A free crochet pattern for a retro style duster vest!

Retro Duster Vest Crochet Pattern

Welcome to Nana’s Crafty Home! I am very excited to share this journey with you. I am a wife, mother, a Nana, an avid crocheter, a lover of yarns, baking, movies, board games, time with my very large family and of course the most important – my Faith!  I have been crocheting now for close to 40 years but am just now discovering a love of creating my own patterns.  This has been a journey of self-discovery for me as I explore this newly found creative side and would love to share with you!

Today I am sharing a pattern made with the new Caron Cotton Cakes.* I ordered several skeins approximately 2.5 seconds after they became available and I absolutely could not wait to make a project with it.  I immediately fell in love with the feel of it.  For those of you not yet familiar with the cotton cakes, it is not like the traditional cotton yarn you would use for pot holders or dishcloths.  This yarn is a 60% cotton and 40% acrylic blend.  It is primarily intended for fashion items rather than utilitarian projects.

*This post contains affiliate links.  You can click on any yarn or material highlighted to purchase.  I will receive a small commission if you purchase but it won’t cost you any extra!  

I am generally more drawn to vibrant and bright colors than these colorways provide. However, after spending some time with it and working with it I am in love with them!  I am especially enjoying the color I chose for this duster — Beachglass.  The color speaks to me of the soft colors of the sand meeting the water in a tropical paradise.  So soothing and lovely.  The texture of this yarn is much different than any I have worked with in the past.  I would call it more “cord” like than “yarn” like but I believe that can be a good thing.  It is extremely easy to work with, doesn’t split and it has a lovely drapey quality about it.  If you haven’t found these yet and you enjoy making crocheted clothing then run to your nearest Michaels to get acquainted with your latest yarn addiction.

This pattern consists of the stacked granny stitch or block stitch which is one of my personal favorites.  I love how it looks and I also love that once you get the hang of it, this pattern is easy to follow while spending time with your grandkids, visiting with your husband or watching an episode of Downton Abbey. 

I hope you have as much fun with this as I did!

This pattern is also available as an ad-free, printable PDF! You can purchase the individual pattern, or if you love PDFs, you might want to check out my Lifetime Membership. It’s an awesome deal! Never pay for one of my PDFs again!! (Or, scroll down for the free version!)

Purchase the ad-free pdf of this pattern for a small fee at HERE.  Thank you so much for supporting my work!

Retro Duster Vest Free Crochet Pattern

Notes about this pattern:

Written in US terminology

The pattern as written fits approximately size women’s 8-10.  You can easily customize by adding or subtracting rows on the back and also the front side of the duster as well.

I used 5 complete balls of yarn.  I had just a very small scrap of yarn leftover.  If you add any rows at all you will need another ball of yarn to finish.

The 3 dc granny will be referred to as a cluster throughout the pattern.

Chain 3 at beginning of row counts as a stitch

Abbreviations:

RS = right side

WS = wrong side

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

ch = chain

sk = skip

sp = space

beg = beginning

Materials needed:

Size I crochet hook

5 balls 3.5 oz/100 gram Caron Cotton cakes Beachglass (17.5 oz/500 gram)

Chain 154

Row 1 (RS): dc in 4th ch from hook, *sk 2 ch, 3 dc in next ch* repeat between * * to last 3 st, sk 2 st, 2 dc in last ch.  Turn (49 clusters with 2 dc at beg and 2 at the end)

Row 2 (WS): ch 1, sc in next 2 st, *1 sc in space before cluster, ch 3, skip cluster, sc in next space* repeat between * * to end, sc in the space between the end 2 dc and cluster, sc in the next st, sc in top of ch 3 from previous row.  Turn

Row 3: ch 3, dc in same st, sk next 2 st, 3 dc in each ch 3 sp across row to end, sk last 2 st, 2 dc in last st.  Turn

Row 4 – 39 repeat rows 2-3.  This is when you would add more rows if needed to make the duster wider.  However, you will always end on a cluster row.

DO NOT FASTEN OFF!

Duster Front

Row 1 ch 1, sc in next 2 st, 1 sc in space before cluster, *ch 3, skip cluster, sc in next space* repeat between ** 31 times for a total of 32 ch 3 sp.  Chain 52, sc in top of ch 3 from end of previous row.  Turn

Row 2 ch 3, dc in same st, *sk 2 ch, 3 dc in next ch* repeat between ** 16 times, sk 1 ch, skip st, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, 3 dc in each ch 3 across row to end, 2 dc in last st.  Turn (49 clusters)

Row 3 ch 1, sc in next 2 st, 1 sc in space before cluster, *ch 3, sk cluster, sc in next space* repeat between ** to end of row, sc in space between the end 2 dc and cluster, sc in the next st, sc in top of ch 3 from previous row.  Turn

Row 4 ch 3, dc in same st, sk next 2 st, 3 dc in each ch 3 sp across row to end, 2 dc in last st.  Turn

Rows 5-14 Repeat rows 3-4  If you wish to add additional rows you would add here before you start decreasing.  Always end on a cluster row.

Row 15 ch 1, sc in next 2 st, 1 sc in space before cluster, *ch 3, sk cluster, sc in next space* repeat between ** 47 times.  This will leave last cluster unworked.  Turn (48 ch 3 spaces)

Row 16 ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, *3 dc in next ch 3 sp* repeat between ** to end of row, 2 dc in last st.  Turn (47 clusters)

Row 17 ch 1, sc in next 2 st, 1 sc in space before cluster, *ch 3, sk cluster, sc in next space* repeat between ** 45 times.  This will leave last cluster unworked.  Turn (46 ch 3 spaces)

Row 18 ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, *3 dc in next ch 3 sp* repeat between ** to end or row, 2 dc in last st.  Turn (45 clusters)

Row 19 ch 1, sc in next 2 st, 1 sc in space before cluster, *ch 3, sk cluster, sc in next space* repeat between ** 43 times.  This will leave last cluster unworked.  Turn (44 ch 3 spaces)

Row 20 ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, *3 dc in next ch 3 sp* repeat between ** to end of row, 2 dc in last st.  Turn (43 clusters)

Fasten off

Opposite Side of Duster

With WS facing attach yarn with a sc in top right corner of the opposite site.  You will be working in the unused loop of the bottom of the first row.  If your chain is too loose, you can attach around the end space instead of the unused loop.

Row 1 ch 52, sk 17 clusters, *sc in next sp, ch 3*, repeat between ** to end of row, sc in last unused loop.  (32 ch 3 spaces and 52 chains for arm hole).  Turn

Row 2 ch 3, dc in same st, *3 dc in next sp*, repeat between ** to last sp before chains, sk 2 (next st and 1 ch), *3 dc in next ch, sk 2 ch*, repeat between ** to end, 2 dc in last ch. Turn (49 clusters)

Row 3 ch 1, sc in next 2 st, 1 sc in space before cluster, *ch 3, sk cluster, sc in next space* repeat between ** to end of row, sc in space between the end 2 dc and cluster, sc in the next st, sc in top of ch 3 from previous row.  Turn

Row 4 – 14 repeat rows 2-3.  If any additional rows were added to opposite side of duster, add same amount here — always end on cluster row.

Row 15 sl st in next 5 st, sc in sp between next clusters, *ch 3, sc in next sp between cluster* repeat between ** to end of row, sc in last st.  Turn

Row 16 ch 3, dc in same st, *3 dc in next ch 3 sp* repeat between ** 46 times.  Ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, sc in next sc.  Turn (47 clusters)

Row 17 sl st in next 3 ch from previous row, sl st in top of next 3 dc, sc in sp between clusters, *ch 3, sc in next sp between clusters*, repeat between ** to end of row.  sc in top of ch 3 from previous row.  Turn

Row 18 ch 3, dc in same st, *3 dc in next ch 3 sp*, repeat between ** 44 times.  Ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, sc in next st.  Turn (45 clusters)

Row 19 sl st in next 3 ch, sl st in top of next 3 dc, sc in sp between next clusters, *ch 3, sc in next sp between cluster* to end of row, sk last two st and sc in top of ch 3 from previous row .  Turn

Row 20 ch 3, dc in same st, *3 dc in next ch 3 sp*, repeat between ** 42 times.  Ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, sl st in top of third dc of next cluster.  (43 clusters)

Fasten off

With WS facing, slip st or whip st shoulder seams together.

With RS facing, sc evenly around the entire inside of duster.

At this point you could leave the duster as is without the cinch.  However, I think that the cinch helps give the duster some body and “oomph”.  If you have decided to include the adjustable cinch, decide where you would like to place and mark with stitch marker.  Pattern as follows:

I placed my cinch at cluster 31 from bottom of duster:

Row 1 with WS facing, attach yarn with a sc in sc above marked cluster, ch 3, sk 2 sc, sc in next sc, ch 3, sk 2 sc, sc in next st.  Turn

Row 2 sl st in ch 3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same space, 3 dc in next chain 3 sp.  Turn

Row 3 ch 3, sc in sp between clusters from previous row, ch 3, sc in top of ch 3 from previous row’s cluster.

Row 4 – 17 repeat rows 2 – 3.

Fasten Off

Sc evenly around cinch and fasten off.

With embroidery floss attach button on the bottom or WS of cinch near the end.  I placed mine between the last 2 rows of clusters.

On the opposite side of duster, with RS facing, attach yarn at the same spot as where you attached for the cinch on the other side.  Rather than attach in the sc you did as the border, attach with sc to the row below that in order to give it more stability and it will pull apart less.  Ch 5, sk 4 sc, sc in space where you placed the sc from border row.  Turn

Row 2 sc in same st again, 6 sc in ch 5 sp, sc in same sp as sc from previous row.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

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