While my designs for cascading vests in both knit and crochet are sized based on current sizing standards, this is the easiest garment to customize to fit your personal size and style. With this How To Personalize Your Cascading Vest Size Tutorial you will be well on your way to a custom fit handmade wardrobe.

Even if you are new to making garments, you can 100% follow the steps below and with a little magic math make your very own customized vest in knit OR crochet!

Yes, I said it - It requires a wee bit of math but I am going to walk you through the steps so don’t worry, it’s not scary math. It is Magic Math!

The Signal Crochet Vest was part of my Knitcrate Pattern Extravaganza in 2019. I had so much fun designing this collection of patterns. Since most were warm weather focuses, I wanted to be sure to include a layering piece that could work year round.

The Skydeck Cascading Knit Vest was also part of the KnitCrate 2019 and I am madly in love with how this vest drapes. The yarn used was a dk cotton and it is divine. I highly recommend the Skydeck Vest for a fabulous knit accent to any look.

The Indio BoHo Crochet Vest is a longer cascading flowing vest with an open stitch design. It is meant to be a bonus layer of flare for outfit!. It was inspired when I saw an outfit someone wore to Coachella and I thought… all that gal needs is a crochet vest. So I designed her one.

Originally I wanted to add fringe but that would add too much of a yarn cost but you can absolutely add some fringe if that is your style!

First step: MAGIC MATH

Both Crochet & Knitting will use the same math for this magic formula.Grab you trusty favorite tape measure and a notepad and jot these down:

1. Measure your self from the back of your neck to the top of your booty (or to where you want the vest to hand to in the back. This = X

2. X + 1 = L (Length of your vest.)

3. Measure across your back from center under-arm to center-under-arm. This = Y

4. Y x 2.5 = W (Width of your vest in total)

6. (W-Y) /2 = F (Front panel width on each side)

No you have done the math! See - it wasn’t that bad.

Next up: MAKE YOUR VEST! Below are instructions for Crochet & Knit.

You are now armed with magic math and are well on your way to making your very own cascading vest that is personalized to YOUR side. So grab that math, grab your favorite yarn (I highly suggest a good DK weight for these) and the appropriate needle size for that yarn and follow these steps.

Special note: Gauge will not matter? WHAT?? I said it!

Since you are customizing to specific measurements, whatever gauge you achieve will be fine as long as it remains consistent throughout the piece.

Both Crochet & Knitting instructions are below. Here we go:

KNIT STEPS:

1. Using Long Tail method, Cast On enough stitches to meet length of “L” from above math

2. Stockinette to F

3. Follow pattern steps for Arm Hole creation

4. Stockinette to Y from the armhole as in step 3 above

5. Follow pattern steps for armhole creation #2

6. Stockinette to F from armhole #2

7. Bind Off

8. Block.
Note about blocking: This design style is best served with medium to aggressive wet blocking for the ultimate drape and flare!

CROCHET STEPS:

1. Using FHDC, make enough stitches to meet length of “L” from above math

2. HDC or DC to F

3. Follow pattern steps for Arm Hole creation

4. HDC or DC to Y from the armhole as in step 3 above

5. Follow pattern steps for armhole creation #2

6. HDC or DC to F from armhole #2

7. Final HDC row to finish.

8. Block.
Note about blocking: This design style is best served with medium to aggressive wet blocking for the ultimate drape and flare!

And there you have it. In Knit OR Crochet, you can now make your custom fit cascading vest and I promise you this will work on any and every size. Make a matching set for you and your mini me now that you can make any cascading vest pattern in any size you want.

Enjoy!