As someone who travels regularly, I’m always interested in clothing that can be packed easily and be worn in different ways. This vest is a useful layer that can be worn open or wrapped for added warmth. Knit in squishy, stretchy brioche, it’s also a “wearable blanket,” shawl, or cowl (or pillow) for chilly airplanes, buses, or wherever your travels take you. It’s the perfect accessory to show off your collection of shawl pins other decorative removable fasteners.

As brioche stitch is quite stretchy, the sizing of this vest is very forgiving. You can also try it on as you go to determine the width of the front and back panels. The sections of two-color brioche make this piece reversible as well, with colors changing prominence on opposite sides of the fabric.

Yarn
Knit Picks Hawthorne DK (80% Fine Superwash Highland Wool, 20% Polyamide; 225yd/206m per 100g hank);
(MC) Blackbird Kettle; 2(2, 3, 3, 4) skeins
(CC) Cattail Kettle; 1(1, 2, 2, 2) skeins

Construction method: This vest is worked in one piece side to side with armholes bound off and cast on mid row. It begins with an i-cord chain, then stitches are picked up before continuing in brioche stitch for the body. I-cord edges are worked at the same time as the body, and the last side edge is finished with an I-cord bind off.

The vest starts with an I-cord cast on. Because brioche stitch is very stretchy, the i-cord needs to be knit loosely. I do not recommend using an i-cord tool, as they tend to make a denser, tighter i-cord. If you choose to use an i-cord tool, you may find that you’ll have to cast on more rows than necessary to create the needed length and will have to adjust the number of stitches picked up along the side accordingly.