Hi pals! Welcome back to the blog! Today we have a new crochet pattern, the Mandala Vest! This pattern was designed last year and was supposed to be released with the company for Pride, but things happened and it didn’t work out. Instead, we get to share it here and I think that’s pretty rad too.

I used Mandala Baby yarn in the color Acre Woods and fell in love the moment I saw it. The way it is a gentle bright rainbow of pinks and yellows, it just spoke to me and I knew it needed some fun texture to really show it off. This pattern features a really fun repeat, and is made a little differently than normally. For a lot of paneled crochet garments, you can just make the front panels and the back panels in whatever order you want. But for the Mandala Vest, it’s made from side to side, you will make one side first, then the back, and then the other side so the color changes in the yarn and the row repeats flow properly. Just be sure to read the entire pattern before you start so you know what’s coming.

Oh, and if you’re looking for another pastel rainbow project, be sure to check out my Kindle Pouch pattern, which is also for free on my blog!

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Patterns and images are owned by SamBartleyDesigns. Do not reproduce, duplicate, redistribute, or sell. Sale of products made using this pattern is 100% allowed and encouraged; when selling online credit SamBartleyDesigns.

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Project Supplies

5 mm crochet hook
Approx. – 692-1102 yards or 633-1008 m (1 – 2 skeins, if you’re making the 4xl or 5xl this will be SUPER close if your tension is off a bit, just a warning you might want 3 skeins to be safe) Lion Brand Yarn – Mandala Baby in Acre Woods
Tapestry needle
Scissors

Pattern Size

Length is customizable regardless of the back/front size you choose. The two options are 30 inches long and 35 inches long. That is specifically determined by your starting chain.

XS –
- Back Width – 14 inches
- Front Width – 7 inches
S –
- Back Width – 15 inches
- Front Width – 7 inches
M –
- Back Width – 16 inches
- Front Width – 8 inches
Lg –
- Back Width – 17 inches
- Front Width – 8 inches
XL –
- Back Width – 17.5 inches
- Front Width – 9 inches
2X –
- Back Width – 18 inches
- Front Width – 9 inches
3X –
- Back Width – 18 inches
- Front Width – 9 inches
4X
- Back Width – 18.5 inches
- Front Width – 9 inches
5X –
- Back Width – 18.5 inches
- Front Width – 9 inches

Pattern Notes

Please read all notes and directions before starting the pattern.
30 inch and 35 inch instructions will be written – 30 inch (35 inch)
The only difference between the lengths is the starting chain, the rest of the directions follow the same way.
If you want to keep the same Ombre that your yarn cake is showing, be sure to follow the pattern in the order it is laid out, Front Panel, Back, Front Panel.
This pattern is made up and down instead of horizontal rows. (when looking at the vest straight on.)
There are no sleeves for this pattern, so when seaming be sure to seam your shoulders first, and then drape the vest over your shoulders and measure where you want the underarm to stop. That’s where you will seam up to, starting at the bottom.
The gauge is measured in a 5 inch by 4 inch square.
If you end up with an extra stitch at the end of the row you can either dc 2 stitches together, or just don’t worry about it. Just make the stitch and continue on with the pattern, just making sure to put 2 dc in each ch space, and 2ch immediately after that.

Abbreviations

All patterns follow the same abbreviations as the Crafty Yarn Council.

Ch	Chain
DC	Double Crochet
HDC	Half Double Crochet
Puff Stitch	Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and insert into stitch, yarn over and pull up another loop. Yarn over and insert into stitch, yarn over and pull up the final loop. Yarn over and pull through all loops. Ch to close.
St(s)	Stitch(es)
Sk	Skip
Rep	Repeat

Gauge

18 dc x 6 Rows as pattern is written = 5 in x 4 in

Chain 18 + 3 (21)

Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook. dc in next ch, *ch 2, skip next 2 ch, dc in each of next 7 ch* ; rep from * to * across, ending with dc in each of the last 5 ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 6 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 3 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 7 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 2 sts, ch 1, skip next dc, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch. turn.
Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in next st, ch 2. skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 8 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 5 dc, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 3 dc, *ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from * across to within the last 6 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 3 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 6: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 5 sts, *ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from * across to within the last 4 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 dc, dc in next st. dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.

The Mandala Vest Pattern

Mandala Vest – Front Panel # 1

Ch 108 + 3, (126 + 3)
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook. dc in next ch, *ch 2, skip next 2 ch, dc in each of next 7 ch* ; rep from * to * across, ending with dc in each of the last 5 ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 6 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 3 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 7 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 2 sts, ch 1, skip next dc, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch. turn.
Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in next st, ch 2. skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 8 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 5 dc, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 3 dc, *ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from * across to within the last 6 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 3 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 6: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 5 sts, *ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from * across to within the last 4 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 dc, dc in next st. dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 7: Ch 4 (counts as dc. ch 1) skip the first 2 dc, dc in each of the next 7 sts, ch 2. skip next 2 sts: rep from across to within the last 8 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch. turn.
Row 8: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2), skip first 3 dc, dc in each of next 7 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts; rep from across to within last 7 sts, dc in each of next 6 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 9: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 4 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 5 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 dc, dc in each of next 2 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 10: Rep Row 9.
Row 11: Rep Row 8. (Size XS and S, Row 12 – HDC across, finish off and stop here.)
Row 12: Rep Row 7. (Size M and Lg, Row 13 – HDC across, finish off and stop here.)
Row 13: Rep Row 6. (Size Xl, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, Row 14 – HDC across, finish off and stop here.)

Mandala Vest – Back Panel

*Ch 2 does NOT count as a stitch on the back panel.

Size Xs, Sm, Med

Ch 108 + 3, (126 + 3)
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook. dc in next ch and in every chain across. Ch 2 and turn. (109)
Row 2 & 3: Dc in the first stitch, *ch 1, sk 1, dc* across, ending with a dc. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 4-15 Dc in the first stitch, *ch 3, sk 3, dc* across, ending with a dc in the last stitch, ch 2 and turn.
Row 16 & 17: Dc in the first stitch, and every stitch across. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 18: Dc in the first stitch, *ch 1, sk 1, puff stitch* repeat across ending with a dc in the last stitch. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 19 & 20: Repeat Rows 16 & 17
Rows 21 & 22: Repeat Row 4 & 5
Row 23: Dc in each st across. Finish off.

Size L and XL

Ch 108 + 3, (126 + 3)
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook. dc in next ch and in every chain across. Ch 2 and turn. (109)
Row 2 & 3: Dc in the first stitch, *ch 1, sk 1, dc* across, ending with a dc. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 4-16 Dc in the first stitch, *ch 3, sk 3, dc* across, ending with a dc in the last stitch, ch 2 and turn.
Row 17 & 18: Dc in the first stitch, and every stitch across. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 19: Dc in the first stitch, *ch 1, sk 1, puff stitch* repeat across ending with a dc in the last stitch. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 20 & 21: Repeat Rows 16 & 17
Rows 22 & 23: Repeat Rows 4 & 5
Row 24: 34: Repeat Row 6
Row 25: DC in the first stitch, and every stitch across. Finish off.

Size 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x

Ch 108 + 3, (126 + 3)
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook. dc in next ch and in every chain across. Ch 2 and turn. (109)
Row 2 & 3: Dc in the first stitch, *ch 1, sk 1, dc* across, ending with a dc. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 4-17 Dc in the first stitch, *ch 3, sk 3, dc* across, ending with a dc in the last stitch, ch 2 and turn.
Row 18 & 19: Dc in the first stitch, and every stitch across. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 20: Dc in the first stitch, *ch 1, sk 1, puff stitch* repeat across ending with a dc in the last stitch. Ch 2 and turn.
Row 21 & 22: Repeat Rows 16 & 17
Rows 23 & 24: Repeat Rows 4 & 5
Rows 25 & 26: Repeat Rows 6 & 7
Row 27: Dc in the first stitch, and every stitch across. Finish off.

Mandala Vest – Front Panel # 2

Ch 108 + 3, (126 + 3)
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook. dc in next ch, ch 2, skip next 2 ch, dc in each of next 7 ch; rep from across, ending with dc in each of the last 5 ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 6 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 3 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 7 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 2 sts, ch 1, skip next dc, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch. turn.
Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in next st, ch 2. skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 8 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 5 dc, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 3 dc, *ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from * across to within the last 6 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 3 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 6: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 5 sts, *ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from * across to within the last 4 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 dc, dc in next st. dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Bow 7: Ch 4 (counts as dc. ch 1) skip the first 2 dc, dc in each of the next 7 sts, ch 2. skip next 2 sts: rep from across to within the last 8 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch. turn.
Row 8: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2), skip first 3 dc, dc in each of next 7 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts; rep from across to within last 7 sts, dc in each of next 6 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 9: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 4 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, dc in each of next 7 sts; rep from across to within last 5 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 dc, dc in each of next 2 sts, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.
Row 10: Rep Row 9.
Row 11: Rep Row 8. (Size XS and S, Row 12 – HDC across, finish off and stop here.)
Row 12: Rep Row 7. (Size M and Lg, Row 13 – HDC across, finish off and stop here.)
Row 13: Rep Row 6. (Size Xl, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, Row 14 – HDC across, finish off and stop here.)
Finish off.

Sam Bartley Designs