The Perfect V-Neck Vest

The Perfect V-Neck Vest
Crochet Today! Mar/Apr 2010
Skill: Crochet
Yarns: Aunt Lydia's Bamboo Crochet Thread
Yarn weight: Thread
Hook size: 3.5 mm (E)

There is a story behind this pattern. I have been a fan of Brett Bara since I first met her two years ago at TNNA. She is a very nice lady and has a good head on her shoulders. I have told her before that I want to design for her magazine but I never get submissions done in time to send to her. Imagine my surprise when a couple of days before Thanksgiving 2009 that I got an email from Brett Bara, editor of Crochet Today! magazine with "Your Assignment" in the subject line. In the email she asked if I would be interested in designing a basic vest for the winter issue of Crochet Today!. Well, being a HUGE fan of miss Brett I quickly said yes. Then, she told me that she needed it asap...like in 10 days asap.

After a quick think about who I could get to help me out with this I told her that I could do it! Never mind the fact that I was in the middle of a HUGE project management job (more about that next time) and I had a very large pattern due to Interweave. SURE, I could help Brett! But who was I going to ask for help...who do I call....CALL JENNI, of course. (I feel like I am singing the Ghost Busters song) You might remember me bragging about her making my Capricious Cardigan a while ago.

The thing is, usually Jenni is always quick to say yes to anything I need made but I should tell you that I had just put her through a couple HUGE projects. I mean HUGE! So, I had to be a bit delicate when I asked her to help me out with this. In other words...I had to come up with a plan :-)

I waited until I had her here at my house for a girls night. When I was showing her my new office she happened to notice the new package of yarn on the floor next to my desk (Jenni has a very keen eye and spots anything new...plus she helped me organize my stash more than once so she knows what is in it). I eyed her and no joke, she said "what do I have to make now?"

I gave her a huge smile and explained to her what I needed to make and asked if she could make the back for me while I made the front. She and I team up really well for projects like this since our tension is spot on the same. Grudgingly, Jenni agreed to give me a hand.

A few days later I wrote the pattern and sent it to Jenni to review. We both agreed that it looked good and we got started. Now, it is customary that she and I meet at least once a week when we are working on a project like this but there simply was NO TIME. We had to rely on photos over email and talking on the phone. When we finally got the chance to meet it was at 10:00 at night, standing at the back of my car, at a gas station off of I-70, in negative degree weather! We had to make sure that our pieces were going to match up...see, I know some of you are going to say that we should already know that based on getting the same gauge. But, GAUGE LIES!

The good news is that we were good to go and a couple days later Jenni came to my house with the back pieced finished. Poor girl had worked all night to make sure she could get it done and when she came in my house she looked like she was going to fall over.

I tucked in ends while Jenni seamed the pieces together and did the crab stitch edging around the armholes and neck. I made it just in time to the FED EX office to mail it out next day to Brett.

Without the team I have knitting and crocheting for me there is no way I could get done half of what I get done. Thanks Jenni!

I hope you all like this vest. It is really pretty simple and a great layering piece. Enjoy!