Thirty years old and still looking good!!! (Men's Vest)

[Aggie May]

:cheer No, not me but a vest I crocheted for my husband more than 30yrs ago.
It still looks as good as the day I made it and it was worn and wased a lot back it the days when it was new.
My boys also have smaller versions in different colours so they all looked very smart when they went out together.

I was helping another Crochetville member with how to do a crocheted Ribbing and, even though this does not have ribbing, it does have the same stitch as an edge to the Blackberry Stitch (the bobbles)

I remembered that I still had this stored away as a memento of the days when I did lots of crocheted clothing.

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b208/Aggie2may/?action=view&current=100_0435.jpg

The colour is a tanny shade with a greenish marl through it so I added the one row of SC in dark green to help bring out the colours.
The photo does not do the colour justice.

Thank you for indulging me my trip down memory lane.

have fun.
Colleen:hug
PS, :think Sorry, there is no written pattern for this vest and there wont be either.
I am sure there is similar out there in one form or the other.

[artemis]

Colleen: The vest is gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing it...it's one I will study and ponder as I love the textured stitches. Why not let the vest see the light of day and have someone wear it again?

[livedinalaska]

It's gorgeous! I'm so impressed that it's lasted 30 years and still looks brand new!

[alibra]

Looks brand spanking new...beautiful vest, some great work there!!

[Lil Nana]

Your vest is awesome! Aren't those the best.....things you made years ago that get used and loved and still look good? My DD has a ripple 'ghan I made 20 years ago that's been passed down from her Papa and resides on the back of her sofa. And it still looks great. It makes me feel so good whenever I see it, knowing it's used regularly (and is still holding up, lol).

[silkymist]

Wow..it looks new! That is a very handsome vest!

[caseysmom57]

Ditto!

[Seneca and Scooch]

What a beautiful vest! Thank-You for sharing it with us. :manyheart


Coralie

[hayhook]

Very nice!:clap

[lhasaapsolady]

I know your DH looked very dapper in that vest, you did a great job.

[Sojourn1960]

The vest is a testament to your excellent craftmanship. :clap You have every right to be proud. :yes Thanks for sharing :)

[JoAnn]

That is S-o-o nice! Thanks so much for sharing with us!

[threadlover]

That is a wonderful looking vest. The pattern is so neat.
Marcia

[sherryzzz]

that's one gorgeous vest!

[chocchip]

Beautiful work! I agree that you should pull it out of hiding and wear it- too nice to not show it off!

[umme yusuf]

great vest.

[Tampa Doll]

Wow you are right, that is still looking good.:hook

[gretelgrrl]

Wow-- I love it!

I also love the timeless design. There are a lot of wearables that 30 years later might look impractical or unattractive (some of that stuff on Groovy Crochet!!!)

This is phenomenal - and in beautiful shape.

Thanks for sharing.

And yes- be proud! :manyheart

[AnjyB]

Very beautiful piece. Thanks for Sharing it.

[neicy crochets]

Beautiful work!

[omaandopa]

wow looks great.......... love your other photos too

[Aggie May]

:eek Tonight, I got my husband to try on his old Vest.

:think What do you think the outcome was?

Only a 6 inch gap between the buttons and buttonholes, not too bad after more than 30yrs!!!

Now, he is not a big man but obviously he is bigger than he was way back then.

:( I guess he wont be wearing it again any time soon.

Have fun.
Colleen:hug
PS, I was going to take a picture but did not want to embarass him.:eek

[Kiirs]

It's BEAUTIFUL!!

[nevadamama]

:bheart
Love the vest and the story of him trying it on again. I'm impressed with the vest design and your crochet talent. Thanks for sharing and that was a great photo too.

[Cotton Candee]

That is a real nice classy vest. Sorry to your DH for it not fitting, I know what that feels like.

[Gemlady]

Incredible! You are so right, it looks as if you finished it yesterday. And you did a great job way back then too!! :clap

[Luvtocro]

I have to admit, I was a skeptic at first, but WOW, that vest is beautiful! You must have used some top quality yarns for it to have held up this long. Amazingly, it doesn't look "dated" either. It looks like something you would find in a Ralph Lauren catalog! Of course, we can't discount your crocheting abilities, which appear to be advanced. I hope your husband realizes what treasure(s) he has (you AND the vest!). Thanks for sharing, I am inspired to create my own "masterpiece." :)

[Aggie May]

:cheer Thanks for the compliments Luvtocro.
The yarn was the absolute cheapest I could buy at the time but it is 100% Pure Wool.
NZ is the place with 4 million people and 40 million :sheepjump :sheepjump :sheepjump :sheepjump so we did produce good yarns for not much money in the good old days.

At the time, I was crocheting Shawls, Vests and Ponchos and going to all the Craft Shows I could find so I needed to keep my costs down.
At one time, I even used Carpet yarn for some items and that was very hard wearing and very economical.

Eventually, I decided to buy the local wool shop and then began knitting for my customers, even earned to use a knitting machine and churned out lots and lots of knitting.

When my mum had a stroke in 1994, I decided to sell the shop and look after her, then the kids all got married in 1994 and 1995 and the 7 Grandies started to come along.

I hate to admit that I did not make much for the Grandies because Polar Fleece came along and it was warm and easy to wash so I didnt bother to make more than one item for each child. Some of these things have eventually done the rounds of the kids and are possibly still going strong somewhere.

Now, I just make hats and scarves and afghans and either sell it really cheaply, to defray my yarn cost, or I give it to Hospice etc.

My mum is 91 now and lives in a Resthome now so I get lots of stuff done while sitting with her.

I think I might need to frame the vest because it will not fit me either if it does not fit my husband.

If I can make up a pattern, so can anyone.
My advantage is, I have had 50 squillion years practice but, remember, I did make the vest when I was about 35 so had not had so much experience then.
It really was not soo hard to do.
Give it a go.
Have fun.
Colleen:hug

[Selune]

Always a classic. :) Looks fantastic. I just love those old "woven" buttons!

[sandhyasudhir]

A very handsome vest. I like the texture you have created. I think I will try and make one looking at the picture. If I succeed I shall post the photos.
I like the colour too.

[Miss USA]

It looks wonderful! Classic styles like that are always in fashion. Beautiful work

[cupcake]

That is pretty amazing. Such lovely work and still a neat vest after all these years! Thanks for sharing

[Roli]

Colleen, you must have been an expert crocheter right from the start. No wonder you are so knowledgeable and able to help us all out here on the 'Ville! Your hubby's vest is really classy. I notice that Aran sweater vests are very much back in style for men so perhaps hubby will wear it again now. It's really beautiful.

[Bejae_60]

wow, i'm impressed.....

[DebbyinLV]

Beautiful Vest! It looks brand new!

[joybelle]

Nice!!

[magiccrochetfan]

Just beautiful!! Your expertise is stunning. The edging does really set it off. Thank you for sharing it.

[jura2908]

that is great! i love the texture of it!

Nadine

[sanurasmom]

Looks great, quality workmanship there!

[cmg123]

Beautiful! It looks very professional. You did an excellant job. Cables intimidate me - some day I will have to give it a go.

[dragonfli]

It looks very tailored and brand new. Very handsome!

[christinascrochethaven]

great vest! how handesome:manyheart

[gr8skott]

Oooo!! Gorgeous work!! *claps*:yay I would LOVE a pattern for that one ! I wear vests all the time, I'd wear it myself!!!

[wyckofr]

Hey I'm 30 years old too :D:D:D

Very nice vest!

[Miss Crochet]

Holy cow. I'm 34 and holding up nowhere near as good, haha. That's fantastic. Wow.

[sunnywolfgar]

love the cable and geez,, I loveeeee the yarn you crocheted with.

[MaryPat]

What a well designed vest. It's not often to see something of that quality.

[basjordan]

Wow! I am in awe. I would love to be able to make anything with a cable stitch. That vest is just gorgeous!

[cher49]

very nice

[onfire4Jesus]

Gorgeous ... even after 30 years! TFS

[salos]

That is so nice! You did a great job.

[Aggie May]

:cheerI am so pleased that my husbands old vest (or is it my old husbands vest) is still being admired by so many.

It is not really too hard to do if you can find yourself a pattern for the cables and twists and practice those, maybe in a scarf you would eventually be able to make it into a vest or anything else you want to make.
I would love to write out the pattern but it would be hard for me to write out because, even though I know what yarn I used, I am not familiar with US yarns.

The main stitch is just SC with the Cables etc are done in DC.

Have fun.
Colleen:hug

[kgettig]

Handsome vest! Wonderful job!