When my son J was only a few months old, I began stocking up on yarn to knit things for him with. I chose soft, delicate yarns in gorgeous colors, made from exquisite materials, and then just stashed everything away, waiting for enough time to knit. That time never came, so at some point, I just decided to make time for knitting because I needed that in my life. The occasional projects that never made it to the season they were intended for was not cutting it anymore. I had to make enough time in my life to knit cute things for my baby.
This vest was imagined a long time ago. I didn’t know what pattern I was going to use, but I knew this yarn was made for a vest. It was a blend of 50% cotton and 50% milk protein fiber (perfect for a baby, right?), in a beautiful green color (even the color was perfect: Jade), and delicate enough to show a great pattern.
Armed with yarn and self-imposed knitting time (some of which was found while flying across Kalimdor or watching lectures), I decided on a simple, but not boring, pattern, and began knitting. Surprisingly, it only took a few days, and then a few more to make it longer because the cotton was not stretchy enough to fit J’s head through.
Glossary
- CO – cast on
- k[x] – knit [x] stitches
- p[x] – purl [x] stitches
- RS – right side
- WS – wrong side
- RS cable – switch the first 3 stitches with the last 3 stitches, keeping the first 3 stitches in the front
- WS cable – switch the first 3 stitches with the last 3 stitches, keeping the first 3 stitches in the back
- k2tog – knit 2 stitches together (decrease 1)
The How
- On circular needles, CO 120 stitches (or multiples of 12 if sizing up or down)
- Working in the round, repeat *p1, k1* across row 1
- Rows 2-10, repeat *p1, k1* across
- Rows 11-14: repeat *k1, p2, k6, p2, k1* across
- Row 15: repeat *k1, p2, RS cable, p2, k1* across
- Rows 16-61: continue the cable pattern 7 more times (or up to armpit height if sizing up or down)
- Rows 62-65: after the last cable row, repeat step 4 for 4 rows
- Rows 75-131: stay on circular needles, but work back and forth, turning the work after each row (we are now working on the front (F), leaving the back on the needles)
- F Row 75: k3, p6, repeat *k2, p2, k2, p6* until 3 stitches remain, k3
- F Row 76: k3, k6, repeat *p2, k2, p2, k6* until 3 stitches remain, k3
- F Row 77: k3, p6, repeat *k2, p2, k2, p6* until 3 stitches remain, k3
- F Row 78: k3, RS cable, repeat *p2, k2, p2, RS cable* until 3 stitches remain, k3
- F Row 79: k3, p6, repeat *k2, p2, k2, p6* until 3 stitches remain, k3
- F Row 80: k3, k6, repeat *p2, k2, p2, k6* until 3 stitches remain, k3
- F Row 81: k3, p6, repeat *k2, p2, k2, p6* until 3 stitches remain, k3
- F Row 82: k3, repeat *k6, p2, k2, p2* twice, k3, turn around (we are now working on the front right (FR) side, leaving the back and front left side on the needles)
- FR Row 83: p3, repeat *k2, p2, k2, p6* twice, k3
- FR Row 84: k3, k6, p2, k2, p2, k6, p2, k2, p1, k2tog, k2
- FR Row 85: k3, k1, p2, k2, WS cable, k2, p2, k2, WS cable, k3
- FR Row 86: k3, k6, p2, k2, p2, k6, p2, k2, k2tog, k2
- FR Row 87: k3, p2, k2, p6, k2, p2, k2, p6, k3
- FR Row 88: k3, k6, p2, k2, p2, k6, p2, k1, k2tog, k2
- FR Row 89: k3, p1, k2, p6, k2, p2, k2, p6, k3
- FR Row 90: k3, k6, p2, k2, p2, k6, p2, k2tog, k2
- FR Row 91: k3, k2, p6, k2, p2, k2, p6, k3
- FR Row 92: k3, RS cable, p2, k2, p2, RS cable, p1, k2tog, k2
- FR Row 93: k3, k1, p6, k2, p2, k2, p6, k3
- FR Row 94: k3, k6, p2, k2, p2, k6, k2tog, k2
- FR Rows 95 and 97: k3, p6, k2, p2, k2, p6, k3
- FR Rows 96 and 98: k3, k6, p2, k2, p2, k6, k3
- FR Row 99: k3, WS cable, k2, p2, k2, WS cable, k3
- FR Rows 100-127: repeat cable pattern 4 times (or until shoulder height if sizing up or down)
- FR Rows 128 and 130: k3, k6, p2, k2, p2, k6, k3
- FR Row 129 and 131: k3, p6, k2, p2, k2, p6, k3
- Leave a short tail on the front right side and begin knitting on the front left side (FL) (or you can bind off and sew together later)
- FL Rows 83-131: mirror front right side to decrease and repeat pattern up to the shoulder
- Leave a short tail on the front left side and begin knitting the back (B)
- B Rows 75-131: repeat cable pattern up to the shoulder
- Bind off back and one front side together
- Bind off 12 stitches on the back side only
- Bind off back and second front side together
- Weave in ends and enjoy!
The cable pattern naturally tugs inward, so the top looks tapered without having to make decreases on the arm holes, and the garter stitch on the arm holes and in the front prevents curling without needing to pick up stitches and knit again.
I wrote the pattern after the vest was knitted, so if you find any errors, please let me know in the comments!
Here are links to this project on Ravelry and Pinterest.
