Crocheted Girl's Hooded Vest with Flowers

Creating a floral display on a crocheted garment has been my goal for quite awhile.  I have used single flowers on my gloves and hats for some time. (http://www.lilcreates.com/lillians-blog/crocheted-flowers-everythings-coming-up-roses) While flowers and leaves would decorate the front of the piece, I dreamed of creating a more elaborate surprise on the back of the garment. When I closed my eyes I could see the garden images.  The question was how to translate the mental picture into a crocheted floral arrangement arrangement.  I also needed a solid simple vehicle to showcase the flowers, stems and leaves.    When I found the Wee Vest Pattern (Crochet) by Lion Brand, I knew I had found the perfect vehicle for my floral art.
(http://www.lionbrand.com/crochet-pattern-wee-vest-3.html)

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The vest pattern comes in sizes that range from 6 to 24 months.  Since this project would involve a great deal of detail work, I wanted to produce a product that would be worn for some time and chose the 24 month size so that I could gift it to my granddaughter next year.  If I am lucky, I may find another toddler to model the piece in the mean time. The designers used Lion Brand's Vanna's Choice for the vest.  However, I had 2 large skeins of Studio Classic by Nicole (AC Moore's house brand) in a mint green and decided to try the hooded vest with this worsted (#4) yarn.  The directions call for a J hook and are executed in a Half Double Crocheted Stitch.  The pattern is a free download from Lion Brand #70778AD.  I initially found the pattern by scrolling through Pinterest. The vest itself worked up quickly.  The flowers and the garden took just about as long to complete.  The next time Vanna's Choice goes on sale, I will try the designated yarn to see if it makes a difference.

with leavesI chose pastel colors for the flowers and a sage green for the stems and leaves.  Since I did not want the vest to be too heavy for a child, all of my flowers were only one layer.  I would add a color accent with decorative buttons for the center once the flowers were fixed onto the garment. Simple 6 petal flower patterns can be found  at  

• http://isitatoy.blogspot.com/2011/08/crochet-doodle-flowers 
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/6-petal-flower

The link for a simple green leaf is :

• http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2016/04/crochet-leaf-pattern.html

Five floral motifs  with leaves decorate the front of the vest. 

The back of the vest was a true labor of love.  I played with the pastel colors, adjusted the heights and used a chain stitch to make the stems.  The leaves were arranged so that they fit best into the open spaces.  With all of the flowers, stems, and leaves, there was quite a bit of weaving in.  The floral parts of the project took me two days, but it was well worth the effort.  The floral arrangement on the vest is relatively simple. In the future, I hope to take on more challenging designs.  I am eagerly awaiting the time when my granddaughter will be able to wear her own flower garden vest. 

The vest pattern is very versatile.  I am sketching out another project that will involve bunny or kitten motifs.  I plan to crochet the back of the animal on the back of the animal and face on the front.  However, I have some time to think about it. 

How do you use flowers to enhance your crocheted work?  Please share your experiences and photos on Facebook.