Miriam is a knitter who crochets. Amy is a crocheter who knits. We both came to crochet first, as children, and we both learned to knit about fourteen years ago. We share an appreciation for the inherent beauty of both knitting and crochet. Miriam loves lace and designs intricate patterns that enthrall knitters with their form and flow. She's designed over two dozen shawls including two published here on Knitty. Amy designs crochet garments that combine fit and wearability with captivating constructions. She has a particular fondness for hats. Amy naturally picks up a hook when she's thinking of designing something new, and Miriam reaches for her needles, but we each enjoy the challenges of both knitting and crochet.

by Amy O'Neill Houck



Mod Waterfall is an unstructured vest made of simple rectangles. The finished piece is shawl-like and subverts its rectangular shapes with lots of drape and flexibility in wearing. Play around with wearing. I like to lean towards asymmetry if I pin Mod Waterfall closed. Open or closed, I sometimes turn the back neck to make a bit of a collar.

The vest’s construction pays homage to one of my favorite designers from the 1970s, Judith Copeland. Copeland’s classic book, Modular Crochet, has just been re-released by Dover Publications, and I encourage you to check it out. Her designs are nothing like Mod Waterfall, but they embody a cozy, patternless sweater style you can endlessly adapt. The modular style of crochet is so called because garments are built in seamless sections that grow from the center outward. The back of Mod Waterfall is created with a row of foundation half double crochet that is then worked from the center outward on both sides. The fabric is turned on its side, meaning your row edges become the neckline and waist edges of the garment.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size M on a 34-inch chest

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Cross Back: 14.5[16.5, 18, 20, 21.5, 23, 25] inches
Length: 20[20, 20, 21, 22, 22, 22] inches
Note: This pattern is designed to be worn with about 4” of positive ease in each size. Choose your size by taking your cross back measurement and adding 4 inches.

MATERIALS
Yarn
Skacel Rylie by Hikoo [50% baby alpaca, 25% mulberry silk, 25% linen; 274yd/250m per 100g skein]; color: 084; 3[3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 US F-5/3.75mm crochet hook
1 24-inch US #5/3.75mm circular needle

Notions
One crochet stitch marker
Shawl pin for wearing. Mod Waterfall is photographed with a kilt pin fastening the fronts in some shots – a shawl pin would work just as nicely, and both give lots of flexibility in wearing.
yarn needle

GAUGE

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Mod waterfall is reversible. The crochet is actually the same on both sides, and even though the knitted fronts look different from either side, the waterfalling fronts mean you see both sides, and it can be worn both ways for varying effect. Therefore, in the instructions, I refer to side A and Side B instead of left and right.

Sizing and Shape: Mod Waterfall is simple and flexible. See Sizing Notes in the pattern that tell you how to easily modify for a different fit.

CROCHET STITCHES
fhdc: Foundation Half-Double Crochet
hdc-blo: half-double crochet in the back loop

DIRECTIONS
Center Back side A (crochet)
Fhdc 85[85, 85, 89, 94, 94, 94] sts.

Sizing Note: Mod Waterfall is designed to fall 3” below the natural waist. If you want a longer vest, here’s where you’d make that change. Just add approximately 4.25 sts per inch, and be sure to carry that measurement across when adding front stitches (below).

Ribbing Pattern: Ch2, hdc-blo across, turn.

Work Pattern for 4.75[5.25, 6, 6.5, 7.25, 7.5, 8.5] inches. Do not turn after end of last row. This end becomes the Neck Edge.

Add Neck and Front Stitches:
In last stitch of final row of Center Back side A, yo, insert hook into bl, pull up a lp, ch 1, yo, pull through all lps. Continue to fhdc for 89[89, 89, 93, 98, 98, 98] stitches total. Place a marker in the last fhdc. This marks the waist edge of your garment Front.

Sizing Note: If you modified the length, just make sure to fhdc the length of your foundation +4 sts.

Work Shoulder and Begin Front of Side A
Ch 2, work in Ribbing Pattern across all 174[174, 174, 182, 192, 192, 192] stitches until front measures 2.5[3, 3, 3.5, 3.5, 4, 4] inches. Fasten off.

Center Back Side B
At the waist edge of the center back – at the base of the foundation chain, at the opposite edge to the neck edge – insert the hook and slip stitch into the first stitch of the back side of the foundation row. Ch 2, work in Ribbing Pattern for 4.75[5.25, 6, 6.5, 7.25, 7.5, 8.5] inches, ending at Neck Edge.

Work neck and front as for Side A.
Then work shoulder and front as for Side A.

FINISHING
Side Seams
With RS together, and beginning at waist edge, using US F/3.75mm hook, loosely slip st Front to Back, inserting hook into back lp of Front sts, and front lp of Back sts. Work until the opening measures 7[7, 7, 9, 9, 9.5, 9.5] inches. Try on before fastening off. Adjust armholes to your comfort.

Sizing Note: This is a good place for a sizing check. You can easily make the armhole as big as is comfortable. Don’t fasten off until you’ve tried the vest on. Armholes shouldn’t be overly loose, but snugly comfortable. They will stretch slightly with blocking.

Weave in all ends.

Blocking
Soak with wool wash in cool water, then rinse gently. Squeeze out excess water, roll in a towel to remove more water, then lay flat, evening edges to dry straight.