The Very Varied Vest is our first attempt at a truly ‘choose your own adventure’ pattern. With 4 different views, it should be a simple, quick knit with adjustments written to suit anyone’s style! It’s a cute, seamed, cropped vest with minimal positive ease, simple intarsia, and excellent fit through the shoulders that will pair wonderfully with tops or dresses with set-in sleeves.

It is important to me that this pattern is financially accessible and so for low-income customers, this pattern can be purchased at 33% off using the code ‘LOW33’ and at 50% off using the code ‘LOW50’. This is an honours system - please respect that I also am trying to make a living from my designs and if you can afford the full price I’d appreciate if you paid it.

Once you complete your back piece, you’ll start an entire mini journey in knitting to create your dream vest! You can choose between Flat Front and Split Front Views- the Flat Front view has the option of a V neck or a round neck, and the Split Front view has instructions for a standard, ribbed button-down finish as well as the option for an applied i-cord finish with cute i-cord ties. The pattern also includes 2 bust shaping options to add 4 (8)cm / 1.75 (3.25)in to the front of the garment to make space for larger chests.

As always, I want to encourage as much creativity as possible and get knitters really hyped about their own design process. The Very Varied Vest is written with simple intarsia instructions, but it can be easily hacked for working your own intarsia or stranded colourwork designs by disregarding the intarsia instructions as written and inserting your own colourwork. We have written both bust darts in sets of 12 rows to incorporate vertical colourwork repeats of 2, 3, 4, 6 or 12 rows should you wish to design your own (you can of course also work it totally plain!) The pattern files include a Charts Document where you can plan your design physically or digitally using our pre-made charts for each size.

Choosing a View:

The View Options are shown in the photos in the listing.

Choosing a Size:

Choose the size that most closely matches your upper chest/bust measurement: Sizes 1 (2, 3, 4) (5, 6, 7) (8, 9, 10) 11 will fit upper chest measurements of 67.5 (77.5, 85.75, 93.75) (102, 110, 118.25) (126.25, 134.5, 142.5) 147.5cm / 27 (31, 34.25, 37.5) (40.75, 44, 47.25) (50.5, 53.75, 57) 59in.

To measure your upper chest/bust measurement, place a tape measure around your body underneath your armpits at an angle and keeping arms relaxed at your sides.

Schematic illustration with complete measurements appears in the photos in the listing.

Choosing Shaping:

If you have breasts, and often feel the front of your garments are shorter than the back, there is the option to work short row shaping over your chest to add length at the front only. This shaping is available in 2 cup sizes, adding 4 (8)cm / 1.75 (3.25)in.

Size 7 with Cup 1 is shown on page 1 and throughout the pattern on a model with an upper chest measurement of 48in.

Yarn:

Uist Wool DK in Calma- C1 (100% Hebridean Wool, 235m / 257yds per 100g), Solas- C2 (100% Cheviot Wool, 230m / 251yds per 100g), and Fuaran- C3 (Zwartbles, Texel & Mixed Breeds Wool, 230m / 251yds per 100g) (yarn is for the pictured flat front, round neck version)

Yardage is shown in chart form is shown in the photos in the listing.

Gauge:

20 sts and 30 rows per 10cm / 4in in stockinette stitch worked flat using 3.75mm / US 5 needle.

Needles:

• Main Needle - 3.75mm / US 5 or size needed to obtain gauge in your preferred lengths for small and large widths (I used 32in / 80cm for all widths.)
• Ribbing Needle - 3.25mm / US 3 or size 0.5mm smaller than Main Needle in your preferred lengths for small circumferences worked in the round (I used 12in / 30cm.)

Supplies Needed:

• Tapestry needle
• 1 stitch marker (can be made from a loop of waste yarn.)
• 4 removable stitch markers
• Optional buttons (your desired number)

Yardage:

Your yardage will differ depending on your shaping and intarsia decisions. You can use the tables below to help you determine how much overall yardage you require for the intarsia version. Add the yardages together for your preferred cup option to get your total yardage requirements for C1, C2, and C3. If you choose different colourwork or none at all your yardage will be different.

I couldn’t do patterns this well without my amazing team of freelancers!

Rose Dagul - Grading
@rose_dagul on instagram

Jen Parroccini - Technical consultation
www.jpknitsthings.com

Heather Storta - Technical Editor
https://heatherstorta.com

Dave Morrow - Graphic design consultation
@boxdog.inc on instagram