A trompe lʼoeil vest! Poitou looks like a wide scarf from the front but it is actually a vest. Knit in micro stripes with a plain back, this is one scarf that stays put.

Sizes

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

Shown in size small

Finished Measurements

Bust (closed) – 32(36-40-44-48-52)”

Length – 24½(25-26-26½-27-27½)”

Materials

4(5-5-6-6-6) Hanks each Berroco Pure Pima (50 grs), #2227 Sprout (A) and #2201 White Linen (B)
29” Length circular knitting needle, size 6 (4.00 mm) OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge

22 sts = 4”; 26 rows = 4” in St st

TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE

Stripe Pattern

Row 1 (RS): With A, knit. Return to beg of the row just worked.

Row 2 (RS): With B, knit. Turn.

Row 3 (WS): With A, purl. Return to beg of the row just worked.

Row 4 (WS): With B, purl. Turn. Rep these 4 rows for Stripe Pat.

Back

With circular needle, using A, cast on 88(100- 110-122-132-144) sts. Join B and work even in Stripe Pat for 17½(17½-18-18-18½-18½)”, end on WS.

Shape Armholes: Bind off 4(6-7-8-10-10) sts at beg of the next 2 rows, then 0(4-4-4-4-4) sts at beg of next 2 rows – 80(80-88-98-104-116) sts. Dec 1 st each side every RS row 7(7-8-10-11- 14) times – 66(66-72-78-82-88) sts. Work even until armholes measure 5(5½-6-6½-6½-7)”, end on WS.

Shape Neck: Next Row (RS): K13, join another hank of color being used and bind off center 40(40-46-52-56-62) sts, k to end. Working both sides at once, dec 1 st at each neck edge EVERY row 12 times. Fasten off last st each side.

Left Front

With circular needle, using A, cast on 66(72-74- 78-80-82) sts. Join B and work even in Stripe Pat for 17½(17½-18-18-18½-18½)”, end on WS.

Shape Armhole: Bind off 4(6-7-8-10-10) sts at beg of the next row, then 0(4-4-4-4-4) sts at beg of next RS row – 62(62-63-66-66-68) sts. Dec 1 st at armhole edge every RS row 7(7-8-10-11- 14) times – 55(55-55-56-55-54) sts. Work even until armhole measures 7(7½-8-8½-8½-9)”, end on WS. Mark end of last row for beg of collar. Work even until collar measures 6(6-6½-7- 7½-8)” above marker, end on WS. Bind off.

Right Front

Work to correspond to left front, reversing all shaping. Bind off for armhole on WS row. Work armhole decs at end of RS rows. Mark for beg of collar at end of RS row. Bind off for collar on WS.

Finishing

Sew bound-off edges of collar tog. Sew inner edge of collar to back neck edge, matching markers with fastened-off st at each side of back neck and with seam in center. Sew side seams.