The Harmony Vest is the perfect blend of classic style and feminine charm. This slightly oversized vest is intended to have 10 to 15 cm of positive ease with a feature of beautiful cable details around the waist ribbing and delicate ribbons running through the body, making it an eye-catching addition to any wardrobe. Designed with adventurous beginners in mind, this pattern is ideal for those with a solid foundation in knitting or anyone eager to start reading knitting charts. The simple yet elegant cable design provides a satisfying challenge and a stunning result.
This V-neck vest is made bottom-up in one piece with seamless shoulders attachments. We start by the cable ribbing and continue with the body in stockinette stitch until reaching the armpits. Then, the project will be divided in three panels (back, front left and front right) to continue in stockinette with decreases for the shoulders and V-neck shaping. After seaming together the top of the shoulders we pick up stitches for the 1x1 ribbing on sleeves and neck, adding here button holes. And finally, we end with a italian bind-off.
Now you can purchase a printable PDF version of this pattern.📝 Find it at my Ravelry Store here: > Harmony Vest <
Table of Contents:
Materials
- Needles: 5.0 mm (body), 4.0 mm (ribbing)
- Yarn: Outgoing Knit - Rainbow Pastel (Peruvian Sheep Wool - size Worsted) 100 g = 140 m. Too fuzzy fibers are not recommended.
- The sample size S consumed: 200 g of main color & 50 g of secondary color. Consider higher amounts of yarn for bigger sizes.
- Stitch markers, tapestry needles, scissors, measuring tape, blocking tools.
Gauge
Gauge is recommended in this made-to-measure pattern to calculate the amount of stitches you will need on the body and the ribbing.
How to make your gauge:
- Body gauge: Make a 21 sts x 20 rows stockinette stitch.
- Cabled ribbing gauge: Follow the chart of 21 sts x 16 rows.
In both cases you want to calculate the amount of stitches you will need for your body and waist.
Measurements
- Waist Width: Measure your hips (around your hip bones) and add 10 cm. If you want your vest to be more cropped, measure your actual waist and add 10 cm.
- Chest Width: Measure the circumference of your chest on the widest part and add 10 cm.
- Shoulder Width: Measure from one shoulder bone to the other and add 10 cm.
- Body Length: Measure from the top of your shoulder to your hip.
- Armpit Length: Measure the circumference of your armpit and add 15 cm. Then divide by 2.
- Waist Length: Subtract the Body Length measurement minus the Armpit Lengtht measurement.
Abbreviations
- CO: cast on
- BO: bind off
- RS: right side
- WS: wrong side
- CN: cable needles
- PM: place stitch marker
- BOR: beginning of the row
- EOR: end of the row
- 1/2 cable: Place 2 sts on CN, hold to front; k1, yo, [slip 1, k1tbl, psso] with sts on CN.
- st(s): stitch(es)
- k: knit (knit on RS, purl on WS)
- p: purl (purl on RS, knit on WS)
- k2tog: knit 2 together (right leaning decrease)
- skp: slip, knit, pass over the sliped stitch (left leaning decrease)
- psso: pass slipped stitch over
- yo: yarn over
- ktbl: knit through back loop
- rib 1x1: *knit, purl* repeat from * to * for the ribbing
Pattern
Waist Ribbing
Cast on the amount of stitches you need for your Waist Width with secondary needles. The amount of stitches should be a multiple of 6 + 9. Then follow the chart repeating the cable pattern the amount of times you need until reaching the EOR. Continue working on the pattern until row 16.
*The rows in chart are read from left to right (RS) and to right to left (WS)
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Bottom Body
Slip all stitches to main needles and let's restart the row count.Based on your body gauge, count the amount of stitches you need to add to reach your Chest Width. We are going to add this amount through increases as follow:
Row 1 (RS): Distribute the increases you need to add through the whole row (E.g. 1 inc every 6 sts). k all stitches and increase making yo's.
Row 2 (WS): k all stitches.
Now we have the divider between the cable ribbing and the body done with garter stitch and the increases are already done.
Continue on stockinette stitch until you reach your Waist Length.
Upper Body: Back Panel
Divide your vest in 3 sections: 1/4 is the front right panel, 1/2 is the back panel, 1/4 is the front left panel. Separate those 3 sections in different knitting wires or scrap yarn and set up your main needles on the back panel.
*From now on we're going to have decreases to shape the armpits. k2tog will be right leaning decreases and ssk will be left leaning decreases.
Row 1 (RS): BO 3 sts, k until last 3 sts, BO last 3 sts.
Row 2 (WS): p all sts.
Row 3 (RS): k3, k2tog, k until last 5 last stitches, ssk, k3.
Row 4 (WS): p all sts.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until reaching your Shoulder Width.
Continue straight on stockinette stitch until you reach your Armpit Length (from BO to last row).
Divide your remaining sts in 3 equal sections. If you can't, move some sts to the center and keep an equal amount of sts in the 2 sections from the sides.
k the first section, BO the second section, k the third section.
Now you have your shoulder stitches on needles and the neck already BO. Keep those stitches on hold.
Upper Body: Left Front Panel
*From now on we're going to have decreases to shape the armpits and V-neck. k2tog will be right leaning decreases and ssk will be left leaning decreases.
Row 1 (RS): k until last 3 sts, BO last 3 sts.
Row 2 (WS): p all sts.
Row 3 (RS): k3, ssk, knit until last 5 sts, k2tog, k3.
Row 4 (WS): p all sts.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until you have the same amount of decreases as the back panel.
Keep the decreases (k3, ssk) only at BOR of every RS row until you have the same amount of stitches as the back shoulder.
Continue on stockinette stitch until you reach your Armpit Length (from BO to last row). Keep stitches on hold.
Upper Body: Right Front Panel
*From now on we're going to have decreases to shape the armpits and V-neck. k2tog will be right leaning decreases and ssk will be left leaning decreases.
Row 1 (RS): BO 3 sts, k until EOR.
Row 2 (WS): p all sts.
Row 3 (RS): k3, ssk, knit until last 5 sts, k2tog, k3.
Row 4 (WS): p all sts.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until you have the same amount of decreases as the back panel.
Keep the decreases (k3, k2tog) only at the EOR of every RS row until you have the same amount of stitches as the back shoulder.
Continue on stockinette stitch until you reach your Armpit Length (from BO to last row). Keep stitches on hold.
Now we're going to sew the shoulder stitches together following the kitchenner stitch method.
Ribbing
Pick up an even number of sts for the arms ribbing starting by the center of the BOs, then add an extra st also in the middle of the BOs. Work a 1x1 ribbing adding decreases on every row before and after the extra stitch as follows: k2tog, rib 1x1 un last 3 sts, skp, k1.
Continue until your ribbing is 3 cm aprox. BO with the italian bind-off method.
Repeat on the other arm.
Pick up an even number of sts for the chest ribbing starting by bottom corner of the left front panel and work a 1x1 ribbing until your ribbing is 3 cm aprox. BO with the Italian bind-off method.
To add buttom holes I recommend you the yarn over method. So in the middle row of your ribbing place a stitch marker where the holes are going to be, then in those marked sts (yo, k2tog).
Continue next rows with the 1x1 ribbing. You will see from next row those yo will be holes.
Cut yarn and weave in the ends. Blocking this project is recommended.
Add-ons:
With an i-cord (knitted, crocheted or machine made) make some 15-25 cm cords and make ribbons in different sizes to decorate your vest and make it even cuter! I followed this ribbon tutorial to tie them easily.
And you're done!
Hope you enjoy this free pattern. And if you make it yourself, please tag me at @yarning.gal
