The Cloud Chaser vest is a design I’ve been dreaming of for years. Delicately cabled. Dramatically draped.

The back features full cables, knit from hem to neck. The fronts are knit side to side, with a single cable detail near the edge. But the collar is the highlight here; wide and cabled and framing the neckline perfectly.

This seasonless layer is great over tanks, tees, or long sleeves. Equally great with jeans or even something more dressy, it’s the perfect wardrobe extender.

I chose to design with Lorna’s Laces Honor, 70% Alpaca and 30% silk, for the incredible lustre and drape. When selecting yarn, you’ll want to look for a similarly soft yarn, so the fronts drape appealingly. Good choices include anything with silk or alpaca. A softly spun merino could also work well, but you’d want to work a good sized gauge swatch to make sure.

Even though the gauge is worsted, you’ll need a lighter yarn to make the fabric work the ‘right’ way.

NEW: Written out instructions In the latest version of the pattern, I’ve added row-by-row instructions for working the cable charts.

NEW: Choosing a Size I blogged about how to choose the ‘right’ size of Cloud Chaser, particularly if you’re knitting for curves: http://www.indigirl.com/blog/2010/07/cloud-chaser-for-cur...

NEW: Choosing a Yarn I blogged about yarn selection, and how to make a smart choice: http://www.indigirl.com/blog/2010/07/choosing-a-yarn-for-...

Update for version 1.1 and 1.2 - the pattern states that the back is worked from top to bottom. That’s incorrect. It’s worked from bottom to top neck. The instructions for shaping the armholes and working all the cables are correct.

Version 1.3
The instructions for working the back decreases should read:

On next RS row, work to the end of the first Cable Chart A, p1, p2tog, continue to 3 sts before the next Cable Chart A, p2tog, p1, work to end.

Also, the instructions at the end of page 2 should say “until back measures 1616, 16, 17, 18 inches” instead of “until back measures 1616, 16, 17, 18 sts”.

Version 1.4
I added a page to include the written out instructions for working the cable charts.