I Heart Skulls Circle Vest or Cardigan

I Heart Skulls Circle Vest or Cardigan by Spider Mambo

Project Overview

The I Heart Skulls Circle Vest or Cardigan is a beginner-friendly crochet project designed by Spider Mambo Designs. This downloadable PDF pattern provides instructions for creating a short-length circular vest or cardigan featuring a distinctive skull and hearts motif. The garment is constructed using a circular design technique, making it an excellent introduction to working with geometric crochet shapes for those new to the craft.

What is Being Made

This pattern creates a wearable circular vest or cardigan with a short length silhouette. The design centers around a prominent circle featuring skulls and hearts as the focal point. The garment is available in three finished sizes, each with different diameter measurements and total finished circumference options. The circular construction method allows for versatile styling and a modern aesthetic.

Available Sizes

• Small: Back circle measures 18 inches in diameter before armholes, with a total finished measurement of 35 inches
• Medium: Back circle measures 21 inches in diameter before armholes, with a total finished measurement of 37 inches after ruffle
• Large: Back circle measures 23 inches in diameter, with a total finished measurement of 39 inches after ruffle

Crochet Techniques Used

This pattern employs fundamental crochet techniques suitable for beginners. The garment begins with a magic circle (also called a magic ring), which is a foundational technique for creating seamless circular motifs. The design builds outward from this central ring using repeated rounds of stitches. The pattern incorporates a ruffle element in the medium and large sizes, adding decorative texture and dimension to the finished piece.

Stitches and Abbreviations

The I Heart Skulls Circle Vest uses standard American crochet terminology throughout the pattern. Key stitches employed include:

• Slip stitch (sl st): Used for joining rounds and creating seamless transitions
• Chain (ch): Foundational stitch used for spacing and shaping
• Single crochet (sc): Basic stitch providing structure and density
• Half double crochet (hdc): Medium-height stitch offering balanced drape
• Double crochet (dc): Taller stitch creating openness and flow
• Triple crochet (tr): Extended stitch for increased height and lace-like qualities
• Double triple crochet (DB tr): Worked as a triple crochet with one extra loop for specialized shaping

Materials and Gauge Information

The sample garment featured in the pattern was created using Red Heart Super Saver Yarn, a durable and widely available worsted-weight yarn. The project requires 2 skeins of 364 yards each, with one skein in each color to create the contrasting skull and hearts design.

The pattern provides flexibility through multiple hook size options, allowing crafters to customize the final garment size and drape:

• I hook (5.50 mm): Creates a center ring of hearts measuring 5 inches in diameter
• 4.50 mm hook: Produces a center ring of hearts measuring 3.5 inches in diameter
• K hook (6.50 mm): Results in a center ring measuring 7 inches in diameter

Adjusting hook size allows crafters to scale the entire garment proportionally, making this pattern adaptable to personal preferences and yarn availability. The gauge information provided ensures accurate sizing regardless of which hook size is selected.

Pattern Structure

The pattern begins with establishing a magic circle and working foundational chain stitches. Round 1 (R1) introduces the double crochet and chain-3 spacing pattern, repeated four times and joined with a slip stitch to the third chain. This creates the geometric foundation for the circular motif that expands outward through subsequent rounds to form the complete vest or cardigan.