This pattern for a waistcoat or gilet was originally written for the lovely colours of Ram Jam Sport Dyeing Light Collection, which was a limited edition collaboration from Daughter of a Shepherd and Woollenflower. I was asked whether it would be possible to produce the same pattern for chunky yarn. I had a quantity of vintage lopi yarn deep in my stash, some of which was small amounts of leftovers from my student days, when I knitted yoked lopi sweaters for my contemporaries in return for getting to keep the leftovers. Some was inherited from goodness knows where. I reckoned that there would be enough, and set to work.

This garment would be an excellent stash buster. You can use just three colours or as many as you want. I have changed colours on each row, essentially aiming for a dark, a medium and a light colour and splicing yarns in and out as needed. But essentially you can use what you have and experiment with blending colours depending on what you have available.

The pattern is a simple garter stitch base with slipped stitches which looks much more complicated than it is. It produces a light, warm fabric with lots of pockets of air within. Beginning with a long provisional cast on at the centre fronts and lower hem, the body is worked in one piece with decreases at the lower fronts. After shaping the front neck and shoulders, stitches for the front armholes are set aside and the upper back completed. Small seams are worked at the shoulders, then an i-cord trim with buttonholes completes the edges.

Please note that when you buy this pattern you also get the sport weight version.