Feb 20, 2008

Ye Olde Irish Veste

George in my office has a vest he wears every day. It is ratty and greasy and full of holes, but he wears it Every. Damn. Day. He bought it in Ireland twenty years ago, and has never found a replacement. He asked if I could mend it, but it was beyond recovery. In the end, he had me knit him a new one.


Ye Olde Irish Veste


Materials:

Knitpicks Merino style nutmeg, approximately 5 skeins (600 yds)

1 US 11 20-inch circular needle

1 US 7 50-inch circular needle*

1 US 7 20-inch circular needle

2 US & dpns

Tapestry needle

3 wooden toggles

Gauge:

18 sts = 4 in. long

13 sts = 4 in. wide

Pattern:

Back:

Using larger needles, CO 86 sts. Work in stockinette until work measures 16 inches from the beginning, ending with a WS (knit side) row.

Shape armhole: BO 5 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

Next row: purl one row.

Next row (WS): k2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2.

Repeat these two rows 4X more.

Continue in stockinette until work measures 25 inches, ending with a WS row. Purl 19 sts, BO next 27 sts, purl to end.


Left shoulder:

Row 1 (WS): BO 5 sts, K to end.

Row 2: P2, p2tog, p to end.

Row 3: BO 6 sts, k to end.

Row 4: p2, p2tog, p to end.

BO remaining sts.

Right shoulder:

Reattach yarn.

Row 1 (RS): BO 5 sts, p to last 4 sts, p2tog, p2.

Row 2 (WS): k all sts

Row 3: BO 6 sts, p to last 4 sts, p2tog, p2.

Row 4: k all sts

BO remaining sts.


Left Front:

Using larger needles, CO 30 sts. Work in stockinette until work measures 16 inches, ending with a WS row.

Armhole and neckline:

Row 1 (RS): BO 3 sts, p to last 4 sts, p2tog, p2.

Row 2: k all sts

Row 3: BO 3 sts, p to end

Row 4: k all sts.

Row 5: p2, p2tog, p to last 4 sts, p2tog, p2

Row 6: k all sts

Row 7: p all sts

Row 8: k all sts

Row 9: p to last 4 sts, p2tog, p2

Repeat rows 6-9 5X more.

Shoulder:

Row 1 (WS): k all sts

Row 2: BO 4 sts, p to end

Row 3: k all sts

Row 4: BO 4 sts, p to end

Row 5: k all sts

BO remaining sts.

Right Front:

Repeat as for left front, reversing all shaping.

Finishing:

Sew shoulder seams. Sew side seams.

Using smaller needle, with WS facing, pick up sts evenly--and loosely--around entire edge of garment.

Join to begin working in the round, p 1 row. Continue in purl st for 2 inches. BO all sts in the following manner: p2, sl 2 sts to left needle, p2tog, *p1, sl 2 sts to left needle, p2tog. Repeat from * until all sts are bound off.

*Alternatively, you could use a circular needle with a shorter cord, and do this in rows and in stages, sewing the edges together.

Repeat this process for both armholes.

Block well.

Button Loops:

Using size 7 dpns, CO 5 sts. Work an i-cord until length = 4 in. BO all sts. Make 3.

Sew onto vest as shown in photo, or wherever feels comfortable.

Sew on toggles opposite loops.

Weave in all ends.

7 comments:

Debbie said...

So what happened with George? Did he like it?

Nikki Van De Car said...

Oh, he loves it. He wears it every day. It's crazy.

Anonymous said...

Love the vest Cordelia--I really want to knit one but as a new knitter, I am wondering what size girl/guy does it fit?

Thanks for sharing your great pattern with all of us.
chloe

Nikki Van De Car said...

Well, that's what it looks like on me--George is a larger fellow, probably about a men's xl. On him, it's more like a traditional, non-drapey vest.

If you wanted to change the sizing, I could make some suggestions....

Janey said...

First of all, I'm not complaining - but in Materials, 2 wooden toggles are requested.
Then 3 button loops are knit.

The number of toggles and loops match in the photo. (There are three of each.)

Just a slip of the finger I expect.
Janey

Nikki Van De Car said...

Aha! Many thanks. Simple math and I don't always get along.

Anonymous said...

I like the looks of this vest, but I can't tell from the photo; is the stockinette side the right side or the reverse stockinette the right side? The texture in the photo looks like reverse stockinette to me. Sometimes I like the reverse stockinette texture better.