Whip up a colorful vest, designed with pockets, a self-belt and a simple but entertaining stitch pattern.

Sizes

Directions are for women’s size X-Small.  Changes for sizes Small, Medium, Large, 1X and 2X are in parentheses

Finished Measurements

Bust (closed) – 24(28-32-36-40-44)”

Length – 23½(24-24½-25-25½-26)”

Note:  Since this garment was designed to be worn unclosed in the front, each size will fit multiple sizes.

Materials

5(5-6-7-8-9) Balls Berroco Comfort Chunky (100 grs), #5721 Sprig

Straight knitting needles, sizes 10 (6.00 mm) and 10½ (6.50 mm) OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE
1 St marker

Gauge

14 sts = 4”;  20 rows = 4” in Pat St on larger needles

TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE

Stitch Glossary

LI (Lifted Increase)

Insert RH needle into front of next st in the row below and knit, then knit the st from LH needle in the usual way

BLI (Back Lifted Increase)

Insert RH needle into the back loop of the next st in the row below (from the top down into the purled loop behind the st on needle), and knit, then knit the st from the LH needle in the usual way

Note:  When decreasing over Pat St, if there are not enough sts to work BOTH LI and SSK or BLI and k2 tog, work the extra sts in St st to insure that your stitch count remains correct.

Pattern Stitch (Multiple of 10 sts)

Row 1 and all WS rows:  Purl.

Row 2 (RS):  * LI, k2, SSK, k5, rep from * across.

Row 4:  K1, * LI, k2, SSK, k5, rep from * across, end last rep k4 instead of k5.

Row 6:  K2, * LI, k2, SSK, k5, rep from * across, end last rep k3 instead of k5.

Row 8:  K3, * LI, k2, SSK, k5, rep from * across, end last rep k2 instead of k5.

Row 10:  K4, * LI, k2, SSK, k5, rep from * across, end last rep k1 instead of k5.

Row 12:  * K5, LI, k2, SSK, rep from * across.

Row 14:  * K5, k2 tog, k2, BLI, rep from * across.

Row 16:  K4, * k2 tog, k2, BLI, k5, rep from * across, end last rep k1 instead of k5.

Row 18:  K3, * k2 tog, k2, BLI, k5, rep from * across, end last rep k2 instead of k5.

Row 20:  K2, * k2 tog, k2, BLI, k5, rep from * across, end last rep k3 instead of k5.

Row 22:  K1, * k2 tog, k2, BLI, k5, rep from * across, end last rep k4 instead of k5.

Row 24:  * K2 tog, k2, BLI, k5, rep from * across.

Rep these 24 rows for Pat St.

Back

With larger needles, cast on 56(62-70-78-84-92) sts.  Keeping 3(1-0-4-2-1) sts each side in St st and remaining sts in Pat St, work even for 2(2-2½-2½-3-3)”, end on WS.

Dec Row (RS):  K1, k2 tog, work to last 3 sts, SSK, k1 – 54(60-68-76-82-90) sts.  Rep this dec every 2” 6 times more – 42(48-56-64-70-78) sts.  Work even until piece measures 15(15-15½-15½-16-16)” from beg, end on WS.  Mark beg and end of last row for beg of armholes.  Work even until armholes measure 7½(8-8-8½-8½-9)”, end on WS.

Shape Shoulders:  Bind off 3(4-4-6-7-9) sts at beg of the next 2 rows, then 2(3-5-6-7-8) sts at beg of the next 4 rows.  Bind off remaining 28 sts for back neck.

Left Front

Pocket Lining:  With larger needles, cast on 26(29-33-37-40-44) sts.  Work even in St st for 2”, end on WS.

Inc Row (RS):  K1, M1k, k to end – 27(30-34-38-41-45) sts.  Rep this inc every 2” once more – 28(31-35-39-42-46) sts.  Work even until piece measures 6(6-6½-6½-7-7)” from beg, end on RS.

Next Row (WS):  Cast on 5 sts, k to end for turning ridge – 33(36-40-44-47-51) sts.

Establish Pat St:  Row 1 (RS):  K8(1-5-9-2-6), work Row 1 of Pat St over 20(30-30-30-40-40) sts, place marker, k to end.

Row 2:  K to marker, work Row 2 of Pat St over 20(30-30-30-40-40) sts, p to end.  Work even in pat as established until piece measures 2(2-2½-2½-3-3)” above turning ridge, end on WS.

Dec Row (RS):  K1, k2 tog, work to marker, k5.  Rep this dec every 2” 6 times more – 26(29-33-37-40-44) sts.  Work even until piece measures 15(15-15½-15½-16-16)” above turning ridge, end on WS.  Mark end of last row for beg of armhole.  Work even until armhole measures 5(5½-5½-6-6-6½)”, end on RS.

Shape Neck:  Next Row (WS):  Bind off 10 sts, dropping marker, work to end – 16(19-23-27-30-34) sts.  Dec 1 st at neck edge EVERY row 9 times – 7(10-14-18-21-25) sts.  When armhole measures 7½(8-8-8½-8½-9)”, end on WS.  Bind off 3(4-4-6-7-9) sts at armhole edge once, then 2(3-5-6-7-8) sts twice for shoulder.

Right Front

Work to correspond to left front, reversing all shaping.  Work incs of pocket lining at end of RS rows as M1k, k1.  Cast on 5 sts for frontband at beg of RS row, then k the next row on WS for turning ridge.  Keep 5 sts at beg of RS rows and end of WS rows in Garter St for frontband.  Work decs at end of RS rows as SSK, k1.  Bind off for neck on RS row.  Bind off for shoulder on WS rows.

Finishing

Sew shoulder seams.

Neck Edging:  With RS facing, using larger needles, beg at right front edge, pick up and k27 sts along right front neck edge, 28 sts across back neck edge, then 27 sts along left front neck edge – 82 sts.  Bind off knitwise on WS.  Fold pocket linings to WS along turning ridge and sew inner edges to inner edges of frontbands and upper edges to WS of fronts.

Pocket Edging:  With RS facing, using larger needles, pick up and k21 sts along side edge of front, between turning ridge and sewn edge at top of pocket lining.  Bind off knitwise on WS.  Sew side seams, sewing lower 6(6-6½-6½-7)” of back to pocket linings, leaving front edges unsewn for pocket openings.

Belt:  With smaller needles, cast on 13 sts.

Row 1 (RS):  K1, * p1, k1, rep from * across.

Row 2:  P1, * k1, p1, rep from * across.  Rep these 2 rows until belt measures 48(50-52-54-56-58)” or desired length, end on WS.  Bind off in ribbing.