The Downton Victorian Collar Vest is fashioned after the Bertha Collars that were popular during the Victorian era. Designed to accent a woman’s shoulders, the Bertha Collar was wide, round, and flat. Other feminine features of the Downton Vest are a shapely waist to hip tapering, elongated open sides, and a graceful neckline. The vest is knit in one piece with Kitchener seams at the shoulders. Stitches are picked up along the neckline to create the Bertha Collar. The collar adds extra warmth because it creates a double layer of fabric just where you need it most.

The Downton Victorian Collar Vest is a versatile design that is appropriate for all sizes and shapes. By popular request, this pattern includes sizes XS to 4XL. There are notes in Pattern Construction Section for knitters to modify the size and the length of the overall vest so even more sizes are possible. Please note that the Small, Medium, and Large are the only sizes that have been test knitted. Instructions for all other sizes are based on mathematical calculations. The yardage needed for this vest is based on size medium. You will require additional yarn to knit larger sizes and different size circular needle cable lengths. Please note that there is not information available for the amount of yarn or circular needle cable length for the XL sizes. That information is not provided in this pattern purchase nor is assistance available for those calculations.

Paton’s 100% Wool Roving was used for this vest. Preference is to use a bulky yarn with loft and natural fiber or a yarn that is soft but other yarns are suitable. You can use either a bulky weight or worsted weight double strand.

Material based on size medium:
#5 bulky weight yarn preferably wool roving 400 yards or
#4 worsted weight yarn, approximately 800 yards to knit with two strands held together
U.S. Size 11 24-inch circulars
U.S. Size 10 24-inch circulars (optional used for tighter base edge ribbing)
U.S. Size 13 needle any type (optional to use for loosely binding off stitches)
Six stitch markers with one distinguishable from others for end of rnd marker
Three 6-inch stitch holders and one 3-inch stitch holder and scrap yarn to hold stitches