Rainbow Vest Top

So I set myself the task of making my 13 year old daughter some unique summer clothes for her holidays this year.  I've already posted about one of the crop tops I've knitted for her in a previous post but this vest top is slightly longer and I used crochet to finish the edges and create the straps.

This is an easy make as it is made from 2 rectangles sewn together as a tube.

To make this, you will need:

100g ball of yarn (main colour)

At least 25g of each rainbow colour yarn to make the stripes

4.5mm needles

Scissors

Tapestry needle

4mm crochet hook

Row counter (optional)

Tension ring (optional for crochet edges)

To make:

Using your main colour yarn and 4.5mm needles, cast on 76 stitches and knit stockinette stitch for 40 rows (knit 1 row, purl 1 row).

Change the yarn to the first rainbow colour and continue with stockinette stitch for 2 rows.

Then, for each colour, change the yarn and complete 2 rows in stockinette stitch.  Once you've finished the rainbow stripe, you should be on 52 rows.

Change the yarn back to your main colour and continue stockinette stitch for another 10 rows.  This will leave you at 62 rows.

Cast off.  Make another identical piece.

(This next part is optional as it swaps to crochet)

Using the 4mm hook and your main colour yarn, add 1 row of double crochet stitches to the bottom edge and top edge.

Sew the 2 rectangles together at the short edges to make a tube.

Now, I did block mine with pins and sprayed it with water as the edges were rolling a little.

To make the straps - using the 4mm crochet hook, make a chain that measures 10-11 inches (if you stretch it from the hook, it should then measure 13 inches).

Then, follow the chain back down with a slip stitch in each chain and repeat on the opposite side of the chain also.

Once you've made your straps - measure out and mark exactly where you want the straps to be.  Then using the tail end from the strap, sew these in place.

And then you are finished.  You can customise this any way you like too, you could make it shorter, longer, add in extra stripes, change the edges or anything else you can think of.