Vestish

Originally published: MetaPostModernKnitting.com, Spring/Summer 2008

by Robin Dodge

Difficulty: Intermediate or Adventurous Advanced Beginner. This pattern involves basic sweater construction & shaping, picking up stitches and working centered double decreases, buttonholes, and sewing on pockets.

This versatile vest was inspired by a similar garment in the Spring/Summer 2008 collection of James Coviello. The original was worked in 3 different colors, and it appears that it has set-in pockets. The unusual construction of the neckline turning into straps seems to be a trend this season. Here's another example by Charlotte Ronson and one by Target. My version has a few alterations to make it more accessible. It is worked in one color, the neckline is slightly less revealing, and the pockets are worked separately and sewn on. I don’t know what the back looks like on the original, but I decided to go with a square back for interest.

Photo credit [model: Robin Dodge/photographers: Mollie Jones & Anna Wilcoxon]

SIZE

XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size S)
Sizing information from yarnstandards.com.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 32.5 [37, 41.5, 46, 48, 52, 56.5] inches
Length: 23.75 [24.75, 25.25, 26.5, 27.25, 28.25, 28.75] inches

MATERIALS

Kraemer Yarns Tatamy Tweed DK [45% cotton/55% acrylic; 250 yd per 100g skein]; color: Coral Tweed; 3[3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6] skeins

Tatamy Tweed is a wonderfully versatile yarn. It comes in a wide array of colors, and the little tweedy specks make it fun to knit with. It’s soft and makes a very comfortable (and machine-washable!) fabric. But the best part is the low price and all that yardage. There’s no need to substitute for this one!

1 set US Size 4/3.5mm straight needles

1 set US Size 5/3.75mm straight needles

1 29-inch US Size 4/3.5mm circular needle

stitch holder, stitch markers, 2 – 5/8” buttons, sewing needle and thread, tapestry needle

GAUGE

22 sts x 26 rows = 4" in St st

PATTERN NOTES

When picking up stitches, the number of stitches given is a guide. A few more or less is fine, as long as the total of each section is divisible by 6 (for the 3x3 rib) and as long as the finished rib does not gather or stretch the fabric of the body. If you change the number of stitches when picking up for the Front Neck, make sure this is an odd number, so there can be 1 stitch at the center of the V-Neck.

PATTERN

Back

With smaller ndls, CO 90 [102, 114, 126, 132, 144, 156] sts. Row 1: *K3, P3; rep from * to end. Rep Row 1 until piece meas 2.5” from CO. Change to larger ndls. Next row (RS): Knit. Work even in St st until piece meas 5” from CO, ending on a WS row.

Hourglass Shaping

Dec row (RS): K2, SSK, knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. {2 sts dec’d} Work 5 rows even in St st. Rep these 6 rows, once. Work even until piece meas 9” from CO, ending on a WS row. Inc row (RS): K2, M1R, knit to last 2 sts, M1L, K2. {2 sts inc’d} Work 5 rows even in St st. Rep these 6 rows, once. Work even until piece meas 16.25 [16.75, 16.75, 17.25, 17.25, 17.75, 17.75]” ending on a WS row.

Shape Back Armholes

Dec row (RS): K2, SSK, knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. {2 sts dec’d}

Work 3 rows even in St st. Rep these 4 rows, 7 [8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13] more times. BO rem 74 [84, 94, 104, 108, 118, 128] sts.

Front

Work as for Back, until piece meas 15 [15.5, 15.5, 16, 16, 16.5, 16.5]” from CO, ending on a WS row.

Shape Front Neck

Next row (RS): K40 [46, 52, 58, 61, 67, 73] sts, K3tog, K2, join new ball of yarn, K2, SSSK, K40 [46, 52, 58, 61, 67, 73]. Sl sts for Left Neck onto stitch holder. Right Neck: Purl 1 row. Double Dec row (RS): K2, SSSK, knit to end. Purl 1 row. Work Double Dec row once more. {39 [45, 51, 57, 60, 66, 72] sts rem}

Shape Front Neck and Armhole

Row 1 (WS): BO 4 [6, 8, 10, 9, 11, 13] sts and purl to end. Row 2: K2, SSSK, knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2. Row 3: Purl. Row 4: K2, SSK, knit to end. Row 5: Purl. {4 sts dec'd} Rep Rows 2-5, 6[7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12] more times. {7 sts rem} Next Row (RS): K2, sl 2 sts tog kwise, K1, psso, K2. Purl 1 row. Next row (RS): K1, sl 2 sts tog kwise, K1, psso, K1. Next row (WS): P3tog. Fasten off. Left Shoulder: Work as for Right Shoulder, rev all shapings.

FINISHING

Sew side seams.

Armbands (u

Right Armband: With Size 4 circular ndl and RS facing, beg at Right Front armhole edge, pick up and knit 66 [84, 96, 114, 126, 144, 156] sts along underarm to Back Shoulder. Working back and forth, work Row 1 as foll: *K3, P3; rep from * to end. Rep this row until Band meas .5” from pick up. BO all sts in patt. Left Armband: Work as for Right Armband.

Neckband

Neckband notes: When you pick up stitches across the armbands, you will only pick up 3 or 4 stitches from the upper edge of each armband. The rest of the stitches will be picked up across the front, back, or cast-on as indicated.

You will be working a centered double decrease (sl 2 tog kwise, k1, p2sso) at the center of the V in the front and at the two points where the neckband attaches to the back. If you have trouble working this with markers, try to do it visually after practicing with a swatch. Look in your favorite knitting reference resource for help with the centered double decrease. 

With Size 4 circular ndl and RS facing, beg at top of Left Front Armband, pick up and knit 43 [46, 49, 55, 58, 61, 67] sts to Front Center Neck, K1, place marker, pick up and knit 43 [46, 49, 55, 58, 61, 67] sts to top of Right Front Armband, CO 32 sts, pm, pick up and knit 65 [77, 83, 95, 101, 113, 119] sts across Right Back Armband, Back Neck, and Left Back Armband, pm, CO 32 sts, and join. {216 [234, 246, 276, 282, 300, 318] sts} Place marker. Rnd 1: *K3, P3; rep from * to end. Rnd 2: *Work in patt to 2 sts before marker, sl 2 sts tog kwise, drop marker off needle, K1, p2sso, place marker back on needle; rep from * twice, work in patt to end. Rnd 3: Work in patt around. Rep Rnds 2 and 3 until piece meas 2” from pick up. BO all sts in patt.

Pockets (Make 2)

With larger ndls, CO 23 sts. Row 1 (RS): Knit. Row 2: K1, purl to last st, K1. Rep Rows 1 and 2 until piece meas 2.5” from CO. Change to smaller ndls and work next row as foll: K1, *K3, P3; rep from * to last 4 sts, K4. Next row (WS): K1, *P3, K3; rep from * to last 4 sts, P3, K1. Cont in patt as set until piece meas 2.75” from CO, ending on a WS row. Buttonhole row (RS): Work in patt across 10 sts, BO 3 sts, work in patt to end. Next row (WS): Work in patt across 10 sts, CO 3 sts, work in patt to end. Work 1 row even in patt. BO all sts in patt.

Pin pockets in desired location and carefully sew in place, using yarn and tapestry needle. Sew buttons in place opposite buttonholes, using sewing thread and needle.

Weave in all ends and block garment.