Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Agnes Sweater Vest PDF Crochet

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Where retro charm meets modern layers — and yes, I’m already planning a second one.

Okay friends, can we just have a moment for the Agnes Sweater Vest? This beauty is giving me all the cottagecore, thrifted-wardrobe, bookish-girl vibes — and I am here for it. Bethany Lynne’s patterns always feel like a cosy afternoon in yarn form, and this one is no exception.

Let’s be honest — some crochet garments can feel a bit… heavy. But not this one. The Agnes Sweater Vest is light, soft, and drapes beautifully thanks to its stitch pattern and yarn choice. It’s made with fingering weight yarn, which gives it that refined, knitted-look texture, even though it’s crocheted (and no one believes me when I tell them that).

The finished look is so polished — perfect for layering over a floaty blouse, long-sleeved tee, or even a dress. And the buttoned front? Chef’s kiss. Totally adjustable and gives you styling options galore.

This is a great pattern for advanced beginners or intermediate crocheters. It’s not difficult per se, but it does require a bit of focus — mostly to keep the stitch pattern tidy and to get that beautiful fit. The instructions are clear, with great support from Bethany if you get stuck (she’s known for being super responsive and helpful).

It’s worked flat and seamed, with detailed sizing and customization notes. And the size range? Inclusive, practical, and thoughtfully designed.

The original version uses WeCrochet’s Stroll — a soft and affordable merino/nylon blend that gives great stitch definition without adding bulk. But honestly, any fingering-weight wool or wool-blend yarn would work beautifully. You could even go slightly rustic for that true vintage feel. I used a hand-dyed speckled yarn I picked up at a market last year and it gave mine a fun twist!

Why It’s Worth the Hook Time

This isn’t a super speedy make — it is fingering weight, after all — but it’s incredibly satisfying. There’s something very grounding about working on a piece that feels like it belongs in both your wardrobe and your grandmother’s photo album.

And let’s just say… I wore mine to the local Sunday markets and had three people ask where I bought it.

 

Have you read?

How to Make a Crochet Vision Board – Plan the Crochet Projects You Actually Want to Make

If your saved crochet patterns are starting to resemble a small digital library and your yarn stash contains enough “future projects” to keep you occupied until approximately 2047, you might need a crochet vision board.

And yes, I absolutely understand the irony of spending craft time making a board about all the other crafts we intend to make.

But hear me out.

A crochet vision board isn’t simply a pretty collage of yarn photographs. It can be a genuinely useful way to decide which crochet projects you actually want to make, which techniques you’d like to learn and — perhaps most importantly — which yarn you already own that deserves to become something.

Instead of scrolling through hundreds of saved crochet patterns every time you feel like starting something new, you create one visual collection of your crochet plans for the next few months or the year ahead.

Think blankets, cardigans, granny squares, amigurumi, Christmas gifts, new stitches, beautiful colour combinations and those slightly ambitious projects you keep telling yourself you’ll tackle “one day.”

Let’s turn one day into an actual plan.

What Is a Crochet Vision Board?

A traditional vision board contains pictures, words and ideas representing things you’d like to achieve.

A crochet vision board simply gives that idea a yarn-loving makeover.

Your board might include:

  • Crochet patterns you’d like to make
  • Yarn colours you want to work with
  • Crochet stitches you want to learn
  • Wearable crochet projects
  • Blanket inspiration
  • Amigurumi projects
  • Handmade Christmas gift ideas
  • Crochet projects for your home
  • Stash-busting goals
  • Photos of yarn you already own
  • Crochet techniques you’d like to master
  • Bigger “dream projects” that challenge your skills

It can be physical, digital or a combination of both.

Personally, I rather like the physical version. There is something satisfying about seeing all that colourful crochet inspiration sitting above your craft desk — especially when the alternative is having 387 screenshots buried somewhere on your phone.

What You’ll Need to Make a Crochet Vision Board

You really don’t need anything fancy.

For a physical crochet project vision board, try:

  • Corkboard, magnetic board, foam board or large piece of cardstock
  • Printed crochet project photographs
  • Magazine clippings
  • Yarn labels
  • Small yarn samples
  • Colour swatches
  • Pattern thumbnails
  • Pins, tape or glue
  • Scissors
  • Marker pens
  • Sticky notes
  • Decorative stickers or scrapbook supplies

A simple cork noticeboard from Amazon works particularly well because projects can be moved, removed and replaced as your crochet plans change.

And they will change.

We are crocheters. A new yarn colour can derail six months of carefully organised plans in approximately three minutes.

Step 1: Decide What You Want From Your Crochet Year

Before printing gorgeous photographs of 27 blankets you couldn’t possibly finish, think about what you’d genuinely like to accomplish.

Try dividing your crochet plans into a few categories.

Projects I Really Want to Make

Start with the projects you’ve been thinking about repeatedly.

Maybe it’s:

  • A granny square cardigan
  • A beautiful crochet throw
  • A summer crochet bag
  • A chunky winter blanket
  • A handmade baby gift
  • A crochet sweater
  • A set of Christmas decorations
  • Your first amigurumi toy

If amigurumi has been sitting on your “someday” list, browse these 21 crochet amigurumi projects and choose one or two favourites rather than attempting to populate your vision board with an entire crocheted zoo.

Skills I Want to Learn

Your board doesn’t have to be purely project based.

Add techniques you’d like to learn, such as:

  • Tapestry crochet
  • Tunisian crochet
  • Mosaic crochet
  • Crochet cables
  • Corner-to-corner crochet
  • Colourwork
  • Garment construction
  • Blocking
  • Joining granny squares
  • Reading crochet charts
  • Invisible joins
  • Amigurumi shaping

If you’re still building your basic skills, our Crochet for Beginners stitch and project guide is a useful place to start.

Don’t make every goal difficult, either. One challenging project surrounded by several comfortable ones is far more likely to keep you crocheting than a board full of projects that require concentration, counting and complete silence from everyone in the house.

Step 2: Choose Your Crochet Colour Palette

This might be my favourite part.

Instead of choosing individual projects first, try choosing colours you’re drawn to.

Pin up snippets of yarn, paint chips, fabric scraps or printed colour palettes.

You might discover you’re repeatedly choosing:

Soft neutrals: oatmeal, cream, sage and dusty pink.

Retro brights: mustard, orange, avocado, turquoise and brown.

Coastal colours: aqua, navy, sand and white.

Cottage colours: faded rose, lavender, cream and soft green.

Jewel tones: emerald, plum, ruby and deep blue.

Once you’ve spotted a colour direction, finding projects becomes much easier.

It can also stop the classic craft-shop problem where you buy six beautiful balls of yarn individually and arrive home to discover none of them actually want to be friends.

Step 3: Photograph Your Yarn Stash

This is where a crochet vision board becomes genuinely useful rather than simply decorative.

Take photographs of yarn you already own.

Especially photograph those yarn purchases that were bought because:

“It was too pretty to leave behind.”

You know the ones.

Print small photographs and add them to your board with a note showing approximately how much yarn you have.

For example:

8 balls cream DK — cardigan

4 balls mustard worsted — cushion?

Mixed sock yarn — scrap project

Leftover cotton — market bag or coasters

Then match your existing yarn to potential projects.

If using up leftovers is high on your list, have a look at these scrap yarn crochet project ideas for inspiration.

Suddenly your crochet vision board becomes part inspiration board and part stash-management system.

Which, frankly, some of us desperately need.

Step 4: Add Your Dream Crochet Projects

Now you can indulge yourself.

Choose several crochet projects you would absolutely love to make, regardless of whether you’re quite ready for them yet.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to crochet:

  • An intricate heirloom blanket
  • A fitted cardigan
  • A floor-length coat
  • A large mandala
  • A detailed amigurumi collection
  • A beautiful textured bedspread
  • An elaborate Christmas blanket

For blanket inspiration, something like this Woodland Wonders Crochet Blanket makes a brilliant “stretch project” because it incorporates several textured crochet techniques.

Don’t put ten enormous blankets in this section.

Pick one or two dream crochet projects.

Otherwise it stops being a vision board and becomes evidence against you when someone asks why there are another twelve boxes of yarn arriving.

Step 5: Include Some Quick Crochet Wins

This is important.

Not every crochet goal should involve 2,000 metres of yarn and several months of your life.

Add quick projects too:

  • Crochet coasters
  • Scrunchies
  • Dishcloths
  • Headbands
  • Granny squares
  • Small bags
  • Baby hats
  • Crochet flowers
  • Cup cosies
  • Fingerless gloves
  • Small amigurumi
  • Christmas ornaments

Quick projects keep your crochet motivation going between larger makes.

They’re also wonderful stash-busters and handmade gifts.

I particularly like adding a little “Weekend Crochet” section to the board. These are projects you could realistically start on Friday night and have finished — or at least recognisably underway — before Monday rolls around.

Step 6: Create a Crochet Gift List

If you crochet gifts for birthdays and Christmas, dedicate one area of your board to recipients.

For example:

Mum: shawl
Grandchild: amigurumi
Teacher gift: crochet mug cosy
Christmas: four ornaments
New baby: blanket

Add deadlines underneath.

This is considerably better than suddenly remembering on December 17 that you’d planned to crochet eight handmade presents.

Ask me how I know.

Crochet kits can also be useful for gift projects because you’re not hunting around for matching yarn and supplies at the last minute. Mary Maxim crochet kits are worth browsing when you want a complete project ready to start rather than assembling everything separately.

Step 7: Add One Stash-Busting Challenge

Give yourself one goal that involves yarn you already have.

For example:

Crochet 12 projects from my existing stash before buying more yarn.

Or, if we would like to remain within the realms of reality:

Use three skeins before buying another six.

Your challenge could be:

  • Finish one WIP each month
  • Make a scrap blanket
  • Crochet only from your stash for 30 days
  • Use all your cotton scraps
  • Turn leftover yarn into granny squares
  • Make six gifts entirely from stash yarn
  • Finish three abandoned crochet projects

The goal isn’t to make yourself feel guilty about owning yarn.

Yarn collecting and crocheting are, after all, closely related hobbies.

The idea is simply to reconnect some of that beautiful yarn with the reason you bought it in the first place: to make something.

Step 8: Add a “Finish These First” Corner

Ah yes.

The WIPs.

Most crocheters have at least one project quietly judging them from a basket.

Take photographs of your unfinished crochet projects and create a small Finish These First section.

Don’t add everything.

Choose perhaps three.

A blanket needing twelve more rows feels far less intimidating when you can actually see how close it is to completion.

And there’s something deeply satisfying about removing a project from the board when it’s finished.

Step 9: Add Crochet Inspiration That Isn’t a Pattern

Not everything on your crochet vision board needs to link to a particular project.

Add things that simply make you want to create:

  • A beautiful cottage interior
  • Vintage crochet
  • Flowers
  • Fashion photographs
  • Interesting architecture
  • Traditional textiles
  • Colour combinations
  • Nature photography
  • Interior design
  • Old blankets
  • Crochet stitches
  • Favourite quotes

A photograph of autumn leaves might eventually inspire a rust-and-mustard blanket.

A vintage floral wallpaper might become the colour palette for granny squares.

You don’t always need to know why something appeals to you.

Pin it up and see where it takes you.

Try a 12-Month Crochet Vision Board

If a big board feels overwhelming, divide yours into twelve smaller monthly crochet goals.

For example:

January: finish an old WIP
February: crochet something red or pink
March: learn a new stitch
April: make a bag
May: stash-busting project
June: crochet something cosy
July: start a blanket
August: crochet a wearable
September: begin handmade Christmas gifts
October: Halloween crochet
November: Christmas decorations
December: finish gifts and choose next year’s projects

You don’t have to follow it religiously.

This is crochet, not military training.

Move things around when inspiration strikes.

Make a Digital Crochet Vision Board

Prefer everything on your phone or tablet?

You can make exactly the same style of board digitally using:

  • Pinterest
  • Canva
  • Google Slides
  • A photo collage app
  • Notes on your phone
  • A private Pinterest board

Create sections for projects, colours, yarn stash, techniques and gifts.

Pinterest is particularly dangerous — I mean useful — for this because one crochet blanket inevitably leads to another blanket, which leads to a cardigan, which leads to a granny square tote bag and suddenly it’s midnight.

The important part is to curate rather than continuously save.

Choose the projects that still excite you after you’ve looked at them several times.

Those belong on your actual crochet vision board.

Don’t Turn Your Crochet Vision Board Into Another To-Do List

This is probably the most important part.

Your crochet vision board should make you want to pick up your hook.

It shouldn’t make you feel behind.

Crochet is meant to be enjoyable.

If you lose interest in that enormous neutral-coloured blanket you pinned six months ago, take it off.

If you suddenly fall in love with ridiculously colourful crochet flowers, add them.

If your carefully planned beige-and-sage year becomes bright orange granny squares by March, congratulations — you’re a crafter.

Plans change.

Creativity should be allowed to change with them.

A Simple Crochet Vision Board Formula

If you’re not sure where to begin, try this:

1 Dream Project
Something ambitious that you’d love to accomplish.

2 Wearables
Cardigans, scarves, hats, bags or other crochet accessories.

3 Quick Projects
Projects you can finish when you need an easy win.

1 New Technique
A crochet skill that stretches you slightly.

1 Stash Project
Something made primarily from yarn you already own.

3 Handmade Gifts
Specific projects for specific people.

1 WIP to Finish
Because we both know it’s sitting there.

That’s enough inspiration to keep you interested without turning your craft room wall into a five-year production schedule.

Your Crochet Board Should Make You Want to Pick Up Your Hook

The best crochet vision board isn’t necessarily the prettiest one.

It’s the one you actually use.

Put it somewhere near your yarn or crochet chair. When you’ve finished a project, remove it, date it or add a little tick beside it.

Over time you’ll have a lovely visual record of what you’ve made — and probably a few projects that have stubbornly survived on the board for several years.

Those are allowed too.

Sometimes we need practical projects.

Sometimes we need to learn new things.

And sometimes we simply need a beautiful photograph of an absurdly complicated crochet blanket pinned above our desk so we can continue telling ourselves:

One day. I’m definitely making that.