STANDARD GAUGE TOP DOWN VEST FOR GROWNUPS

This is a classic vest or a fairly conservative sleeveless shell but it’s knitted from the top down. Sometimes doing this makes it easier to get a nice bottom edge and to re-form the ribbing if working it by hand. Also, it’s just fun to try it for a change. I have always found working hand latched ribbing to be easier done from this direction. My theory is that having some fabric below to hold onto is helpful. A second version of the same pattern is achieved with alterations that make this one more fitted and more youthful are described at the end of the pattern and also in a support video: Alterations to the top down vest for grownups.

Originally, this pattern was only child sized and appears in my Top Down Togs book as Top Down Vest for Tots in chest sizes 26, 28 & 30” as a bulky pattern. A friend and fellow knitter, wondered about doing it for adults and we collaborated on a bulky adult version. I did the numbers and the writing, she did the knitting and modeling. The vest was such a success that we collaborated again to create this standard gauge version of the same garment.

gauge is 7 stitches/1- rows/“ in stockinette using fingering weight #1 yarn. No special capabilities are required for knitting. Any standard gauge machine can do it.