I’ve mentioned before that I really like Doris Chan‘s patterns.  This vest is a combination of the 4-S vest and the Insight vest from her book Everyday Crochet.

I crocheted it in Bendigo Woollen Mills Melody (now discontinued) which is a delightful mix of wool, microfibre and cashmere. It has wonderful stitch definition! I followed the instructions for size 37, but used a 6mm hook.

I really liked the striping of the 4-S vest, but knew that I didn’t want it to be cropped. So I kept on going lengthwise. Then when finishing the edges, I decided that I didn’t want a buttoned closure, so used the edging instructions for the Insight vest to have a tie closure. Many of the garments in Everyday Crochet have construction similarities, so can be mixed and matched a little bit.

This vest is a raglan, top-down crocheted garment, so I was able to try it on as I went along and check that it was going to fit okay. I really enjoy this type of garment, and it was actually quite straightforward to make once I got into the rhythm and the pattern repeat. The above photo of the back shows that it fits quite nicely. Of course, the shell stitch is rather forgiving.

The other lovely thing about the garments in Everyday Crochet is that they can be worn everyday. They fit nicely into the usual wardrobe! I am thrilled with how this has turned out. It took around eight weeks of occasional crochet to get it done – not bad either.

By the way, I did take a couple of crochet projects away with me on holiday. A scarf that was my commuter project – I did about two rows – and another top that I didn’t even get out of my suitcase. Now I’m trying to decided what garment to make next. I’m considering this Zig Zag skirt, in some of my stashed Wollmeise. But with my new relaxed holiday mentality, there’s no need to make a quick decision!  Details of my vest are Ravelled here.