 space from row below previous row (working around and enclosing ch 7), (3dc, ch 1, 3dc) in hole created from dc6tog from previous row* repeat from * to * across to last 2 stitches, 3 dc in last hole created from dc3tog from previous row, dc in turning ch ((30, 30, 36) (36, 42, 42) dc)

Row 4: ch 4, turn, skip first dc, *dc6tog over next 6 dc (skipping the sc in the middle), ch 7, skip ch 1* repeat from * to * across to last stitch, ch 3, sc in turning ch ((5, 5, 6) (6, 7, 7) dc3tog)

Row 5: ch 1, turn, skip first sc and ch 3, (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in hole created from dc6tog from previous row, *sc in the ch 1 space from row below previous row (working around and enclosing ch 7), (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in hole created from dc6tog from previous row* repeat from * to * across to last stitch, sc in first ch of the turning ch ((30, 30, 36) (36, 42, 42) dc)

Row 6 – Row (16, 16, 20) (20, 24, 24): repeat rows 2 – 5 ending with a row 4 repeat

Do not fasten off.

Do not change colors for remainder.

Row (17, 17, 21) (21, 25, 25): ch 1, turn, sc in sc, sc in ch-3, sc in dc6tog, *5 sc in ch-7 space, sc in dc6tog* repeat from * to * 1 more time for sizes 2 & 4, 2 more times for sizes 6 – 12 ((15, 15, 21) (21, 21, 21) sc)

Row 26 (18, 18, 22) (22, 26, 26): ch 1, turn, hdc in each stitch across ((15, 15, 21) (21, 21, 21) hdc)

Size 2, 6, 10 – Fasten off. Leave a long end for sewing.

Size 4, 8, 12 – ch 1, turn, hdc in each stitch across

Fasten off. Leave a long end for sewing.

Join with same color yarn to other side

Row 1: ch 1, sc in sc, sc inch-1 space, sc in next, *2 sc in ch-3 space, sc in sc, 2 sc in ch-3 space, sc in next* repeat from * to * 1 more time for sizes 2 & 4, 2 more times for sizes 6 – 12 ((15, 15, 21) (21, 21, 21) sc)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, hdc in each stitch across ((15, 15, 21) (21, 21, 21) hdc)

Size 2, 6, 10 – Fasten off. Leave a long end for sewing.

Size 4, 8, 12 – ch 1, turn, hdc in each stitch across

Fasten off. Leave a long end for sewing.

FRONT (make 2)

ch (41, 41, 49) (49, 57, 57)

Row 1: work (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in the 5th ch from the hook, skip 3 chs, sc in the next, *skip 3 chs, (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in next, skip 3 chs, sc in next* repeat from * to * across ((30, 30, 36) (36, 42, 42) dc)

Row 2: ch 3, turn, skip first sc, dc3tog over next 3 dc, *ch 7, skip ch 1, dc6tog over next 6 dc (skipping the sc in the middle)* repeat from * to * across to last 4 stitches, ch 7, dc3tog over last 3 dc, dc in turning ch ((4, 4, 5) (5, 6, 6) dc6tog, 2 dc3tog)

Row 3: ch 3, turn, 3 dc in first hole created by the dc3tog from previous row, *sc in the ch 1 space from row below previous row (working around and enclosing ch 7), (3dc, ch 1, 3dc) in hole created from dc6tog from previous row* repeat from * to * across to last 2 stitches, 3 dc in last hole created from dc3tog from previous row, dc in turning ch (((30, 30, 36) (36, 42, 42) dc)

Row 4: ch 4, turn, skip first dc, *dc6tog over next 6 dc (skipping the sc in the middle), ch 7, skip ch 1* repeat from * to * across to last stitch, ch 3, sc in turning ch ((5, 5, 6) (6, 7, 7) dc3tog)

Row 5: ch 1, turn, skip first sc and ch 3, (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in hole created from dc6tog from previous row, *sc in the ch 1 space from row below previous row (working around and enclosing ch 7), (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in hole created from dc6tog from previous row* repeat from * to * across to last stitch, sc in first ch of the turning ch ((30, 30, 36) (36, 42, 42) dc)

For sizes 2 – 4: skip rows 6 – 8

For sizes 6 – 12: Continue below

Row 6 – 8: repeat rows 2 – 4

Do not fasten off.

Do not change colors for remainder.

Row (6, 6, 9) (9, 9, 9): ch 1, turn, sc in sc, sc in ch-3, sc in dc6tog, *5 sc in ch-7 space, sc in dc6tog* repeat from * to * 1 more time for sizes 2 & 4, 2 more times for sizes 6 – 12 ((15, 15, 21) (21, 21, 21) sc)

Row (7, 7, 10) (10, 10, 10): ch 1, turn, hdc in each stitch across (21 hdc)

Row (8, 8, 11) (11, 11, 11): ch 1, turn, hdc in each stitch across (21 hdc)

Fasten off. Leave a long end for sewing.

Join same color yarn to other side

Row 1: ch 1, sc in sc, sc inch-1 space, sc in next, *2 sc in ch-3 space, sc in sc, 2 sc in ch-3 space, sc in next* repeat from * to * 1 more time for sizes 2 & 4, 2 more times for sizes 6 – 12 ((15, 15, 21) (21, 21, 21) sc)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, hdc in each stitch across ((15, 15, 21) (21, 21, 21) sc)

Size 2, 6, 10 – Fasten off. Leave a long end for sewing.

Size 4, 8, 12 – ch 1, turn, hdc in each stitch across

Fasten off. Leave a long end for sewing.

SEWING

Lay the two front pieces on top of the back. Lining up the hdc rows along the sides.

Use the long end to whip stitch the panels together across the shoulders and across each side.

Weave in the ends. Turn right side out.

COLLAR

Join yarn to bottom left corner.

Row 1: ch 1, sc in each stitch across to top of collar, sc across the top, sc in each stitch down to opposite corner

Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in each stitch

FRINGE

Add three 24” pieces of fringe to the end of each color change.

Trim to your liking.